Gender Responsive Urban Planning

Gender-responsive urban planning is an approach that recognizes and addresses the different needs, preferences, and experiences of women and men in urban spaces. It aims to create cities that are inclusive, safe, accessible, and sustainable for all genders. Gender-responsive urban planning considers how gender interacts with other factors such as age, class, caste, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation to shape people’s access to opportunities and resources in the city.

In India, where urbanization is reshaping the social and economic fabric, the concept of gender-responsive urban planning gains even more significance. This approach involves rethinking traditional urban design strategies and policies to address gender-specific challenges, and the balancing of domestic and professional responsibilities. By integrating gender perspectives into urban planning, India can create environments that empower women, enhance their participation in the urban workforce, and contribute to their overall well-being.

Why is Gender-Responsive Urban Planning Important for India?

• Presence of Violence and Fear:
  • Women experience various forms of violence and harassment in public spaces, such as streets, markets, parks, buses, trains, etc.
    • This affects their mobility, freedom, and participation in the city.
  • According to a 2021 ORF study across 140 Indian cities, 52 % of women turned down opportunities for education and employment due to lack of safety.
  • A 2019 Ola study revealed that only 9% of women from 11 cities felt it was safe to use public transport.
• Unpaid Care Work:
  • Women bear the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work, such as domestic chores, child care, elder care, etc.
  • This limits their time and energy for paid work, education, leisure, and civic engagement.
  • A 2018 ILO research points out that Indian women spend 297 minutes on housework a day, while men spend 31.
  • A 2021 Oxfam report showed that Indian women and girls put in 3.26 billion hours of unpaid care work daily.
• Absence of Gender Policies and Practices:
  • Urban planning and management often do not take into account the diverse realities and needs of women and men in the city.
  • For example, public transport systems may not be affordable, accessible, or safe for women
    • Public toilets may not be adequate or clean for women
    • Public spaces may not be designed or maintained for women’s comfort and security; etc.
  • These gender inequalities have negative impacts on women’s well-being, empowerment, and human rights.
  • They also hamper the social and economic development of the city and the country.
    • Therefore, it is crucial to adopt a gender-responsive approach to urban planning that ensures equal opportunities and outcomes for all genders.

What are the Challenges of Gender Responsive Planning?

• Lack of Gender-Disaggregated Data:
  • Many urban planners and decision-makers do not have access to reliable and relevant data that reflects the different needs, preferences, and experiences of women and men in the city.
    • This makes it difficult to identify and address the gaps and inequalities that affect women’s access to urban opportunities and resources.
• Lack of Diverse Participation:
  • Women and other marginalized groups are often excluded or underrepresented in urban planning and design processes.
  • Their voices and perspectives are not heard or valued in shaping the city.
  • This leads to urban policies and programs that do not reflect or respond to their realities and aspirations.
• Lack of Gender Awareness and Capacity:
  • Many urban practitioners, government authorities, and communities lack awareness of the importance of gender inclusion in urban planning and design.
  • They also lack the skills, tools, and resources to effectively implement gender-responsive strategies.
    • This results in urban interventions that are gender-blind or even gender-biased.
• Lack of Political Will and Commitment:
  • Gender-responsive urban planning requires a strong political will and commitment from all levels of governance and leadership.
  • It also requires adequate funding, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms to ensure its implementation and impact.
    • However, these are often lacking or insufficient in many contexts, especially where gender equality is not a priority or is met with resistance.

How can Gender-Responsive Urban Planning be Implemented in India?

• Generating Gender-Disaggregated Data:
  • Data is essential for understanding the situation and needs of different groups of people in the city.
  • However, most urban data is not disaggregated by gender or other relevant factors.
    • Therefore, it is important to collect and analyze data that reflects the diversity of urban populations and their experiences. This can help identify gaps, challenges, priorities, and opportunities for gender-responsive interventions.
• Engaging Diverse Stakeholders:
  • Gender-responsive urban planning should be participatory and inclusive of all stakeholders, especially those who are often marginalized or excluded from decision-making processes.
  • This includes women and men from different backgrounds, ages, abilities, and identities.
  • Their voices and perspectives should inform the design, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of urban policies and programs.
• Addressing Multiple Dimensions of Gender Inequality:
  • Gender-responsive urban planning should address not only the physical aspects of the city but also the social, economic, cultural, and political aspects that affect people’s lives.
    • This means tackling the root causes of gender inequality such as patriarchal norms, stereotypes, discrimination, and violence.
  • It also means promoting positive changes such as gender awareness, empowerment, and solidarity among urban communities.
• Implementing Transformative Policies and Programs:
  • Gender-responsive urban planning should aim to create tangible changes in the city that improve the quality of life for all genders.
  • This can include policies and programs such as:
    • Providing safe, affordable, accessible, and reliable public transport systems for women.
    • Building adequate, clean, and gender-sensitive public toilets for women.
    • Creating safe, inclusive, and vibrant public spaces for women.
    • Enhancing women’s access to employment, education, health care, and social protection.
    • Supporting women’s participation in urban governance, leadership, and civic engagement.
    • Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in public spaces.
    • Recognizing, reducing, redistributing, and rewarding unpaid care work.
• Adopting Some Good Practices:
  • The Pink Bus initiative in Bhopal, which provides free and safe bus services for women and girls.
  • The Gender Inclusive Cities Programme, which works with local governments and civil society organizations in Delhi, Dar es Salaam, Petrozavodsk, and Rosario to make public spaces safer and more inclusive for women.
  • The Women-Friendly City Project in Seoul, which aims to create a city that is comfortable, safe, and convenient for women through various measures such as gender budgeting, gender impact assessment, gender-sensitive design, and gender education.

Drishti Mains Question: Discuss the importance and challenges of gender-responsive urban planning in India. Suggest some measures to make Indian cities more inclusive, safe, and sustainable for all genders.