Urban planning for a sustainable society in Umea

The municipal council of Umeå has committed itself to the integration of a gender perspective in all political fields and activities, with the objective of achieving equal opportunities for both genders. This means that the various living conditions as well as the needs of women and men need to be taken into consideration, also in urban planning and development.

Integrating a gender perspective into the urban planning requires an explicit consideration of gender in both planning and implementation. The idea is that gender planning supports the everyday lives of women and men and contributes to sustainable development on a local level. The integration of gender mainstreaming into urban planning will result in a more sustainable, equal and accessible environment for all members of society. Therefore, integrating gender mainstreaming in urban planning processes means promoting infrastructure which support the equality of women and men.

A walking passage in Umea. The passage is wide and light to enhance safety and accessibility

A gender perspective on urban planning shows, for example, how closely safety is connected to the everyday life of women. The feeling of not being safe affects women's choice when it comes to transport, work and social life. Adapting to the risk of violence restricts women in doing certain activities, like staying out late at night or going for a run when it's dark outside.

Umeå is planning for a new travel centre, in central Umeå. The centre will be built for both high speed trains and buses. Physical improvements of the area, such as lighting, will increase the safety and the accessibility for the pedestrians and aims to make the area safe and lively. A new walking passage will increase the accessibility to the area. The walking passage will be wide with lighting designed to make the environment more pleasant and safe for users. Other aspects can be making sure that there are residents, offices and shops in an area, creating a lively city centre many hours of the day.

The overall aim is to find a solution that makes the area as accessible and attractive as possible for all citizens.This example shows that gender mainstreaming is integrat ed in the urban planning processes of the city of Umeå by incorporating gender planning principles in the existing planning procedures and practice.