Creating Gender-Inclusive Public Open Spaces

The concept of gender inclusion in urban planning has been so ignored in the building of cities that women feel unsafe moving through a city regardless of the time of day and are at more risk of sexual assault (UN Women, 2017). At about 49% of the world’s population, women make up a considerable part of the fabric of society, contributing an even more significant percentage of unpaid domestic labour physically, economically and emotionally (UN Women, 2020).

What will it take for us to feel safer in public open spaces?

I had once walked alone along Broad Street at 11 pm, and while that was reckless in hindsight, as Lagos has the reputation of being unsafe, especially for women, I still think about that day and why I did it. I was conscious of the precarious position I put myself in, but to a certain extent, I felt safe but still battled anxiety walking down the street. So why did I do it? The street was lit up and quiet. That was all it took me to brave Broad Street at 11 pm: streetlights! That small but essential element kept my anxiety at bay, and I felt “safe” enough to walk on through. I want us to feel safe walking the streets of Lagos whenever we choose to. What will it take for us to feel safer?

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Gender inclusion is crucial in designing, reshaping, and transforming urban open spaces to make them accessible to all their inhabitants and visitors. Establishing baseline principles on gender inclusivity is the critical first step to ensuring a well-rounded design and implementation within the urban green fabric; every project is different, and these foundational principles help to guide the success and usability of the space long after planning and implementation are completed.

A fundamental way to achieve success in this process is to ensure that women's representation is inclusive.  According to the World Bank Handbook for Gender Inclusion in Urban Planning and Design, at least a 50% representation of women within the stakeholder committee is ideal to provide a balanced view of how the city should be designed and used.

Once baseline principles have been outlined, a process framework that includes Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) can provide accurate indicators to measure project success. Implementing this from the planning stage ensures that key indicators are clearly outlined for each project to establish successes or failures as planning and implementation progress.

Lastly, a community participatory framework is essential to the success of a gender-inclusive public space. A few ways this can be effective is by setting up focus groups, engaging in community mobilisation, and ensuring participatory data collection is used during this process.  

Potential Applications - A case study of Tinubu Square, Lagos, Nigeria

Tinubu Square (formerly Independence Square) is a public open space located at the intersection of Broad, Bamgbose and Nnamdi Azikiwe Streets in Lagos Island, Nigeria. It is the centre of one of the key transport nodes of Lagos State and connects to several parts of the State on the island and the mainland. This site is famous for who it is named for. It used to be called Ita Tinubu, a homage to Madam Efunroye Tinubu, a 19th-century businesswoman who traded in tobacco, salt, and slaves. While this legacy, and resultant homage, is the subject of heated debate, the case study will focus solely on gender inclusion and how to achieve this using a multi-pronged principles approach.

In creating safe spaces for women and the more vulnerable in society to move freely through the city without fear of invisibility or harassment, a key practice is the participatory methodology. The technique seeks the engagement of target groups i.e. women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities of all ages and abilities, in the planning and design process. Their participation is not solely as a focus group, but as true partners with shared decision-making powers. This participatory approach will have the most impact (World Bank Group, 2020).

In Tinubu Square, the majority of users are women and children, and this approach enables them to be active participants in how the space is designed and used. It will help them navigate the space better and result in solutions that meet their needs and priorities. It will have a greater impact, foster equity and ownership among project beneficiaries, and encourage community stewardship, so necessary for long-term sustainability of the precinct.

Tinubu Square serves as a node for movement, rest, and recreation. This open, public space landmark serves as one of numerous entry and exit points into Idumota Market. It also houses public buildings and several bus stops that connect to other major hubs in the city, making it an important mobility hub.

In studying the space, time was spent focusing on movement and mobility, how people move within the 250m radius of the site, their interaction with the square, and the  infrastructure that supports the site. The purpose of the research was to understand and rethink the space and to propose ways women and the more vulnerable can better interact with it in a safer, more connected, accessible, and healthy way at all times of the day.

During my exploratory walks around the area, interaction with the square was minimal and most times non-existent, mainly due to the barrier surrounding the square, which imposed social hierarchy within that space. A public square should be devoid of social hierarchies; all spaces should have a free flow of movement that break down classist systems.

As much as possible, the idea was to rethink how it could be used, and not replace and rebuild it. Rather, the aim was to understand how it could be changed for users to have a positive experience.

By emphasising ideological shifts over infrastructure changes in the area, the primary focus was to promote meaningful community involvement and engagement with stakeholders connected to the space.

How can they collectively assume responsibility for the square as communal property?

During my exploratory walks and conversations with stakeholders, women’s concerns about using the space soon became evident. They feared for their safety during the day and for harassment from market boys. They complained about a lack of personal space and resting areas and a lack of cleanliness.

In creating a safe and inclusive space, attention must be drawn to working on enlightenment and community participatory workshops that engage all users. Long-term users would have the authority to establish the rules of conduct at street markets, and it would be the responsibility of all users to report incidents of harassment. There would be clear procedures for handling such cases.

In addressing these concerns, the design included:

a) Introducing wider pedestrian paths that allow for adequate movement along the streets to reduce the feeling of people being in your personal space

b) Revamp existing open areas as rest stops

c) To increase the perception of safety, adequate street lighting and accurate signage was proposed, and

d) The provision of benches with armrests, specifically for older users.

During my exploratory walks, a major complaint was the people's inability to engage with the main square. A soft landscape barrier was proposed to replace the uninviting existing fencing, making the square more accessible and allowing it to be used as a socialising place. This design approach will empower community members take ownership of the square and the streets around it, allowing for better management. Essential to the long-term success of the place.

Conclusion

The Tinubu Square project aims to establish ownership of the space by ensuring representation across the board. At all design phases, a risk assessment document is used to cross-check and ensure the design is being managed and reiterated as perceived functional use changes or if targets are not being met. With a holistic approach to planning and design and a community-driven participation process with the stakeholders who engage with the place daily, TInubu Square will be an accessible and safer place for women and other vulnerable citizens.