Context

• By 2050, over 800 million people, nearly half the population, are projected to reside in cities, positioning India as the largest contributor to global urban growth.
• As urban spaces swell in size and influence, they are not merely changing skylines, but redefining the very fabric of democracy and development.
• Central to this transformation is the question of who shapes and benefits from urban growth.
• In this context, gender equity is not just a social ideal but a structural necessity.

The Rise of Women in Local Politics and Persistent Gaps

• The Rise of Women in Local Politics
  • In the last three decades, India has made significant strides in enhancing women’s political representation.
  • The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments introduced a mandatory 33% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Governments (ULGs).
  • Several states have gone further, increasing this quota to 50%. As a result, women today account for over 46% of elected local representatives.
  • This political inclusion is historic and transformative, creating a pipeline of women leaders at the grassroots.
• Persistent Gaps in Bureaucracy and Administration
  • However, this political progress starkly contrasts with the reality of gender imbalance in urban administration.
  • Women constitute just 20% of the Indian Administrative Service, and their numbers are even lower in urban planning, municipal engineering, and transport authorities.
  • In policing, a critical pillar for urban safety, only 11.7% of personnel are women, often confined to desk jobs.
  • This structural gap is not just numerical; it profoundly affects urban policy outcomes.
  • Women engage with cities differently than men.
  • They rely more on public transport, make complex, multi-stop journeys, and are more dependent on neighbourhood-level infrastructure.
  • Yet, urban planning continues to favour large-scale projects over the local needs that define women’s everyday lives.
  • Studies show that a lack of women in decision-making roles results in public spaces that are poorly lit, unsafe, and inadequately serviced for their needs.

Gender-Responsive Budgeting: A Missed Opportunity

• An important tool for institutionalising gender equity is Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB).
• Recognised globally since the 1990s, GRB integrates gender considerations into public financial planning.
• India formally adopted GRB in 2005–06, and states like Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have pioneered its implementation in urban contexts.
• Despite these efforts, most cities continue to treat GRB as a token gesture rather than a transformational tool.
• Weak monitoring, limited technical capacity, and a narrow understanding of gender needs have rendered these initiatives ineffective in many urban local bodies.
• For example, vital aspects such as pedestrian safety, street lighting, and childcare are frequently ignored.
• In contrast, countries like Rwanda, Mexico, and South Korea have embedded GRB into national and urban governance with strong oversight, participatory frameworks, and results-based budgeting.

The Way Ahead

• Learning from Global and Local Examples
  • Rwanda’s gender-balanced policies have led to increased investments in maternal health and education.
  • Brazil has redirected funding to improve sanitation and primary healthcare, and South Korea has reshaped transit systems through gender impact assessments.
  • The Philippines funds gender-based violence shelters via gender-tagged budgeting. These are not just policy tweaks; they are paradigmatic shifts toward citizen-centric, inclusive governance.
  • India also has successful homegrown models.
  • The Kudumbashree programme in Kerala has empowered women through participatory planning and community development, offering a replicable model for other cities.
  • These examples show that gender equity is achievable with political will, institutional support, and community engagement.
• Towards Truly Inclusive Urban Governance
  • To build truly inclusive cities, India must go beyond political quotas and address the deep-rooted gender gap in urban governance.
  • This means systemic reforms in recruitment, retention, and promotion of women across bureaucratic and technical roles.
  • Affirmative action, such as scholarships and reserved positions in urban planning and engineering, is vital to dismantle structural barriers.
  • Moreover, tools like GRB must be mainstreamed, audited, and tied to performance metrics.
  • Capacity-building in smaller cities is essential, as is the establishment of local gender equity councils to ensure accountability and participatory oversight.
  • When women not only hold office but also wield real power in administration, planning, and budgeting, cities become safer, more equitable, and better governed.

Conclusion

• As India charts its course toward becoming a $5 trillion economy, its cities must evolve into more than engines of economic growth.
• They must be spaces of equity, safety, and dignity for all citizens, especially women.
• Building cities for women begins with building them with women: in council chambers, on planning boards, behind policing desks, and across budgeting tables.
• Only then can urban India truly fulfil its promise of inclusive, democratic development.