And what do men think?
In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, Lindsey Barr — Senior Director, Events & Academy Services Department at UITP and Board Member of Femmes en Mouvement reflects on the role men play in advancing gender equality in public transport.
The faces staring back at me reflected a mix of amusement and trepidation when I addressed the UITP Policy Board: “Men of UITP – don’t panic – but I have a few questions”.
The biannual meeting, which recently took place in Madrid, gathers one hundred or so of the Division and Committee chairs and country representatives that take decisions on UITP’s policies related to public transport and urban mobility.
They are used to me talking about gender issues as I present a report at each meeting, tracking the gender balance of our working bodies, panels and secretariat.
Since introducing UITP’s gender policy in 2019, we have made significant progress: eradicating all-male panels, doubling the number of women speakers, bringing the composition of the Executive Board – the highest decision-making body of UITP – from 0% to 38% women, and improving the gender balance of the internal management board from 10% to 45%, to name just a few milestones.
However, seven years later, the impact of our award-winning policy seems to be plateauing. The numbers are starting to slip.
And at the same time, one issue has continued to concern me: any session with the word “gender” or similar in the title invariably attracts a room full of women.
Why do men stay away from gender conversations?
The facts are clear:
- Women make up the majority of public transport passengers worldwide
- Despite this, public transport networks tend to have been inadvertently designed by men for men – overlooking the distinct and specific mobility needs of women
- On average, women represent just 20% of the public transport workforce
- Research consistently shows that organisations with gender balanced workforces outperform those who are not
- Data shows that gender-based violence continues to be a considerable problem in public spaces, including public transport
So why do men tend to stay away from sessions addressing these issues?
It is a question that Femmes en Mouvement and UITP have decided to explore.
Approximately 50 of the men at Madrid’s Policy Board meeting were game enough to (anonymously) answer my questions.
Encouragingly, 61% claimed to be drawn to attend a session with the word “gender” in the title. However 13% admitted “it’s probably not for me” and 21% prefer to “support… from a safe distance”.
What the survey revealed
When asked why they might avoid a ‘gender’ focused session, almost two thirds thought it either didn’t apply to them or was mainly for women.
One third were worried about “saying the wrong thing”. 17% stated such sessions “sounded confrontational”.
When asked what happens if they ever do “say the wrong thing” in a gender conversation, 32% said “the women all get angry with me”.
The sense of discomfort was tangible:
- 13% feel excluded from gender conversations
- 11% feel blamed
- 23% feel merely tolerated
Finally, when asked which word comes to mind when hearing the word “gender equality”, many positive responses emerged: “overdue”, “diversity”, “positivity”, “equity”, “daughter”.
But it is hard to ignore that “boring” received three mentions — the joint highest — alongside “important but too much” and “politicised.”
Continuing the conversation
Understanding this hesitation is essential if we are to continue making progress. If we want meaningful change, men must feel just as concerned and engaged as women in addressing the challenges we face.
We need to create space for more open dialogue — even if it involves the risk of saying the wrong thing.
The word “boring” stung. Mostly because I understand it. It is indeed exhausting — and yes, at times repetitive — to keep advocating for inclusion, safety, and gender balance. We wish it were no longer necessary.
But perhaps that is precisely the point.
If more men join the conversation — openly, imperfectly, constructively — progress may accelerate. And maybe then, sooner rather than later, we can move on to other issues together.
International Women’s Day at UITP
UITP continuously works towards advancing the action being taken within public transport to bring a more equal sector to the forefront.
From #EachForEqual, #ChooseToChallenge, #BreakTheBias, #EmbraceEquity, #InspireInclusion and #AccelerateAction – the involvement of our staff and global membership has helped to make this output among the most engaged content each year.
Now, our colleagues are united to #GiveToGain.
International Women’s Day belongs to everyone, everywhere. And that includes within public transport.
There’s always more work to do, and we must also practice what we preach. As a global voice for public transport, we can make sure our rapidly-developing sector is one that is inclusive for all.
UITP is committed to building lasting change and we’re proud to embrace the #IWD2026 theme. Worldwide everyone, everywhere can step up to #GiveToGain
Participate in the survey
UITP and Femme en Mouvement are circulating the questionnaire electronically to gather a wider sample.
Answers are strictly anonymous. It is available in both French and English here.
