A look into the spaces and systems sustaining the gender gap.
The recent trip to Brussels with Politik-Her: School of Politics for Young Women offered a powerful reminder that women don’t need to be “empowered”. They already have the strength, resilience, and ability to lead. What they need, and what society owes them, is the space to speak up, to lead, to thrive.
For too long, conversations about gender equality have centered on the idea of empowerment. The word suggests that power must be given to women, as though it is something they lack. In reality, women have always been capable changemakers and leaders. What they lack are the structural opportunities, safe environments, and societal acceptance to fully participate in decision-making spaces.
“The way we design spaces, be it public spaces, workplaces, or even entire cities, they are designed around us, rather than for us.” – Politik-Her participant
Lessons from the Playground: A Microcosm of Gendered Spaces
A recent study by Honorata Grzesikowska and Ewelina Jaskulska examined how boys and girls in a Spanish primary school navigated their schoolyard. The findings revealed that while there were no explicit rules about who used which areas, boys dominated the open spaces, while girls often occupied the margins.
This seemingly innocent observation speaks volumes. From early childhood, girls learn, subtly yet powerfully, that space is contested, that their needs are secondary, and that they are often expected to accommodate rather than occupy. What begins in playgrounds echoes into workplaces, public spaces, and political arenas.
This reality forces us to reconsider how schools, workplaces, and cities are designed, and for who they are designed for. Too often, the design of spaces reflects a narrow perspective of white, able-bodied men, prioritizing infrastructure and efficiency while overlooking inclusivity, safety, and accessibility.
For many women – and especially women of color, disabled women, LGBTQIA+ women, and those from marginalized communities – urban spaces are designed around them rather than for them. To truly achieve gender equality, we must undergo a paradigm shift:
- Design with intersectionality in mind
- Make safety a core principle
- Create spaces for dialogue and leadership
Safe spaces are only the beginning. The goal must be brave spaces, environments where women do not have to fight for visibility or security, where participation is natural rather than exceptional.
As we saw in Brussels, when women are given platforms – be it in politics, education, or community activism – they excel. Their leadership not only benefits gender equality but also strengthens democracy, enriches civic life, and fosters more sustainable societies.
The conversation must now move beyond ’empowerment’ and toward redesigning the spaces where women live, work, and lead. If planning embraces gender equality and intersectionality, the future could hold communities where every child, regardless of gender, grows up believing the center of the playground, and the world, belongs to them, too.
