What type of challenges are women facing in the urban context?

Gender mainstreaming and intersectionality is a relatively new area of research and activity for local administration in Poland. So far, much attention has been devoted to the representation of women in urban spaces – both within public authorities, local administration structures, and symbolic representation, such as promoting street and square names after women or encouraging the exploration of city history from the perspective of women through initiatives like Women's Trails.

“This is a very important dimension of gender mainstreaming, but not the only one. Equally important is ensuring that decisions made by city authorities take into account their impact on all city residents – women, men, and non-binary individuals. Integrating gender considerations into urban policy planning is precisely the dimension addressed by the FEMACT Cities project,” points out Magdalena Furdzik, Head of the Multiculturalism, Social Projects, and Equality Policy Department at the Kraków City Office.

In the FEMACT Cities project, the gender perspective has been expanded to include aspects such as age, levels of ability, caregiving responsibilities, and a sense of safety. The research team analysed the use of urban spaces by boys and girls, individuals with disabilities – particularly mothers of children requiring care – women caring for dependent adults and children, as well as the use of urban spaces after dark by different groups of women.

“In our research, we employed the perspective of a Caring City, which assumes that the needs of women are important but adopts a much more holistic approach. A Caring City aspires to consider the needs of all groups not identified in the aforementioned category. These include women but also older adults, children, people with limited mobility, refugees, sexual or ethnic minorities, as well as individuals experiencing homelessness. Importantly, these groups are not mutually exclusive – for instance, refugees can also be children while simultaneously facing health challenges,” explains Ewelina Jaskulska (Architektoniczki), co-author of the report The City Challenges Me Here.

Safety after dark from a gender perspective 

Women do not use public spaces as freely as men, partly due to concerns about safety, and one third do not feel safe after dark[1]. In Ireland, 55% of women do not feel safe travelling on public transport at night[2], and in Glasgow, Scotland, as many as 95% of its residents are afraid to visit city parks after dark[3].

An exploratory walk conducted using the 4E methodology – Equal Spatial Sequence – Curve of Emotion – highlighted several challenges faced by women at night:

• Insufficient spaces dedicated to women, where they can spend their leisure time freely and feel safe.
• Inadequate lighting.
• A lack of proper, gender-neutral signage for all routes, along with insufficient information about what lies ahead.

• The physical configuration of spaces that restricts visibility of surroundings and individuals, making it difficult to locate potential exits in case of danger.

   

Access to school ground from a gender perspective  

A study conducted in Belgium found that boys spend time outdoors more than twice as often as girls.[4] A study in Sweden revealed that by the age of 8, for every 100 children in parks, 80 are boys and 20 are girls, with girls feeling ten times more insecure in public spaces.[5] The failure to consider the needs of girls in public spaces has a significant impact on their health. According to Women in Sport, from the age of 10, girls’ activity levels drastically decline, and by the age of 13-15, only 8% of girls remain physically active. This leads to increased sedentary behaviour, affecting both their physical and mental health.[6]

Quantitative surveys conducted with pupils and teaching staff, alongside movement maps (observing children’s routes) and situation maps (pupils’ self-declarations), revealed the following gender inequalities in how school breaks are experienced:

• Both girls and boys identified physical activity as their preferred way to spend free time, yet the schoolyard is predominantly occupied by boys.
• Girls lack dedicated spaces to engage in physical activities other than team sports, such as football, volleyball, or basketball.
• Boys occupy central areas while playing football, whereas girls have no central space allocated for their activities.

Double exclusion of mothers with disabilities 

There is a relative lack of Polish studies on the experiences of women with disabilities who take on maternal roles, with existing research primarily addressing socio-cultural and institutional barriers. A key stereotype highlighted is the belief that a mother with a disability is less capable of fulfilling parental responsibilities due to perceived weakness.

Research conducted by the Avalon Foundation on the sexuality and parenting of individuals with mobility disabilities revealed that the area most commonly affected by disability is mobility and transport, cited by 43% of respondents. The study also highlighted significant gender disparities in experiences of discrimination against parents with disabilities. Among women with disabilities of working age, 68% reported being told they should not have children because they would be unable to manage the daily responsibilities of childcare, compared to 51% of men with disabilities.[7] Motherhood with a disability is often characterised by a sense of confinement. While many people with disabilities experience being restricted to their homes, for mothers this is exacerbated by the added responsibility of caring for a child.

In-depth interviews with mothers with disabilities and exploratory walks highlighted the following challenges:

• Absence of lifts and the presence of numerous stairs.
• Non-functional lifts.
• Pavements unsuitable for individuals with mobility difficulties.
• Narrow footpaths.
• Lack of benches.
• Issues with public transport, including the location of bus and tram stops and an insufficient public transport fleet.
• Absence of asphalted pathways in parks.

Women caregivers in the city  

Data from the European Institute for Gender Equality show that a significantly higher proportion of women in Poland, compared to the European Union average, undertake daily caregiving responsibilities for children, the elderly, or other dependents. In 2022, nearly half of Polish women (48%) provided daily care, compared to just over one-third (34%) in the EU.[8] Only 32% of Polish men undertake daily caregiving responsibilities. Additionally, data from UN Women indicate that in developed countries, women spend an average of 3.5 hours per day on unpaid work, while men spend less than 2 hours.[9]

In Kraków, 43% of women reported that household chores limit their opportunities for professional development. Following workshops and training courses (71%), providing care for children or other dependents (47%) was identified as the second most necessary form of support for their professional work. Additionally, 90% of women in Kraków agreed with the statement that women continue to undertake the majority of household chores today.[10]

A quantitative survey and workshop with women caregivers, which included designing individual urban daily journeys, highlighted the following challenges:

• High speeds of cyclists and scooter users, along with public rental scooters scattered across the city.
• Insufficient resting places, such as benches or other street furniture, for those moving around the city.
• A lack of clean and accessible public toilets.
• Entrances to shops and service points that are too narrow.
• Damaged and narrow pavements, often obstructed by parked cars.
• Bus and tram stops without shelters.
• A lack of understanding from passengers and drivers regarding the needs of people with disabilities or those caring for children.
• The absence of lifts and ramps, or their inadequate adaptation to users' needs.

A full report including explanation of specific urban methodologies applied can be downloaded here: https://rownosc.krakow.pl/zalacznik/489386