Making Public Spaces Safe for Women

Women and girls are frequently subject to violence and abuse – from physical and verbal harassment to assault and rape – on city streets, public transportation or in their own neighborhoods. Such daily occurrences limit the rights and freedoms of women as equal citizens to enjoy their neighborhoods and cities.

ICRW worked with UNIFEM to develop ways to make public spaces safer for women and girls. The program, Safe Cities Free of Violence Against Women and Girls, was the first-ever global comparative effort to develop a model that was rigorously evaluated for its processes and impact across different settings. The goal of the program was to develop and test a global model which can be replicated and tailored to the specificities of local contexts.

ICRW collaborated with local partners on project design and the impact evaluation strategy. The project aimed to improve women’s safety by empowering women within the community, encouraging community advocacy for safer spaces, partnering with local governments, working with men and boys, and raising public awareness through the media.

Duration: 
2009 - 2010
Partners: 
UNIFEM
Project Director: 
Manuel Contreras
Location(s): 
Egypt
Location(s): 
Papua New Guinea
Location(s): 
India
Location(s): 
Ecuador
Location(s): 
Rwanda

Related News

The global five-year program, "10,000 Women," aims to harness the power of women entrepreneurs to foster economic growth by teaching them how to become stronger businesswomen. Launched by Goldman...
More »
A growing number of organizations are committed to strengthening women economically, but few understand exactly how to make it happen. Nor are they clear how to evaluate whether their efforts are...
More »
San Francisco, CA – September 21, 2011 – (GPS) –Today former President Bill Clinton recognized Gap Inc. for its commitment and model approach to addressing challenges in Economic Empowerment through...
More »
Gap Inc.'s Personal Advancement & Career Enhancement (P.A.C.E.) program – in which the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is a partner – was recognized today by former President...
More »