Urban Governance

As India’s urban population continues to grow rapidly, achieving gender equity in urban governance is essential for building inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities. The exclusion of women and gender minorities from urban governance leads to urban planning failures that disproportionately affect these groups, thereby exacerbating social and economic disparities.

Need for Gender Equity in Urban Governance

Global Urbanization Trends:

• Over 4 billion people globally now live in urban areas, with projections indicating 68% of the world’s population will reside in cities by 2050 (UN projections).

• The rise of megacities (cities with populations over 10 million) is anticipated to increase significantly by 2035.

India’s Urban Landscape:

• As of 2022, 35% of India’s population lives in urban areas, which is expected to surpass 600 million by 2030 and exceed 800 million by 2050.

• Despite women comprising about 50% of the urban population, they represent just 20% of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) as of 2022. Their presence is even lower in urban planning, engineering, and transport.

• In policing, women account for only 11.7% of the total police force (2023 data, Bureau of Police Research and Development).

Impact of Neglecting Gender Equity in Urban Governance

1. Policy Blind Spots:

   • Urban policies that do not reflect the needs of women and gender minorities often fail to address issues that disproportionately affect them, such as unsafe public transportation, lack of street lighting, and inadequate sanitation facilities.

   • These gaps undermine women's mobility and safety, exacerbating gender inequalities in urban spaces.

2. Loss of Human Capital:

   • Excluding women from leadership and decision-making roles wastes a significant pool of talent, skills, and leadership potential that could significantly enhance urban governance.

3. Widening Inequality:

   • When urban planning does not account for gendered experiences, it perpetuates existing social and economic disparities, especially for women in low-income or marginalized communities.

4. Missed Innovation:

   • Gender-inclusive bureaucracies are more likely to come up with innovative solutions to complex urban challenges, from climate resilience to smart city initiatives.

5. Undermining Global Goals:

   • Gender equity is integral to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 (Gender Equality) and contributes to several other SDGs. Ignoring gender considerations stalls global development commitments.

Efforts, Initiatives, and Policy Frameworks

India has initiated several reforms and strategies aimed at improving gender equity in urban governance, though much work remains to ensure broad implementation and long-term sustainability.

Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB):

• Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) is an important tool to ensure that budgetary allocations are designed with a gender perspective in mind.

• India’s Gender Budget Statement (GBS), introduced in 2005-06, aims to incorporate gender considerations in public expenditure, but only a few states have operationalized it effectively.

State-Level Innovations:

• Delhi has introduced women-only buses and street lighting initiatives to improve women’s mobility and safety.

• Tamil Nadu has applied GRB across 64 departments in the 2022-23 budget.

• Kerala has integrated gender goals through its People’s Plan Campaign.

Political Representation:

• The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments mandated 33% reservation for women in local governance, and many states have increased this to 50%.

• As a result, women now make up over 46% of local elected representatives, signaling growing political empowerment.

National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM):

• JNNURM emphasized inclusive urban planning, with gender mainstreaming as a key strategy.

• Provisions include:

  • Gender-sensitive infrastructure development.

  • Inclusion of women in City Development Plans (CDPs).

  • Capacity building for women’s participation in governance.

Smart Cities Mission & AMRUT 2.0:

• Some cities under the Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) have adopted gender audits, inclusive mobility plans, and safety-focused urban design.

State and City-Level Innovations:

• Kudumbashree (Kerala): A globally recognized model of women-led urban development, empowering women to play key roles in local governance and urban management.

• Jalasathi Model (Odisha): Engages women Self-Help Group (SHG) members as frontline service providers for urban water supply.

• Gender Budgeting in Kochi: Allocates specific funds for programs that address women’s safety, mobility, and economic empowerment.

Global Best Practices in Gender Budgeting

1. Philippines: Mandates 5% of local budgets for gender-related programs.

2. Rwanda: Integrates Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) into national planning with active oversight bodies.

3. Mexico: Ties GRB to outcomes through results-based budgeting.

4. Uganda: Requires gender equity certificates for fund approvals.

5. South Africa: Uses participatory planning to ground GRB in lived experiences.

Policy Interventions

Reforming Urban Bureaucracy:

• Inclusive cities need women not only as elected representatives but also as administrators, planners, engineers, and police officers. To achieve this:

  • Affirmative action: Provide quotas and scholarships in technical education to encourage more women to enter urban governance and planning fields.

  • Recruitment reforms: Ensure gender-sensitive hiring in Urban Local Governments (ULGs).

  • Retention policies: Develop workplace support systems and promotion pathways to retain and advance women in urban administration.

Building Cities with Women:

• As India strives to become a $5 trillion economy, its cities must evolve as inclusive spaces. This requires:

  • Mandatory gender audits in urban planning and development projects.

  • Institutionalizing GRB across all Urban Local Governments (ULGs).

  • Participatory budgeting linked with impact evaluations.

  • Creation of local gender equity councils, particularly in small and transitional cities.

Capacity Building:

• Offer gender-sensitization training, leadership development programs, and technical mentorship for women in urban planning and policy-making.

Institutional Mechanisms:

• Create dedicated Gender Equity Cells in municipal offices to conduct impact assessments of major urban projects and ensure gender-sensitive implementation.

Way Forward

Achieving gender equity in urban governance requires a multi-pronged approach, involving the reform of urban bureaucracies, political empowerment, and the institutionalization of gender-sensitive policies. By adopting and scaling successful models from within India and globally, India can build cities that are not only economic engines but also inclusive spaces where women and gender minorities can actively participate in shaping their urban futures.