Womenability
Kit Exploratory Walks How to prepare for a successful walk !
Stay in touch with Audrey, Charline, Gabriel & Julien hello@womenability.org www.womenability.org
Program The context of the project
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The concept
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The team
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Why exploratory walks ?
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What’s IN fot YOU ?
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How to prepare an exploratory walk ?
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Who to invite ?
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When and Where ?
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The « do » and « do not do »
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The check list
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The Context of the Project A few figures Why Womenability ? The goal of our project is to ensure that gender-equity becomes a practical reality in a place where more than half of humanity lives: cities. Despite the willingness of institutions, NGOs or mere citizens to act in favor of this issue, we are today still lacking operational solutions. This is the reason why we have decided to go and meet the people and initiatives that are making gender-equity in cities a reality. Our weapons: a camera, exploratory walks, pencils, training kits and an unfailing motivation.
The city of tomorrow is being built today ! So let's be part of it !
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In Paris 100% of female transport users have been subjected at least once to sexual harassments or assaults (HCEfh, 2015) In France 1 out of 5 women has already experienced a form of violence from cat-calling to sexual harassment in the last 12 month (ENVEFF, 2011) In Cairo, 95.3% of women declare to have been sexually harassed in public transportation or in the streets (HarassMap, 2014) In Canada, women are a lot more likely to feel insecure when walking alone by nightfall (StatCan, 2011)
Many women feel out of place in their own city and have developed strategies to ovoid macho behavior or assault: self-restriction of outings past a certain time, avoidance of specific places, changes of behaviors or clothing... To this inequity toward access to public space, we can also add a more general low consideration given to women concerns in the making of the city. (EFUS, 2010)
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The Concept
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The Team
Our Values INCLUSIVE Women and men are equally involved in our fight for gender equality INTERNATIONAL We focus on gender issues in cities, no matter their location WELL BEING We focus on well-being issues and not only on safety 5
Why Exploratory Walks ? WHERE and WHY did the concept emerge ? The concept emerged in the 1990s in Montreal, Québec. The first walk was organized by METRAC2 as a part of preventive policies on the violence against women and children (EFUS, 2010). Today exploratory walks are mostly a response to a need for participatory planning in order to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of everyday urban life and the appropriation/use of public space by women. According to the context, the walk can focus on women and : 1. Participatory approach (planning, governance, politics…) 2. Safety (insecurity feelings, street harassment…) 3. Accessibility (Enjoying the public space, sports…) 4. Mobility (public transportation, walking…)
WHAT’s the goal ?
« The first versions of exploratory walks were created to understand better women’s perceptions on urban safety and to empower women to “take back the streets” from the threats of harassment and insecurity » (EFUS, 2010)
1. Collect street knowledge 2. Empower local citizens 3. Find collaborative solutions through partnerships to make cites safe and enjoyable for all ! The goal of an exploratory walk is to give a voice to users of the city so that they can participate in the improvement of their own urban environment. Women, children, elderly people are often forgotten by urban planners, and as a consequence public space is often not adapted to their needs. By giving them a chance to express their experience of the public space, public transportation… the men and women participating in the walk also acquire a right to the city that we sometimes forget as citizens. « Walkabouts should increase the feeling of safety and belonging to the community by finding good ways in which to use public spaces, improving areas which are problematic and by fostering citizens’ and authorities’ partnerships and trust on each other » (EFUS, 2010)
« The essential point of the walks is to hear the residents’ views about their neighbourhoods, to democratize the process of planning and designing of areas and to empower the residents into taking care of - and being active in their neighbourhoods. » (EFUS, 2010)
Bringing women’s voice in city planning decision, as experts & solution finder. 6
What’s IN for YOU? Why take part in our project ?
Free training (2 days) on how to conduct an exploratory walk You will be able to conduct your own exploratory walks and train other NGOs after our training ! The training will focus on how to:
ADAPT the walk to your urban environment How to MOBILIZE participants (online and offline) How to ANIMATE a walk How to VALORIZE and FOLLOW-UP after a walk
Local exposure Expose the issue of gender and public space in your city Connect with other NGO’s interested in the issue International exposure Via our website (documentation of the walk, showcase of your organization via interviews and highlights of your best practices) Be part of an international network about cities and women Invitation to the forum in Paris in 2017 (*conditions are still in the process of being defined) Participation in the co-conception of an international guidelines about women and cities 7
How to Prepare an Exploratory Walk ? HOW does it work ? An exploratory walk is relatively easy, cheap and fun to organize but it can also be a failure if some precaution (easy steps) are not respected !
