Femmedina: Inclusive city program

This project aims to address the challenges of socio-economic inclusion and security for women in Tunisian medinas particularly in M’saken Mahdia Sousse and Kairouan while integrating climate change adaptation measures and access to water. The project seeks to promote the socio-economic empowerment of women residing in the medinas by improving public spaces and strengthening the capacities of municipalities to integrate gender dimensions into their sustainable urban planning processes. The project activities include: (1) conducting online communication and awareness campaigns on the inclusion and engagement of women in the medinas as well as strengthening the capacities of Tunisian municipalities to integrate women's needs into city governance; (2) identifying local NGOs led by women to manage and animate rehabilitated spaces; (3) creating products aimed at capturing documenting and sharing lessons learned best practices and impacts achieved during the first phase of the Inclusive city Femmedina program. This is to demonstrate the importance of gender integration in the planning of public spaces and to enable the replication of the project's successes in other regions; and (4) conducting training for municipal executives and staff on integrating a gender perspective into governance and urban planning. This includes knowledge and experience exchanges with other Tunisian cities and international city networks including pioneering Canadian cities in inclusive urban development.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased integration of women's perspectives and needs in decision-making regarding urban planning taking into account climate risks access to water and gender-based violence (GBV); (2) strengthened socio-economic empowerment and security of women through interventions in public spaces sensitive to climate adaptation; and (3) enhanced capacities of Tunisian municipalities to integrate women's needs into city governance related to climate adaptation access to water and GBV. This involves a framework for exchange and cross-fertilization with Canadian cities such as Montreal Toronto and Vancouver which are considered pioneers in inclusive urban development.