International Women’s Day 2020: UITP is #EachforEqual

There is no question about the validity of this sentiment: gender equality is essential for a thriving, successful society. 

We know that public transport tends to be seen as a male-dominated sector. Over the past few years, however, UITP and its members have made various commitments to break this pattern, to encourage and empower more women working in the sector, and improve the gender balance.

We have refused “manels”, we’ve partnered with other organisations and labour unions to release recommendations, we launched a global campaign PT4ME with the support of our partners at the World Bank which continues to evolve and push for more equality, we’ve made huge improvements in the gender-balance among the speakers at our key events, and in many other ways, we have taken up our role as “the voice of public transport” to lead this important change in our sector.

This year, for International Women’s Day (8 March 2020), held under the theme #EachforEqual, we are reminded that collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world.

UITP takes this opportunity to reiterate the nine key recommendations we released together with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) in 2019. These recommendations guide the public transport sector to better implement a more inclusive work environment for women.

To take these recommendations one step further, we are pleased to release our latest Action Points, How to build a diverse and inclusive sector. This paper provides a better understanding of the benefits of diversity and inclusion in a company or organisation, as well as builds upon our previous recommendations in order to achieve this.

While companies have to comply with standards on a national level, many public transport operators and authorities choose to go above and beyond. As an addendum to the Action Points paper, UITP and its members in the Business and Human Resource Management Committee have created a diversity and inclusion case study toolbox highlighting an array of best practices across the sector.

Despite growing initiatives to include more women in our sector—from front-line staff to upper management and city leaders—we still have much work to do to improve our current gender balance.

We are doing our part, and choose to be #EachforEqual. Are you with us?

Read the Action Points

Access the Case Study Toolbox on MyLibrary (members only)

Check out our nine recommendations with ITF from 2019

Stay tuned to our social media accounts (@UITPnews) this weekend as we share #PT4ME videos and more messages for International Women’s Day!

Want a more hands-on learning approach? Register for the UITP training programme on Diversity and Inclusion in Hamburg, Germany from 27-29 April!