3 main points : Find an interesting route for the 2 hours walk (include time to exchange and write on the survey)
Invite as many different users of the area as possible (citizens, neighbours, users, workers, NGO’s, city hall, merchants, social landlords,…)
Make it fun for the residents and make sure the local authorities take it seriously 3 things to get out of an exploratory walk : To identify what makes women dislike or like a place > via the survey we’ll provide
To hear local, and as many voices as possible > inclusive feedbacks To involve the city hall and insure they will take into consideration the citizen’s recommendations
WHO can organize an exploratory walk ? NGOs (local, feminist, organizations…) The city hall Any representative of civil society (neighborhood or youth association, a collective made up of residents…) “The aim is not to scare these women,” said Terri Ste. Marie, “but to help them be prepared. It’s your city, you should be able to use it anytime”, she added. Tandem Montréal in EFUS, 2010 8
Who to Invite to a Walk ? Remember the success of an exploratory walk lies in its PARTNERSHIP and COLLABORATIVE dimension ! Be aware we do not recommend to invite elected officials . Their presence shifts the focus to politics (which we try to avoid). Officials often try to answer critics expressed by citizens without giving it much thought... Technicians from the city hall are however very welcome ;)
Locals inhabitants, with a special focus on youth, women, person with disabilities, elderly, parents… NGOs (related to the issue of gender, urban planning or local association located where the walk will take place, social workers…) Public servants and technicians, such as city planners, urban engineers, gender equality specialists… Police officers Users of the area (shop owners, people who work in the area…) In this context men are welcome and invited as observers.
HOW to integrate the public authorities ? Find and contact someone in one of the following departments : Urban Planning, Security, Gender issues When contacting the authorities it is important to show them their interest in participating : Increase citizens’ participation Gain local knowledge and free analysis Identify collaborative solutions from experts to decease violence towards women in public space, but also for everyone
HOW to ensure the follow up with authorities ? Organize a public restitution 2 weeks after the walk with residents (as experts) in the City Hall Organize 6 months / 1 year later an official meeting where official showcase the improvement they were able to make or not (and why).
HOW to mobilize the participants ? There are two kinds of mobilization you can do: 1. Offline mobilization Ex : Flyers, poster, relay the information to local leaders, local medias… 2. Online mobilization Ex: create a facebook event, contact local bloggers and local medias to talk about the walk… 9
When and Where to Organize an Exploratory Walk ? WHEN ?
WHERE ?
The idea is to do it when the most people are free ! We suggest a few time slots, but it is up to you to find the best time to mobilize your walkers !
There are few options to take into account when choosing a trajectory for walk.
Saturday afternoon : 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Thursday evening : 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Sunday afternoon : 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Here are a few propositions : Central/popular locations to attract the most walkers > Raise awareness Local routes to engage with the citizens you may work with > Reinforce local network and engagement Routes which include a lot of problems (high rate of street harassment) > Concentrate on finding recommendations
HOW to valorize the walkers ? Take pictures of the walkers during the walk, you may also interview some of them, then share your content on the Facebook page or on the web where you mentioned the walk Invite the local press so you can have an article where the inhabitants will be proud to be showcased Train the residents to present the walk, when organizing the restitution
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The « DO » and « DO NOT DO » The principal criteria's for a successful campaign : Invite a multitude of STAKEHOLDERS
Diversify the local participants Make it participative and FUN Designate 1 coordinator for the walk at the local level and 1 coordinator at the city level
Set realistic objects to avoid any disappointment Insure a follow up for a long lasting engagement
Things to AVOID in your process of an exploratory walk : Do not invite official elected Do not forget to keep the walkers updated with the progress of their recommendations
Do not focus only negative aspects during the walk but also what people like in their area ;)
Do not limit the participants in their recommendations (let them be creative in their solutions…)
Do not let men monopolize the discussion (define their role of observer right at the beginning )
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The Check List Identify the different possible walkers/partners : > Local leaders : ………………………………………………………………….. > Other NGOs : …………………………………………………………………... > City Officials : …………………………………………………………………… > Citizen collectives : …………………………………………………………….. > Police officer : …………………………………………………………………... > Others : ………………………………………………………………………….
When the walk will be organized ? The walk will start on …….…………….. 2016 at …… pm to ……… pm
Where the walk will be organize? The walk will start at the ……………………………………………………. (be specific) and will end at ……………………………………………………. (be specific). It will last ….. hours.
Mobilize inhabitants (via Online & Offline tools) Identify who will be the technicians and the inhabitants that will ensure the information relay to both parties
Identify the medias you can send the invitation Send invitation to the medias (at least 3 weeks prior to the walk) Create an hashtag for social networks about the walk #Womenability+(name of the city)
Translate and print the survey Get ready to have fun ! 12