SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, COMFORT:GENDER AUDIT OF URBAN SPACE IN KYIV
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2721.2025.95.3Keywords:
city, gender audit, urban space, safety, accessibility, comfort, Kyiv, UkraineAbstract
Background. Cities are spaces of intensive social, economic, and political interactions, where spatial decisions and urban planning practices have unequal consequences for different social groups of residents. A gender audit in urban space is considered a practical methodology that allows for the systematic assessment of how policies, spatial practices, and infrastructure take into account or ignore the needs of people of different genders. It provides a basis for developing corrective measures and policies aimed at reducing gender barriers in access to urban spaces and urban resources.
Methods. The study employs the methods of observation, in-depth semi-structured interviews, the semantic differential method, analysis and synthesis, and the graphical method.
Results. The article presents an assessment of urban space in terms of its safety, accessibility, and comfort from a gender perspective, using two case studies in the city of Kyiv – residential complexes of business and economy class. The findings show that women associate comfort with coziness, well-maintained spaces, lighting, and safety, while men tend to focus more on practicality, functionality, and access control. Women’s evaluations are more oriented toward everyday comfort, a sense of safety, and child- and family-related needs, whereas men demonstrate a rational approach with a generally positive overall assessment. The responses of women and men create a complementary picture: women emphasize "how one feels in a space," while men focus on "how it can be organized technically."
Conclusions. The absence of a gender-sensitive approach in urban planning leads to inequalities in mobility, increases the vulnerability of certain groups, and limits their participation in urban life. Currently, Ukraine lacks national building standards for gender-sensitive urbanism; therefore, cities that are convenient for everyone are planned with consideration of such requirements as safety, accessibility, walkability, and comfort.
Downloads
References
Beebeejaun, Y. (2016). Gender, urban space, and the right to everyday life. Journal of Urban Affairs, 39(3), 323–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2016.1255526
Fawcett, G. (2023). Gender Audit Guide. New York: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
Gender accessibility audit toolkit. (2019). https://eca.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Field%20Office%20ECA/Attachments/Publications/2019/gender-accessibility-audit-ENG_compressed.pdf
Gender best practices in public transport. (2024). https://www.eib.org/attachments/documents/explore-gender-best-practices-in-public-transport.pdf
Gender Equality Action Plan 2020–2023. (2020). https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/25125:gender-equality-action-plan-2020-2023
Gender in development organisations. (1997). https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/gender-in-development-organisations-121450
Gender Mainstreaming: Gender audit. (2019). https://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/mh0218737enn_002_0.pdf
Gough, A. (2016). The gendered city. Sustainability citizenship in cities: Theory and Practice. In R. Horne, B. Fien, A. Beza, J. Nelson (Еds.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315678405
Guidelines to mainstream gender in transport projects. (2021). https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstreams/815b1aba-db23-5172-8b47-0210c3a08a9c/download
Lewkowitz, S., & Gilliland, J. (2025). A feminist critical analysis of public toilets and gender: A systematic review. Urban Affairs Review, 61(1), 282–309. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10780874241233529
Methodology for conducting a comprehensive gender audit of urban space. (2020) [in Ukrainian]. [Методика проведення комплексного гендерного аудиту міського простору. (2020).] https://www.genderculturecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/METHODS-OF-CONDUCTING-A-COMPREHENSIVE-GENDER-AUDIT-SPACE.pdf
Pereira, A., & Rebelo, E. M. (2024). Women in public spaces: perceptions and initiatives to promote gender equality. Cities, 154, 105346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.105346
Podestà, L. (2023). Gender equality in urban planning. A crucial factor for real inclusive development. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1764964/FULLTEXT02
Provotar, N., & Kotsiuba, Y. (2024). Lanning cities based on gender equality principles: approaches and experiences. Bulletin of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Geography, 3–4 (90–91), 7–13 [in Ukrainian]. [Провотар Н., & Коцюба Я. (2024). Планування міст на засадах гендерної рівності. Вісник Київського національного університету імені Тараса Шевченка. Географія, 3–4 (90–91), 7–13.] http://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2721.2024.90-91.1
Safe cities and safe public spaces for women and girls global flagship initiative: International compendium of practices. (2019). https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2019/Safe-cities-and-safe-public-spaces-Compendium-of-practices-en.pdf
Safe cities and safe public spaces global results report 2017–2020. (2021). https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2021/Safe-Cities-and-Safe-Public-Spaces-global-results-report-2017-2020-en.pdf
Sandström, I., Ericsson, S., & Hedvall, P.-O. (2024). Gendered sustainability: Are public spaces designed for girls good for everyone? Examining female participation as a strategy for inclusive public space. Cities, 149, 104906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.104906
Tandogan О., & Ilhan В. (2016). Fear of Crime in Public Spaces: From the View of Women Living in Cities. Procedia Engineering, 161, 2011–2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.08.795
Women's safety audits: What works and where? (2013). https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/download-manager-files/1404462831wpdm_Women%27s%20Safety%20Audit.pdf
Yadav, A., & Kumari, R. (2023). Towards gender-inclusive cities: Prioritizing safety parameters for sustainable urban development through multi-criteria decision analysis. International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development, 14(3), 361–374. https://doi.org/10.22712/susb.20230027
Yadav, A., & Kumari, R. (2024). Gender safety perspective in urban planning: The case of pedestrian mobility in Kanpur city. Cities, 147, 104845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.104845
Yossa N., Kim, Ch., Pojani, D., & Sipe, N. (2023). Is public transit meeting the needs of women? A gender audit of two Asian metro systems. Journal of Urban Design, 29(4), 318–341. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13574809.2023.2240247
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ярослав КОЦЮБА, асп., Наталія ПРОВОТАР, канд. геогр. наук, доц.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Read the policy at the link: https://geography.bulletin.knu.ua/licensing_copyright
