Regional Exchange Platform: Transforming Asia's cities

Asia is a rapidly urbanizing region where various urban development projects are transforming social and natural landscapes. Our speakers shared examples from India, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam on how small-scale change towards a socially and ecologically just city can look like and emphasized ideas of what places and agents of change are on a systemic level. A holistic transformation needs multiple entry points, and the city should be considered as a process or a living organism that people from all levels can have influence on.

“Feminist urban development is about more than simply providing adequate nighttime lighting for dark pathways or extending the green signal for pedestrians. Instead, all improvements must consider the distribution of power within the city.", stressed Dr Birte Rodenberg, event facilitator and a gender and feminism expert. Feminism is an important framework that allows us to analyze current power structures and identify lacks of representation and participation of certain groups in urban planning, design, and policy. In the exchange, the participants explored how feminists are making a difference to urban planning in Asian megacities such as the Philippines’ Safe City Act, projects of UN Habitat in India, and the Gender in Urban Climate Change Initiative in Indonesia.