Caring cities” model, contextualization of urban planning with a gender, inclusion and security approach

Abstract

The concept of caring cities begins to resonate in the early 2000s, however, it's in 2013 when the annual Metropolis meeting takes place, with Caring Cities as its main theme. Representatives from 42 countries and 78 cities attended the event, including Mexico City. Following this celebration, the term starts to gain popularity, along with research into urban themes. This analysis describes the existing context related to the topic, highlighting the main contributions from research related to gender-focused urban planning, inclusion, and security. Additionally, it provides a recap of regulations and public policy centered around these concepts, promoting caring cities as an applicable model. An important aspect is that the main proponents of this topic have been women, due to the close relationship between caring cities and feminist urbanism, gender-aware urban mobility, and inclusive cities. This model seeks for the city to care for those in need of care, as well as those responsible for providing that care. Within this context, the majority of caregiving responsibilities fall on women. Therefore, it's necessary to promote equity in caregiving jobs and also consider this issue in urban planning, the design of safe and inclusive public spaces, and advancing the autonomy of dependent populations. Public policies should be implemented to encourage women's participation in decision-making processes for the city.