Making Cities Smarter, Safer and More Sustainable for Girls and Women
To promote and ensure a Safer City, promoting equal opportunities for men and women in all the domains of social, economic, cultural and political resources while at the same time the elimination of gender-based violence is crucial. Urban settings are quite a new phenomenon in human history. More than half of the world's population now live in urban areas. Each month, five million people are added to cities in developing countries. Whereas millions of them are adolescent girls who migrate to the city in search of new opportunities and a better life. Do we ever think how these girls and young women in the cities contend with the duality of increased risks and increased opportunities?
As the world rapidly turns urban, Bangladesh is listed among countries that will soon contribute most to the global urban population. Bangladesh, home to 160 million people, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The size of the urban population in Bangladesh is 53 million. In 30 years, the number will more than double and 112 million people in Bangladesh will be living in cities.
Along with the opportunities, the city life also put girls and young women at high risk of violence. Girls in cities are faced with increased risks as well as increased opportunities. Around the world, girls face sexual harassment, exploitation and insecurity as they navigate the urban environment, and accessing public spaces. Bangladesh is no different, with an estimated 90% of women and girls between the ages of 10-18 have experienced sexual violence and unwanted physical contact in streets, markets and public transport. According to a survey conducted by Action Aid in 2017, 47.5 percent of women in urban areas in Bangladesh felt unsafe in public places like markets, streets and public transport while 88 percent have reported harassment by pedestrians, passengers of public transport and buyers in market places. What was worse, about 81 percent of women, preferred not to seek help from law enforcement agencies fearing further harassment. Government policy in Bangladesh does not adequately tackle this issue, with no specific laws to combat sexual harassment in public spaces.
Bangladesh's urban landscapes have also been constructed without girls/women, or girls/women's needs, included in the design process. As a result, vital safety measures like adequate lighting, sanitation and hygiene facilities, safe recreational areas and transport facilities, and 'women friendly' police have been undervalued or ignored. With an estimated 70 out of every 100 people in Bangladesh expected to live in a city in 2050, the lack of safe urban areas for girls and women will become an even more critical issue.
Plan International envisage a society where girls have the power and freedom to be catalysts for change within and across generations, with a valued voice that enables them to demand and drive the changes needed to achieve gender equality that is crucial to have a safer city for them. During the country strategy period (2021 – 2030) Plan will implement a safer city program for girls and young women to tackle the unequal power relations and challenges harmful social norms that perpetuate the insecurity and exclusion of girls and young women in cities.
Advocacy to the government-related authorities and organizations is the key to Plan's safer city initiatives for accommodating girls' voices to provide them safe, reliable, sustainable facilities like violence-free public spaces, women-friendly sanitation services, etc. and also to increase their active and meaningful participation in urban development, and governance to increase autonomous mobility in the city for girls.
Moreover, to accommodate girl's voices to get a safer city a joint and coordinated effort is needed as no one alone can develop the entire safer city sustainable system. Which was strong eco in round table meeting held on May 30, 2021, by all respected audience. So, let us work together to achieve a safer city for girls and young women in Bangladesh.
The writer of this opinion, Dr Ferdousi Begum is the Lead of SRHR, Plan International Bangladesh
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