As part of ADB’s support for the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Global Campaign, here is a quick reference for urban planners to address violence against women and girls (VAWG) in their efforts to ensure safe cities and neighborhoods in Asia. The region’s urban areas are growing fast, with about 1.2 billion Asians expected to move to cities over the next 35 years. Urban development projects can and must help create environments that are friendly and safe for women and girls. In such environments, women and men have equal opportunities to use and enjoy public spaces and urban services.

Below are possible entry points for mainstreaming VAWG prevention and response in urban development interventions.

Involve women and adolescent girls as active participants in the identification of priority safety issues; unsafe public spaces; contributing factors; and possible solutions to improve safety... — blogs.adb.org/blog