This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 15, 2024 - July 21, 2024

If men are from Mars and women from Venus, then our cities are planned for Martians.

Cities are part of the built environment serving as the backdrop for our daily lives — a tapestry woven with infrastructure, buildings, design and human interaction. On this canvas, however, women are conspicuously absent from decision-making roles.

Despite significant strides towards gender equity, female voices remain marginalised, hindering progress in Malaysia’s built environment sector. Without greater female representation, city decision-makers shape crucial aspects of urban life with limited awareness of women’s needs and perspectives, impacting housing, transportation, safety and policies.

City leaders who prioritise gender equity in decision-making pave the way for inclusive governance. Often referred to as a gender-responsive approach, it represents a stride towards fostering a more inclusive, fair and sustainable society, where all individuals can engage fully in social and economic spheres.

Vienna, Austria, has implemented gender mainstreaming strategies to ensure that women’s perspectives are considered in all aspects of city planning and policy-making. In Curitiba, Brazil, the city government has prioritised women’s safety in public transportation planning, with initiatives such as women-only buses and well-lit bus stops.

When women assume leadership roles, they profoundly shape cities for the better. Amanda Burden, former director of City Planning in New York City, exemplifies this impact. She spearheaded projects promoting walkability, mixed-use development and public space revitalisation, notably the High Line Park and the rezoning of Hudson Yards. These initiatives transformed New York City’s built environment, fostering economic growth and enhancing residents’ quality of life.

Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, was a prominent advocate for sustainable urban development and climate action. Her leadership led to initiatives reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and enhancing public transportation. Hidalgo’s commitment to gender equity is evident in programmes such as “Women in the city”, aimed at making public spaces safer and more accessible for women.

Closer to home, Dr Cheong Koon Hean has served as the first woman CEO of Singapore’s Housing and Development Board. Under her leadership, initiatives were introduced to ensure that residential developments catered for the diverse needs of residents, including women and vulnerable groups. It included features such as improved accessibility, safety measures and community spaces designed to enhance the quality of life for all residents, regardless of gender.

Empowering women in this sector extends beyond numerical representation; it necessitates creating an ecosystem that fosters their participation and leadership. Designing cities that work for women’s needs requires considering the views, needs and requirements of women.

It must start with encouraging young girls to pursue higher education in fields related to the built environment. Many universities in Australia offer scholarships specifically for women pursuing degrees in architecture, urban planning, civil engineering and related fields.

Meanwhile, current leaders in the built environment must recognise the importance of gender equity and how to implement it in their work.

Malaysia’s Construction Industry Development Board acknowledges women through its yearly Industry Excellence Awards, inspiring others to pursue careers in the built environment. In recent years, the Malaysian Institute of Architects has established a Special Committee on Gender Equity to draft policies to promoted inclusivity. These are some of the positive steps that will, hopefully, translate into more women in decision-making roles for our cities.

Gender equity is not just moral, it is a strategic imperative that shapes Malaysia’s urban fabric. By empowering women as leaders and decision-makers in the built environmental sector, we tap into a wellspring of diverse perspectives and insights.

By dismantling barriers such as gender bias and discrimination, we can unleash the full potential of women in this sector, catalysing innovation and sustainable development. As we strive to build better cities for the future, we should ensure that women have the chance to influence the urban landscapes of tomorrow.

It is time to build cities for humans, not Martians.

Ahila Ganesan is an architect and the founder of Future LinQ, an ESG-focused consultancy that helps businesses connect sustainability to strategy. She is also a steering Committee Member of the 30% Club Malaysia. These are her personal views.

This op-ed is part of a thought leadership series — Equity, Equality, Prosperity, by diverse voices for inclusion — done in collaboration with 30% Club Malaysia, part of a global business campaign.

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