[Urbanstudy] Will smart cities be gender smart too, women activists ask PM Modi

[Vinay Baindur]

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-will-smart-cities-be-gender-smart-too-women-activists-ask-pm-modi-2259432




Will smart cities be gender smart too, women activists ask PM Modi
[image: alt] KANCHAN SRIVASTAVA
<http://www.dnaindia.com/authors/kanchan-srivastava> | Wed, 28 Sep
2016-07:55am , Mumbai , dna

The movement is being spearheaded by the Bharatiya Stri Shakti, a
28-year-old Mumbai-based voluntary women’s organisation, which has branches
in eight states across India.

A Special Economic Zone for women, a mandatory safety audit, affordable
housing for single women, crèches and transport facilities for working
women, loos at domestic and public places and efficient grievance mechanism
are among the wish-list of women activists for “Smart Cities” in India.

As the Centre is set to spend Rs40,000 cr to make 20 cities in India “smart
cities” and has released a list of 98 cities spread across 24 states to be
developed as smart cities in the next few years, women activists have
initiated a campaign for “Gender-Smart Cities”.

Bharatiya Stri Shakti, a 28-year-old Mumbai-based voluntary women’s
organisation, which has branches in eight states across India, including
Delhi, is spearheading the movement seeking greater space for women in the
proposed smart cities. National Commission for Women (NCW) has extended its
support to the move.

“Where does the women population stand in smart cities? What will be their
role and participation? Are smart cities considering women’s needs,” asks
Medha Somaiya, adjunct professor of Tata Institute of Social Sciences,
Mumbai who is also associated with Bharatiya Stree Shakti.

Each Smart City would get a Central assistance of Rs 100 crore per year for
five years. These cities will be developed to ensure basic infrastructure
through assured water and power supply, sanitation and solid waste
management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, IT connectivity,
e-governance and citizen participation. But there is no clarity on gender
budget, says Prof Somaiya.

Women leaders say engaging women in the planning and design of these cities
will go a long way in addressing their needs such as removing gender gap in
education, employment, wages, property rights, elimination of violence
against women. This is in alignment of UN Women’s Safe Cities Global
Initiative as well.

BSS is consulting NGOs of 20 cities and is set to hold a national-level
seminar in Delhi next month to build consensus and generate enough pressure
on the government to include these aspects while planning the smart cities.

“We are holding meetings with representatives of all 20 cities to identify
the needs of women, prioritise them and suggest the solutions for effective
implementation. This is to ensure participation of women in decision making
and implementation of Smart City projects. A seminar in Delhi is proposed
in Nov,” says Nayana Sahastrabuddhe, Chief Manager of Bank of Maharashtra,
also a BSS member.
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