🏙️ Why Gender Equity Must Be at the Core of Urban Governance in India

As India marches toward becoming a $5 trillion economy, our cities are expected to lead the charge. But there’s a structural flaw in this vision that we continue to overlook — urban governance that fails to account for women.

Women in urban areas disproportionately depend on public transport, pedestrian infrastructure, and street lighting — not out of choice, but necessity. Yet our city planning remains deeply gender-insensitive: unsafe public transport, broken footpaths, poorly lit streets — all contributing to one of the world’s lowest female labor force participation rates. At just 27%, it’s less than half of China’s.

This isn’t just a gender issue. It’s an economic one.

While there are reserved seats for women in local governance, their representation in the execution arms — IAS officers, urban planners, police forces — remains alarmingly low. Policies made without diverse voices often ignore critical needs. The result? Cities that work for some, not all.

🔍 What’s needed is gender-responsive urban planning:

A gender-equal city isn’t just more just — it’s more productive, more inclusive, and more prepared for the future.

It’s time to design cities not just for women, but with them.

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