Navigating cities with an inclusive perspective

14 March 2024 (1pm GMT)

Nourhan Bassam, author of recently published ‘The Gendered City‘, delved into the challenges faced by women and marginalised groups in urban environments, and explored the need for inclusive and gender-sensitive urban design. She presented a range of viewpoints on understanding and addressing the experiences and perspectives of women in cities, focussing on how the different responses highlight intersectional failures of cities in addressing women’s needs and experiences. Nourhan advocated for a feminist approach to urban planning, which entails employing a gender equity analysis in every urban decision and considering intersectionality to dismantle barriers faced by women, due to factors like race, class, sexuality, age, and ability, to full participation. Nourhan concluded her talk by sharing success stories and hopeful examples of how equity in cities can be achieved.

About our speaker

Nourhan Bassam is a feminist urbanist, architect, and a placemaker holding a Ph.D. in Urban Design and Placemaking. She is the founder of GamingX in Amsterdam, a think-tank focusing on community development and empowerment. Nourhan works towards creating active urban places that are accessible and inclusive for all community members, particularly marginalised groups. Nourhan’s work as a feminist urbanist revolves around fostering equitable and inclusive communities through innovative placemaking and playmaking concepts. Additionally, she supervises Master’s students undertaking theses related to placemaking and urban identities, in Germany and the U.K. Drawing from her extensive expertise, Nourhan has contributed as a placemaking consultant to more than 10 diverse projects spanning various contexts, from the MENA region to Europe. Her hands-on experience and deep understanding of different cultural and urban landscapes enable her to create meaningful and impactful transformations within communities. Nourhan is the curator of FEM. DESIGN Toolbox, an international collective of 150 experts that focuses on equal participation and intersectional approaches to designing gender-equal cities, collaborating with many partner organisations, including HERCITY.

Recording