Make Space for Girls Launches Strategy for Gender-Inclusive Public Spaces

"Make Space for Girls (MSFG) is a London-based charity that campaigns for public spaces and parks in the United Kingdom to be more inclusive of teenage girls. The organization conducts research on how public spaces are used and designed, raises awareness about perceived inequalities in their use, and collaborates with public and private institutions to promote the representation of teenage girls in the planning and design of outdoor environments."

"The charity states that, in many cases, traditional forms of 'youth' provision, such as skateparks and enclosed multi-use games areas, are rarely used by girls and young women and tend to be dominated by boys and young men. Their research suggests that when girls don't feel that parks are designed for them, they are less likely to visit, contributing to what the organization identifies as a gender imbalance in the use of outdoor public spaces."

Make Space for Girls (MSFG) is a London-based charity campaigning for public spaces and parks in the United Kingdom to be more inclusive of teenage girls. MSFG conducts research showing that exclusion from the design of parks and public spaces often leaves girls without places where they feel welcomed or valued. MSFG finds that many outdoor facilities for older children and teenagers are designed for a default male and that traditional youth provisions, like skateparks and enclosed multi-use games areas, are rarely used by girls. Reduced park use by girls may affect their physical and mental wellbeing. MSFG uses research, advocacy, professional training, presentations for design professionals, and support for local policymakers to promote spatial equity and inclusive design, and is running a fundraising campaign from 8 to 15 October to support a new three-year strategy.

Read at ArchDaily