Our vision is to create cities that are inclusive, gender-equitable, and free from the restrictions and failures that women face. We envision urban environments where women have equal access to opportunities, safe and inclusive public spaces, and where their voices are valued and heard in decision-making processes.
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Our mission is to promote gender equity and social justice in urban life and raise awareness about the gender disparities and exclusions in urban environments. Through research, advocacy, and community engagement, we aim to challenge and transform the existing structures and design of cities to be more inclusive, responsive, and empowering for women and marginalized groups.
Transforming urban spaces so that gender equality is the foundation of all design, policies, and community engagement.
Creating cities where gender equality is the standard, not the exception. Making Gender-equal cities the new default.
Our team is dedicated to challenging the status quo and advancing gender-equal cities. Your support is invaluable to us and greatly appreciated.
A Handbook that presents innovative interdisciplinary approaches to comprehending gendered spatial equity within urban environments. Positioning design as a central element in the production, construction, representation, and materialization of gendered spatial practices brings together theory and practice to critically examine, challenge, and facilitate solutions that address the underlying causes of gender inequalities in cities. Through a diverse range of case studies, practice-led interventions, and historical and theoretical perspectives, it explores crucial issues impacting the experiences and participation of women and marginalised individuals in urbanspaces. Click on the Image to Join now!
With more than 40 project entries.
As part of our Women After Dark series, The Gendered City—a research project piloted in five European cities with the support of the FEM.DES network—is investigating how urban dark is affecting women and marginalized groups.
“I’m a disabled woman, and navigating the city after dark is terrifying. Public spaces aren’t accessible during the day, let alone at night. I avoid going out in the evenings altogether because uneven sidewalks and poor lighting make it dangerous for me to move around.”
This chronic state of vigilance can have significant mental health consequences, with women experiencing heightened stress, anxiety, and fear simply by navigating cities after dark. The psychological toll is profound, as public spaces meant for all become zones of vulnerability for half the population. It’s not just about physical safety; the mental weight of navigating these spaces impacts women's overall well-being.
"I choose on-purpose streets that have bars and other shops open at night"
"Light is negotiable, sometimes I feel it is needed and sometimes I think it draws attention to me that I don't like, I think the amount and direction of light is important, I like when it comes from houses up above"
"Why urban spaces need to be reimagined from an intersectional perspective, incorporating the voices and experiences of women!"
Nourhan Bassam
A platform through "The Gendered City" for women and girls to share their experiences, ideas, and visions for the cities they live in. Focused on addressing the unique challenges women and girls face in urban environments, we aim to create a space for dialogue, creativity, and collaboration. Through workshops, walks, and community engagement, Urban Voices amplifies the perspectives of women and girls, ensuring their voices are heard in shaping safer, more inclusive, and equitable cities. We aim at fostering leadership and advocacy to help women and girls reclaim their right to the city, making urban spaces more responsive to their needs.
Become a part of our community and help us create lasting change. Sign up for our Urban Voices Representatives.
🎙 Our guest is Nourhan Bassam (Feminist Urbanist, Ph.D Urban, Design & Placemaking, Founding Director The Gendered City, The Gendered City Author, FEM. DES. Network Creator).
Diving into the intersection of #cities, #feminism, and #inclusivespaces with a social entrepreneur, educator, and feminist urbanist, Nourhan Bassam
“Cities for too long have been failing women, in mobility, economic empowerment, safety, and representation, and it’s past time for this to change”
Feature Interview With Feminist Urbanist Nourhan Bassam.
DIAMOND-MICHAEL SCOTT
Feminist Design between the Challenges and the Rewards, with Nourhan Bassam X Luca De Stefano from non-a
Which design decisions result in gender inequality and how can architecture contribute to creating equality and inclusivity for every gender?.
Large cities are still built and designed by and for men. This ensures, among other things, that women and minority groups feel unsafe and fall victim to sexually transgressive behaviour.
Delving in the work of the “#gendered #city” took me to a feminist analysis of architecture.
“Every day was a struggle to avoid, protect from, and prevent harm in public spaces. Could I ever truly belong in this city? Nourhan Bassam from “The Gendered City book”.
Certain bodies become socially entitled to take up space, while others are not. Some of us find ourselves within hostile environments where our presence is unwelcome and we are made to be out of place.
We are part of the collective "Women of the NEB" presenting our work in The New European Bauhaus Festival" Women Shaping Spaces"
- The Gendered City book: How Cities Keep Failing Women
- How have cities failed women?
- How can we envision urban environments?
- What do we need to make this vision of cities come true?
How Cities Keep Failing Women?
For the changers, radicals, and feminists in your life!
