Bridging gender gaps: Reimagining the world for inclusivity

Closing gender gap: Much of our modern world is designed with one archetype in mind: the average man. From urban planning and workplace safety to product design and even crash-test dummies, women’s needs have long been overlooked. This systemic male-oriented design not only excludes but also actively disadvantages women. If we are serious about building a truly equitable future, we must address these gaps—reimagining everything from city planning to cultural norms with inclusivity at their core.

Take urban design as an example. Cities are built with functionality in mind, but whose functionality? Public transport systems often ignore the needs of women juggling caregiving and work, who rely on these networks for multiple short trips throughout the day. Public toilets, if they exist, are frequently inadequate, unsafe, or unclean. Designs for parks and recreational spaces often fail to accommodate mothers with prams or individuals with physical disabilities, further limiting accessibility.

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Everyday tools and infrastructure

This unconscious bias extends beyond infrastructure to the tools of everyday life. Farm equipment, for instance, is designed for men’s upper body strength, marginalising women farmers despite their significant contributions to agriculture. Similarly, workplace safety standards and equipment often fail to account for women’s physiological differences, making industries like manufacturing or construction even less inclusive. Pension schemes provide another stark example: women often end up with less financial security in old age, penalised for caregiving responsibilities that take them out of the workforce.

Even our cultural and digital spaces reinforce these inequities. Stereotypes persist in mass media, portraying women as caregivers or sidelining them in professional roles. Gender-biased reporting shapes societal perceptions and even judicial outcomes. Meanwhile, the internet—the largest public space of all—is rife with harassment and exclusion. Without robust measures to make these spaces safer and more equitable, the promise of technology as a leveller remains hollow.

Closing gender gap with inclusive workplaces

To bring more women into the formal workforce, workplaces must be designed with them in mind. Flexible hours, childcare facilities, and equal safety standards are not luxuries but necessities. Policies must move beyond tokenism to include structural changes, such as gender-neutral caregiving leave, education campaigns to dismantle stereotypes, and grievance mechanisms that women can trust.

Education and awareness play a pivotal role in achieving gender equity. Women must not only know their rights but also have access to platforms for redressal. Governments should integrate gender sensitivity into policymaking, ensuring that everything from public transport to health systems considers women’s unique needs. Smart cities of the future must learn lessons from the past—emphasising inclusivity in design rather than perpetuating exclusion.

One of the greatest barriers to women’s participation is unpaid caregiving. Globally, women shoulder three times more unpaid care work than men, drastically limiting their economic potential. Yet this contribution goes uncounted in GDP calculations, depriving nations of a true measure of their productivity. If caregiving were monetised, it would not only enhance a country’s economic metrics but also strengthen its competitiveness in global financing and investment. Policies that recognise caregiving, through tax breaks or pensions for caregivers, can catalyse change.

Redesigning the future

The world we live in today is not immutable—it was designed, and it can be redesigned. Inclusive policies for urban planning, workplace safety, and caregiving are not just women’s issues; they are societal imperatives. By investing in inclusive infrastructure and dismantling entrenched biases, we can create a world where every individual, regardless of gender, can thrive.

Let us reimagine cities, workplaces, and cultural norms not as male-dominated spheres but as truly shared spaces. Inclusivity is not a reaction or an afterthought—it is the foundation of a progressive, equitable society. If we succeed, we will not only unlock the potential of half the population but also drive economic and social growth on an unprecedented scale.