Urgent action is needed to remove the gender bias built into cities and improve women’s health, safety and access to education and employment, according to a new report produced by Arup, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the University of Liverpool.
The report, titled ‘Cities Alive: Designing Cities that Work for Women’, found that although woman make up half the global urban population cities have not been designed with them in mind and calls on decision-makers, urban designers, and city planners to work towards creating cities that are more inclusive, safer, and equitable for women around the world.
Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator, said: “Achieving gender equality is integral to each of the UN sustainable development goals. When cities are largely designed without considering the diverse needs and insights of women of all ages and identities this has an extreme impact not only on their lives, but on their families. It restricts their opportunities and negatively impacts the overall sustainable development of societies. Gender-equal cities can generate enormous economic, environmental, political and social benefits.”
Léan Doody, European director of cities, planning and design at Arup, added: “The gender bias built into the design of cities has had a negative effect on the lives of women around the world. We are calling on urban designers and planners to use this report’s recommendations to meet women’s needs in cities now, while working to bring more women into leadership roles.”
