By mid-century, 68% of the world’s population will live in cities, according to the UN. This rapid, unprecedented rate of urbanisation is forcing cities to confront a convergence of crises, from a lack of affordable housing to traffic congestion that pollutes the air and makes streets less safe and livable.
The climate emergency is making these problems worse, hitting many regions with severe heatwaves, heavy rainfall, flooding, and other extreme weather. While everyone will be affected by these changes, the most vulnerable groups suffer the most when cities fail to adapt.
Many cities are still designed primarily for private cars, operating on the assumption that nearly everyone can and will drive. This ignores the reality that for children, many women, older adults, and people with disabilities, driving is often not an option.
More cars mean less safe space for walking, cycling, pushing a pram, or using a mobility aid. It means navigating noisier, more congested streets, which creates stress and ultimately leads to less diversity in how streets are used.
In contrast, cities like Delft in the Netherlands have worked to create a better balance, allocating space fairly for walking, cycling, public transport, and cars. As a result, Delft’s public spaces are vibrant and active, filled with people moving around in social and connected ways. After moving here from Canada, our family found that children can roam more freely, older adults and people with disabilities can access their communities, and women feel safer traveling independently.
Given these challenges, cities need a major shift in how governments approach infrastructure and policy. Yet in most places, a small but vocal group with vested interests is fighting hard to defend a system that works for them. Many local politicians mistake this loud opposition for the will of the broader community, leading to empty promises and inaction.
However, some elected officials have shown that this opposition rarely reflects the true popularity of more inclusive urban changes. Often, female leaders are at the forefront of this transformation. Drawing on their own experiences as girls and women, as caregivers, and from being overlooked in urban planning for decades, they often understand best that the current system is failing.
In Barcelona, under Mayor Ada Colau, the city reclaimed a million square metres of space for pedestrians using innovative solutions like “superblocks.” These interventions transform expanses of asphalt into neighbourhood plazas with simple materials like paint and planters, backed by political will. Over eight years, she tripled the length of bike lanes to 273km, putting 90% of residents within 300 metres of a route. The results have been dramatic: city officials report the creation of 80 new hectares of green space, a 50% reduction in car traffic, and a 20% drop in air pollution between 2019 and 2023.
In Montréal, Canada, former Mayor Valérie Plante launched the most ambitious car-free initiative in the Americas. The city invested C$12 million to pedestrianise over 9km along 11 commercial streets each summer, opening space in front of 2,100 local businesses and boosting their sales. She also championed the city’s Réseau express vélo (Express Cycling Network), which will eventually include 17 routes spanning 191km of protected, year-round bike lanes. These changes have improved how Montréal residents move around and enjoy their city.Paris’s “sponge streets” program is creating permeable, absorbent surfaces to reduce flooding by replacing gray asphalt with greenery.
The city’s famously congested streets have been revitalized under former mayor Anne Hidalgo, who served until last month. Despite facing strong criticism, she ultimately gained public support for her ambitious expansion of cycling infrastructure, pedestrian zones, and public transit. Key investments during her tenure include 1,000 km of bike routes—350 of which are protected from traffic—with an additional €250 million dedicated to growing the network. Paris is also making progress on creating 300 school streets by pedestrianizing areas near schools, alongside re-greening efforts that will remove 70,000 parking spaces and add 145,000 trees and 45 km of parks.
These achievements stem from pioneering leaders who aim to serve everyone, not just the most privileged or vocal. The changemakers share common qualities in how they approach leadership: practicing radical empathy, presenting multifaceted long-term visions, valuing care in city life, building broad coalitions, and maintaining strong oversight to sustain progress. Of course, these traits are not and cannot be exclusive to one gender.
Nevertheless, greater gender balance in leadership is essential. Only 25 of the world’s 300 largest cities have female mayors. Women hold just 5% of municipal leadership roles and 10% of top positions in leading architecture and urban planning firms. Even with the best intentions, leaders make decisions based on their lived experiences. If they have never navigated streets with a small child or felt the fear of walking alone at night, such issues may not be top of mind.
Globally, cities where decision-makers reflect the diversity of their communities are more likely to create public spaces and mobility infrastructure that improve life for everyone.
Melissa Bruntlett and Chris Bruntlett are co-authors of Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation. Melissa Bruntlett is director of the mobility consultancy Modacity Creative. Chris Bruntlett is international relations manager at the Dutch Cycling Embassy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the concept discussed in From Barcelona to Paris cities flourish when women lead Its all about sharing public space by Melissa and Chris Bruntlett
General Beginner Questions
1 What is the main idea of cities flourish when women lead
Its the idea that when women are involved in planning and designing cities the resulting public spaces tend to be safer more accessible and more enjoyable for everyonechildren the elderly and people of all genders and abilities
2 What does sharing public space mean in this context
It means designing streets parks and plazas to be used equally by all modes of transport and all types of peoplenot just dominated by cars This includes prioritizing walking cycling public transit and social gathering spots
3 Why focus specifically on womens leadership
Because women often experience cities differently They are more likely to be responsible for caregiving trips have greater safety concerns and use public transit more Their perspective highlights needs that are often overlooked by traditional maledominated planning
4 Can you give a simple example of this approach
A classic example is widening sidewalks adding benches with backs and armrests improving lighting and creating protected bike lanes These changes make a street better for a parent with a stroller an older person or a childnot just a commuter in a car
Benefits Examples
5 What are the main benefits of designing cities this way
Benefits include safer streets with fewer traffic deaths reduced air and noise pollution stronger local economies as people shop more locally better public health from active travel and more vibrant socially connected communities
6 What did Barcelona and Paris do thats mentioned in the title
Barcelona created superblocks where throughtraffic is restricted to the perimeter reclaiming interior streets for pedestrians play and greenery
Paris under Mayor Anne Hidalgo has massively expanded bike lanes pedestrianized riverbanks and is making the city 15minute oriented where daily needs are within a short walk or bike ride
7 Does this mean banning all cars
Not necessarily Its about rebalancing space and priority The
