Towards an Equitable City: Gender Mainstreaming Strategies in the Context of Vienna.

Gender mainstreaming originated in the late 20th century as a tool for gender equality in multiple political and social areas. In the context of urban planning and design, it was raised as a response towards the male-dominated and car-centered urban model of our modern cities, arguing that the traditional built environment often neglects the needs of people with limited access to vehicular transportation modes. This disproportionately affects women whose daily routines often include other care-giving responsibilities, making them more reliant on non-vehicular transportation and susceptible to shortcomings in the design of public spaces. Starting with an analysis of the history and development of gender mainstreaming, this paper aims to explore gender-sensitive measures and applications in the context of Vienna, Austria. It investigates key commitments outlined in the government urban strategy plans as well as implementations of gender mainstreaming strategies at different urban planning and design scales throughout the city, particularly focusing on the aspern Seestadt masterplan in Vienna. Through understanding the process and impact of gender mainstreaming strategies in Vienna, this paper argues the importance of integrating a multitude of voices into the design of our urban environments, not limited to gender but also including race, religion, sexuality and abilities in order to create accessible, inclusive and human-oriented cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]