Getafe turns to feminist urbanism

The idea is to ensure a safer urban environment for women

On 25 June, the municipal website of Getafe announced that the local city council is working on the implementation of a new project, which has the purpose of creating an urban environment that will be considered much safer for women, and other people who might be a target for street harassment. As a first step, the administration of the municipality, located in the southern periphery of Madrid, has commissioned the undertaking of an urban research study to identify critical points on its territory.

Public tender to identify the problem spots in the city

This study is meant to be a part of the larger ‘Getafe Safe City’ project and is carried out with the leading role of the City Department of Feminism. Its mission is to identify and transform public spaces, which could be considered unsafe for women.

The local Government Board has put out to tender 50,000 euros to award this participatory study that will determine the most unsafe points in the city. The resulting report will contribute to the development of actions that lead to urban planning from a gender perspective, including safer and more livable spaces. The report is expected to define an urban map of safe corridors or itineraries, as well as a slew of measures that prevent violence against women, aggression or harassment, and facilitate coexistence and equality.

Getafe’s Councilor for Feminism, Alba Leo, explained that "this plan will not only benefit women in the construction of a city that cares, and is intimate and safe, but will also be beneficial for other vulnerable groups".

Reportedly, the objective is for the city to advance towards an increasingly widespread ideal – that of feminist urbanism. This new approach to town planning understands public space as a place of coexistence, which favours the social fabric and citizen care to make the streets safer and more livable.