Completed Research

The City Seen By Women: The appropriation of Public Spaces from a Gender Perspective

From the perspective of gender urbanism, cities are built according to who dominates the public space: men. The feminist approach to urbanism calls for the reconstruction of cities, built from an inclusive perspective that considers the experiences of all people, as well as a reconstruction that allows women to have access to decision-making processes. Therefore, this case study focuses on public space accessibility and participation for women who make up the Lomas Modelo Women’s Committee. This research study also aims to understand the obstacles faced by women in community leadership roles, analyzing the dynamics of gender exclusion and its influence on the perpetuation of poverty in the Lomas Modelo Norte neighbourhood

Hard to Reach

Women and girls in the neighbourhoods of Lomas Modelo Norte and Colonia del Topo-Fomerrey 49, Monterrey that face alarming levels of violence and other forms of insecurity in both private and public spaces.

Key Takeaways

Both Lomas Modelo and the Fomerrey 49 Topo Chico hill communities face social, political, economic, and cultural realities which include the irregularity of public space and the lack of active citizen participation leading to growing insecurity and violence against women. The following recommendations are made to to address women’s development and concerns:

  1. The government must facilitate women’s access to resources that allow them to carry out their
    activities in synergy with the rest of the city through the appropriation of spaces and the strategic use of land
  2. Public policy must introduce gender criteria and women’s daily experience within decision-making and transformation processes.
  3. Creating inclusive spaces through gender informed urban planning brings us closer to obtaining equality within social structures, which is reflected even in planning areas within cities.