CONDITIONS FOR EQUALITY

Despite advances for gender equality in some countries and the existence of international standards to address discrimination and promote women’s rights, women around the world continue to experience multiple forms of discrimination; violence and sexual harassment; and restrictions on their rights. 

Improving gender equality is critical to the growth, sustainability and resilience of the transport sector. As transport evolves and adapts to respond to challenges and priorities that emerge, there is an opportunity to ensure that transport is organised to meet social and economic priorities, including the provision of green and decent work opportunities for women and men. However, our experience shows us that at times of crisis and change, unless gender equality and women’s leadership is integrated proactively, the systemic exclusion of women intensifies, and existing harmful gender inequalities can be further entrenched. 

To achieve meaningful progress towards gender equality in transport there needs to be collective leadership, commitment and action from all stakeholders in the sector – and women’s leadership is absolutely vital. Women transport workers must have a voice and must be ‘at the decision-making table’ in the workplace, in collective bargaining with employers, with governments and in the union. 

It is essential that strategies to promote women’s employment in transport adopt an approach that includes all aspects of a woman’s working life rather than a focus on one aspect, with the inclusion of measures that address access to employment, recruitment, retention and progression. 

More broadly women’s unequal position in the economy requires gender-responsive due diligence and gendered public policies that target the root causes of discrimination and ensure women’s right to paid work, safety, dignity and respect. For example, laws and collective bargaining to ensure that women transport workers earn equal pay for equal work, are protected from pregnancy discrimination, have access to income protections, healthcare benefits and paid leave for sickness, pregnancy, childcare and caring responsibilities.  

This needs to include gender-responsive action plans in tendering requirements and the provision of resulting contracts, as well as terms in contracts, for example, with operating companies and along transport supply chains, that address decent work and labour rights and which include gender equality measures, such as sexual harassment policies, and promotion and training opportunities. 

The key drivers of change in transport that need to be considered as part of action to achieving gender equality in transport include: 

  • Digital technology
  • Climate change
  • International finance
  • Informal work 
Digital Technology

New technologies have the potential to bring benefits for women transport workers, for example in opening up new opportunities for work. However, women are often at the sharp end of automation as their jobs in ticket sales and customer service functions may be particularly at risk.  

Digital employment platforms can provide flexible transport work that is appealing to women workers, however there are issues with equal access to vehicle ownership and technology, as well as how to ensure decent work, including employment status.  

The use of algorithms, that are often applied without accounting for human diversity, can nurture discrimination. 

There are many new ideas, concepts and approaches that are being developed in cities and within transport to adapt to new realities and improve services, sustainability and safety. 

Often gender is ignored in discussions around technology and so there is potential to undermine working conditions or worsen existing inequality without a gender lens. 

Trade unions must be included as key stakeholders in consultation on all new technological development in transport from very early stages of discussion to ensure that new technology benefits women transport workers and our communities; and to advance gender equality. 

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Climate Change

We are in a climate emergency that we cannot ignore. However, climate change is not gender neutral – women are proven to be more vulnerable to exploitation from the impacts of climate change due to their different social roles and unequal access to resources, decision-making bodies and technology. Climate change policy measures also affect women and men differently. 

There is no sustainable future without gender equality at its heart. 

Ensuring a gender equal just transition must be a priority as the transport industry responds to the climate crisis with women transport workers fully represented in leadership for discussions and negotiations on sustainable transport. 

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INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

Global finance is a significant contributor to the changing nature of the transport industry and workers’ rights. International Finance Institutions (IFIs) finance a large number of transport development projects around the world, advise governments on transport policy and provide loans to transport companies. They therefore impact the lives of millions of transport workers around the world.  

Women transport workers can potentially benefit from the development of new transport systems or changes to existing systems because of investment from public authorities, IFIs or private investors.  

Currently women’s rights and gender equality are poorly protected by most IFI safeguard frameworks. Whilst they are far from perfect, they can be a vital tool and source of leverage to unlock women’s rights and better labour standards. 

Our priorities for engaging with IFIs: 

  • Strengthen women’s employment and end the systemic exclusion of women from transport
  • Promote decent work
  • End violence against women transport workers
  • Include women in decision-making/negotiation teams
  • Recognise trade unions as stakeholders
  • Facilitate a just transition and worker-led formalisation
  • Strengthen IFI safeguards, especially in the area of labour and gender 

 

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Informal Transport Work

The changing world of work, including the growth of more precarious and informal work, is impacting on women’s economic empowerment and the realisation of women’s rights. 

In many parts of the world, transport is largely in the informal economy. Informal transport workers face job insecurity, low pay, long hours, increased risk of violence and harassment and lack of training or pathways into formalised work. Women occupy the most precarious jobs within informal transport.  

Stronger protections for women working in informal and precarious work, including income protection, unemployment benefits, healthcare benefits and leave, including for sickness, pregnancy and caring responsibilities need to be in place. 

With the introduction of new transport systems, it is essential that informal workers are ensured a just transition to a future of decent work.  

Labour impact assessments, with gender-disaggregated data, are an important tool in giving visibility to women’s work and experiences when considering the transition from informal to formal transport services.  

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