The UIC Security Platform is co-organising a special session of the UNECE Working Party on Rail Transport on Rail Security, with a focus on the Security of Vulnerable Users in Railways on 18-19 June 2024 in person in Geneva.

While acknowledging that vulnerability is context dependent and therefore many people could be considered vulnerable to some degree while in the rail environment, there are groups for whom we can anticipate would benefit from specific security measures to address the unique security challenges they face.

Indeed, the UIC Security Platform 2023 Jaipur Declaration calls on the railways to “especially ensure protection of vulnerable sections of the rail users such as Children, Women, the Elderly, the Sick and Ailing travelling on trains and those susceptible to exploitation by the Human Traffickers,” and UNECE works extensively on security in the railways as well as in ensuring the security of vulnerable users across transport modes.

This joint workshop aims to discuss the security challenges associated with vulnerable rail users, share good practices regarding measures to ensure their security and explore how the legal framework can support the railways in their efforts. During the session, member States, industry experts, United Nations entities, non-governmental organisations and academia will discuss how the security of vulnerable users is affected and managed in the railway environment. It will look at vulnerability generally as well as the fight against trafficking in human beings and the security of women specifically.

The agenda for the upcoming Special Session and a background document are available here: https://unece.org/transport/events/special-session-working-party-rail-transport-sc2

Please be advised that the meeting is in-person only and that you must register for the meeting in order to get access to the Palais des Nations (registration link: https://indico.un.org/event/1007154/).