The Places for Women and Girls Handbook is the result of extensive consultation and research in the UK. Knowledge and good practice underpin the PDF publication which presents the information in the usual government format. There are three sections: Setting the Scene, Gender responsive action planning, and Playbook of Interventions.
The London Legacy Development Corporation developed the Handbook in conjunction with Arup. “This is the next step forward in our work to create more inclusive spaces. It shines a light on the relationship between urban design, planning and gender equality.” Lyn Garner, CEO, LLDC.
Gender informed approach means:
- Commitment to systematic implementation in all projects
- Governance frameworks to ensure continuity of commitments
- Genuine understanding of women’s and girl’s live experience
- Evidence-based research at a local level
- Cross sector collaboration with key stakeholders
- Measuring impact and identifying lessons learned
Five aims define the key attributes of positive space:
- Sense of ownership, belonging and identity
- Health and hygiene, comfort and safety
- Empowered and enriched with choices of where to go
- Accessibility and access to public domain and services
- Mobility and connectedness with seamless journeys
This is a classic government handbook with every detail covered. It amounts to a training course for developers, planning and design professionals, and local authorities. Examples help illustrate principles of participatory and co-design methods.
The Handbook on Places that Work for Women and Girls is in PDF format. There is also a separate resource webpage with more on women’s safety.
Safety for women, girls and gender diverse people
This handbook is in a different style to the PDF of the LLDC publication with one page to the screen making scrolling and reading easier. The report is in response to the rise in sexual violence towards women, girls and gender diverse people.
“An intersectional lens is critical to … recognising that safety is different for different people.” Dr Mimi Sheller (2018) from the report.
“There is no neat match between what crime statistics might say about safety of an area and how people actually feel fear and safety in that area.” Dr Claire Edwards, (2020)
A spectrum of experiences
Safety is a spectrum from mild inconvenience to extreme danger. These include the daily inconvenience of having to take a longer route home to avoid certain areas, having to carry a buggy up steps, and being underserved by public transport systems. These are microaggressions that create daily low-level exposure to physical and psychological harm.
This sends the message that public space is not βforβ you. When a group is prevented from using a public space easily, it means their experiences and realities were not included in design considerations. Safety issues for these groups were not prioritised. Consequently, exclusion is the common foundation of unequal public space provision.
Safety in Public Space: Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People is a City of London publication. It is easy to read and a good example of plain language for this type of document. The Handbook covers the principles, practice, and the development of the handbook. The section on additional resources with lots of photos is a rich source of information.