Gender Issue Guide: Urban Planning and Design

Urban planning is part of the larger context of urban governance and management. The local government must recognize the systemic impacts of discrimination. The examining of urban governance with gender and socio-economic dynamics of the city in mind is a critical starting point in the assurance of equalities, inclusion, and urban sustainability. More specifically, low-income women, men, and other marginalized groups require further attention and inclusion in policies, projects, and decision making. Gender mainstreaming across local governments, municipal functions, and service delivery offers an opportunity to create inclusive cities respecting the human rights of women and men of all ages and of diverse backgrounds. Only when the diverse experiences and needs of women and men are integrated into urban planning and design will it be possible to form inclusive urban planning procedures, public spaces, and land management.

The objective of this gender guide on urban planning and design is to:

• Increase understanding of gender concerns and needs in urban planning and design
• Develop staff and partners’ capacity to address gender issues in select human settlement areas
• Encourage staff and partners to integrate gender perspectives into policies, projects, and programmes for sustainable urban development
• Support institutionalization of the culture of gender mainstreaming and gender equality through the implementation of gender-sensitive projects/programmes and the monitoring of gender mainstreaming progress