Designing Cities for All: Gender-Inclusive Urban Development

In many cities, women face barriers to mobility, economic participation, and access to services due to urban infrastructure that was not designed with them in mind. In addition, women’s substantial care responsibilities mean that they use the city, its transportation, and services differently. 

Despite growing recognition of these gender disparities, urban planning processes and infrastructure and service design continue to overlook the specific needs, priorities, and lived experiences of women, girls, and marginalised groups.

As cities expand and infrastructure investments accelerate, there is a critical opportunity to embed gender equity in the design and governance of urban spaces. 

Gender-responsive planning and infrastructure investment is not only a matter of fairness: it is fundamental to building inclusive and resilient cities.

The event will spotlight tools and real-world examples that advance gender-informed urban development. It will feature the World Bank’s Gender-Inclusive Urban Planning and Design Handbook, the GEEST spatial tool, as well as initiatives led by the City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE) and Cities Alliance. 

Chair: Victoria Stanley, Senior Land Administration Specialist, Gender Focal Point, World Bank

Moderator: Swati Sachdeva, Urban Specialist, World Bank

Speakers:

• Leslie Crosdale, Co-Executive Director, CHANGE

• Ishita Alam Abonee, Urban Development Specialist, World Bank

• Carolina Huerta, Consultant, World Bank

   

Discussant: Giulia Maci, Senior Urban Specialist, Cities Alliance

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