Cities aren't built for women - it's time to change that

"Historically, men have dominated professions such as planning, architecture, urban design, engineering, policymaking, development and budgeting. This skew has resulted in urban infrastructures and systems that are not sensitive to women's lives. Although these fields are becoming more diverse, city building continues to fail women. As we head into an ever more urbanized future, it's crucial that our cities work for everyone."

"Decades of research have shown marked differences in how people of different genders experience cities - and that they are typically designed to serve men. For example, transportation research demonstrates that women use public transport more often than men do. But these systems are designed to handle mainly linear commuter travel, not the multi-stop, non-linear, off-peak trips burdened by children and packages that women are more likely than men to make."

"Many of those journeys are in service of care work, for which women are disproportionately responsible. Zoning rules that separate residential, commercial, institutional and green spaces force women to travel inconvenient distances between home, school, childcare facilities and work. This is rarely considered by urban planners."

Urban planning conventions have produced cities that inadequately serve women's needs. Men have historically dominated planning, architecture, urban design, engineering, policymaking, development and budgeting, producing infrastructures and systems insensitive to women's lives. Women use public transport more often, yet transit systems prioritize linear commuter travel rather than multi-stop, off-peak trips associated with caregiving, shopping and child-related journeys. Service frequency drops outside rush hours and routes rarely connect residential areas directly, lengthening caregivers' trips. Physical barriers like staircases and insufficient stroller space impede mothers. Single-use zoning separates home, school, childcare, work and green spaces, forcing inconvenient travel distances and amplifying fear and exclusion.

Read at Nature