Abstract

This is inclusive of gender empowerment. Emerging and changing cities have the potential to be strong sites of socio-economic advancements for women. Authors of the paper, "Gender and Urbanization: Empowering Women in India's Urban Future", discuss how cities may be a vehicle for further entrenching existing gender imperfections and inequality or may provide a space for gender equity and empowerment. The authors examine contemporary urban development policies, frameworks for gender-responsive planning and presented empirical case studies of cities in India to critically examine how infrastructure, mobility, safety, work and access to education and health permeate into women's lived experiences in the urban sphere. The authors illustrate that gender-blind urban planning, does marginalize and exclude women specific needs, since woman-specific needs are not considered in terms of public space, transport safety, sanitation or housing. The authors also identify new policies and Initiatives - inclusive zoning, woman-specific public-safe space, job-training programs - which are beginning to create more inclusive urban space for women's empowerment. Notably the authors acknowledge variegated placing of women's urban experience due to additional complexities of caste and class, as well as migration status. The paper leads the authors to conclude that cities can become forces and platforms for equality, through gender-responsive city planning and policy that unset well-being for transforming urban approaches, that unlock women's social mobility, political power and economic opportunities. The authors wrap up their paper with a recommendation to use inclusive urban governance and participatory planning processes that put women in the centre of India's urban future Ultimately