On 8 October 2012, Metropolis took part in the session “Cities and Women. How Women Transform Urban Spaces to Inclusive Places” within the framework of the 6^th Urban Knowledge and Research Symposium organised by the World Bank in Barcelona.

The panel, the only one which addressed the inclusion of a gender perspective in urban planning, was chaired by the internationally renowned sociologist Saskia Sassen and discussed the insecurity of women in cities as well as the different projects being undertaken to achieve cities that are equal in terms of gender.

The panel included Ana Falú from the National University of Cordoba, Argentina, architect, PhD holder and expert in social housing, recently appointed by Joan Clos to serve in the UN-Habitat Advisory Group on Gender Issues. The panel was shared with Kalpana Viswanath from Women in Cities International, who currently works in the Government of Delhi, assessing urban design and planning projects, including transport, to guarantee women’s safety in the city; as well as Sara Ortiz from Col·lectiu Punt6, a group of architects and activists in Barcelona that advocate for the inclusion of a gender perspective in urban planning.

Therein, deliberation and discussion revolved around the insecurity of women in cities as well as the various projects that are being undertaken in Latin America, India and the various cities in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, in order to promote women’s involvement in urban policies. To achieve cities that are equal in terms of gender and that are free of violence, it is important that women are involved not only in evaluation processes but also in the transformation processes thereof.