There are still too many reports of women being attacked in public places, particularly in urban spaces, and one wonders what can be done about this. Is it possible to create urban environments safe for all to enjoy? What would cities look like if they were designed and planned by women? Would they create spaces safer and more inclusive so that women can go about their daily business without fear?
These questions have been raised in extensive research and suggestions made to answer them in two published reports titled: ‘Cities Alive: Designing cities that work for women’ published by Arup and the University of Liverpool (2022) and ‘Codesigning a safer and more inclusive health precinct for everyone: Randwick Creative Lighting Master Plan’ also published by ARUP (August 2024). They make several recommendations on how to make our streets safer for women. Both these reports are freely accessible online, and they have hundreds of academic references quoted from a review of the literature if you wish to research the topic further. In addition, and coincidentally another report on a similar subject entitled ‘Travelling in a Woman’s’ Shoes’ was commissioned recently by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which highlights the real-life experiences of women going about their daily lives on public transport in Ireland. This report also makes suggestions on how to achieve a better equitable experience for women living in urban environments.
“cities are not universally designed with women in mind”
The reports identify key areas of focus for providing a better space for women in our cities. These include providing transport networks which are safe spaces for women to travel on. Designing urban environments such that there are more open spaces, well maintained and well illuminated at night. Paths to be wide enough for two people to pass each other without contact and that when on foot vistas ahead should be curved so there are no hidden spaces where women would fear to pass. They outline a new gender response to planning and design and encourage all stakeholders to work together.
What is the current situation with respect to the safety of women in urban environments? The statistics are quite alarming and depressing. Today 55% of the world’s population live in urban areas which accounts for 4.5 billion people of whom approximately half are women. Still cities are not universally designed with women in mind.
Of the women surveyed 32% respondents said they feel unsafe in public spaces at night; they are afraid of harassment and acts of violence. Even if experiencing such incidents, 37% of the women respondents interviewed said they were unlikely to report them. This arises from a misogynistic attitude towards women in general and would require a paradigm shift in society if these figures are to be improved.
So how can we create safer streets and public spaces by design and to provide safer transport? One approach is to integrate gender responsiveness into strategies and urban planning together with incorporating laws to dissuade violence against women.
“The way cities are designed, built, governed and maintained affects women’s quality of life”
One example which has gained attention for its efficacy in creating a safe urban space is the 80-metre-long pedestrian tunnel in Umea, Sweden. Here the entrances to the tunnel are wide. The footpath within has gentle gradients, rounded corners to enhance sightlines and there is good natural and artificial lighting, thereby improving visual awareness for the pedestrian. This is accompanied by bright artwork on the walls and a calming audible sound from a public address system in the background. These factors encourage high footfall which itself generates a ‘safety in numbers’ attitude knowing that others are close by in case of need.
Other innovations such as in Quito, Ecuador have been to install glass corridors in stations around the city to allow a better line of sight, while in Las Vegas in the USA all lighting at its transit bus stops has been upgraded to enhance visual awareness.
In a broader context, involving women in all aspects of urban city designs will help with innovative design for safer streets. Besides the few schemes mentioned above the reports spell out in great detail a whole range of recommendations for improving the lives of women in urban environments and in all aspects of society.
The way cities are designed, built, governed and maintained affects women’s quality of life. Designing cities that work for women leads to better cities for everyone resulting in stronger socio-economic outcomes. Strategies can be employed which can lead to healthier and a more inclusive built environment that allows for social cohesion and enhances the quality of life for everyone in our communities, not just women.
by Ian Smith
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