- London’s Women-Only Flats: British developer Women’s Pioneer Housing is building the UK’s first women-only apartment complex in London. Only single women will qualify to rent one of its 102 flats, which have below-market rates for “women who face inequality […] in the housing market”.
According to the developer, no single woman earning an average UK salary can afford private-sector rent without a partner or roommate. This situation is exacerbated in London (as noted by local government), where the gender pay gap means that women earning a median wage of £2,259 a month ($2,840) need to spend 63% of their earnings to afford the average private rent of £1,425 ($1,791) (London Assembly, 2023). Meanwhile, men spend around 49% of their median monthly wage of £2,913 ($3,663) on the average private rent (London Assembly, 2023).
- Umeå’s Teen-Friendly Park: Swedish city Umeå collaborated with teenage girls to create safe, appealing leisure spots in a city park. Seating is adjusted to the average teen’s height, while hangout locations have been placed in busy zones to address safety concerns. Also see Constructing Social Cohesion in New Ways of Living: Design for Quality of Life.
- Venezuela’s DIY Housing: In Caracas, Venezuela, a group of self-taught female builders are fabricating a self-managed housing complex with room for 96 families. The building will also provide plots for vegetable gardens, helping residents ensure food availability amidst ongoing struggles.
- Bogota’s Women Bus Drivers: At Bogota-based public bus company La Rolita (launched in 2022), women make up 48% of its drivers, compared to the city average of 2.8% (Bloomberg, 2023). Not only do women drivers have a reputation for being careful and caring for riders in the city – making city streets safer for other drivers and pedestrians – the buses are also electric, helping to reduce pollution.