Engendering the City

Abstract

The city of Cairo has witnessed a considerable increase in crimes against women, compelling women to avoid or minimise their use of public spaces in recent years. The absence of consideration for women in city planning has made Egyptian women feel further excluded and threatened by the public space, in addition to the patriarchal social relations and religious conservatism. As part of the ‘gender-inclusive cities' research project, this study adopts a participatory approach as a tool for women's empowerment with the goal of promoting bottom-up models of planning, dissolving gendered norms, and improving women's status in a patriarchal society. The chapter provides an example of localised gender-inclusive design addressing women's spatial sensibilities and connecting them to the broader objectives of participation and emancipation. The findings of this study can help planners and policy makers co-create safer public spaces for local women, reduce spatial inequality, and facilitate their right to the city.