From September 2022 to March 2024, PPMI collaborated with DG MOVE, the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, on an equality mainstreaming initiative in mobility and transport. Integrating an equality dimension into the work of DG MOVE aligns with the goals of the European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and is crucial to achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Union of Equality.
This project aimed to embed equality principles across DG MOVE’s portfolio of mobility and transport policies and initiatives. To support this commitment, PPMI developed a practical Handbook to assist staff in integrating equality mainstreaming into their daily work, ensuring compliance with obligations to promote equality and combat discrimination.
The project encompassed several key objectives:
- Conducting a review of DG MOVE’s policies through an equality lens to identify strengths and areas for enhancement.
- Developing training materials to enhance policy officers’ understanding of equality issues within mobility and transport policies.
- Creating a practical Handbook offering clear guidance on integrating equality considerations across various transport policy areas and throughout the policy cycle.
Critical factors for successfully implementing equality mainstreaming include established accountability mechanisms, support from senior leadership, suitable institutional arrangements, and enhanced awareness and skills among staff. Building on these findings, PPMI recommended a strategic approach to foster the effective and lasting integration of equality perspectives into DG MOVE’s workflow, policies and practices.
The Handbook distils equality principles into actionable insights tailored to specific transport modes and themes - road, aviation, rail, maritime, and others. Its accessible format includes checklists, practical examples and visual aids to facilitate effective implementation within policy making.
While the Handbook is tailored for DG MOVE, it will also be valuable for other stakeholders engaged in transport and equality policies.
The project concluded with targeted training sessions. These sessions aimed to raise awareness about the equality dimension of mobility and transport policies and promote a culture of equality within the organisation.
