Empowering Young People in Shaping an Intersectional Future for Public Spaces

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Cover image: Her City mural in Kampala, Uganda
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Published: Oct 30, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32891/jps.v9i1.1814
Keywords:
intersectionality urban planning young people gender

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Rozina Spinnoy
BIDs Belgium
Romina Rodela
Södertörn University
Tiisetso Mofokeng
IIE Vega School Cape Town
 Atousa Sarmast
University of Tehran

Abstract

Public spaces, such as squares, urban parks, and communal areas are arenas that reflect societal values and power structures, influencing who has access and how they engage with these spaces. This viewpoint explores the application of intersectionality—considering factors like gender, race, and socioeconomic status—in understanding how diverse identities shape the lived experience of young people in public spaces. More specifically, it focuses on girls, and it reflects on the intersectional challenges girls face in four different contexts to include Belgium, South Africa, Iran, and Sweden. The analysis reveals the complexities of safety, accessibility, and inclusion girls face across all cases. This viewpoint underscores the value in using an intersectional lens in designing inclusive public spaces and highlights the pivotal role of young people as advocates for change.

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How to Cite
Spinnoy, R., Rodela, R., Mofokeng, T. and Sarmast, Atousa (2024) “Empowering Young People in Shaping an Intersectional Future for Public Spaces”, The Journal of Public Space, 9(1), pp. 153–124. doi: 10.32891/jps.v9i1.1814.
Issue
Vol. 9 No. 1 (2024): Let Her Guide You
Section
Viewpoint
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Author Biographies

Rozina Spinnoy, BIDs Belgium

Rozina Spinnoy, a Scottish Design Strategist and Social Entrepreneur, has lived in Brussels for over 22 years. She focuses on co-designing projects for social impact and sustainable communities. She is the Founder and Director of BIDs Belgium (NGO) and heads Design2Style and the Belgium Design Council. Her initiatives include an inclusive education program, and she works locally and internationally. She launched the global initiative Empowering Women, Public Space and Climate Change, collaborating with UN-Habitat, New European Bauhaus, and others. She co-founded Women of the NEB and co-organized the 'Women Shaping Spaces' Exhibition at the New European Bauhaus Festival. Rozina serves on advisory boards for diversity and inclusion in Brussels and is a partner of the European Commission's New European Bauhaus initiative. She is also involved with WHO's Pan European Mental Health Coalition and Mental Health Europe. She advocates for gender equality, inclusive public spaces, diversity, and mental health awareness. Recently, Rozina received the Going Green Global Design Award from the Faculty of Design, Ljubljan.

Romina Rodela, Södertörn University

Romina Rodela, Ph.D., is a Senior Researcher and Associate Professor in Environmental Governance and Management at Södertörn University. Her research focuses on governance methods and tools for more sustainable outcomes, and has a special research interest for equity and justice in relation to governance models and contemporary challenges. She has led several research projects in the context of Urban Governance under Swedish funding schemes and collaborates closely with local actors. Her work is available on ResearchGate.

Tiisetso Mofokeng, IIE Vega School Cape Town

Tiisetso Mofokeng is a PhD Candidate (Urban and Regional Planning) at Stellenbosch University with a background in Architecture from the Tshwane University of Technology and City and Regional Planning from the University of Cape Town. Her masters research focused on an investigation into the safety of public spaces from a gender-sensitive perspective.
She is a former committee member of the Young Urbanists South Africa, former student member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (UK), former member of the Young Professional Forum of the Gauteng Institute for Architecture, instructor at the Architecture is Free Foundation, contributor to the Interior Editorial and Make Space For Girls blogging, committee member of Girls Make the City (GMTC), researcher for the Public Space Global (PSG) forum, a spatial design full-time lecturer within the interior design department at Vega School Cape Town, she has facilitated and guest lectured urban planning techniques and studio tutored local area planning (honours) at the University of Cape Town and lastly she is the founder of a knowledge storehouse named THE HUE.

 Atousa Sarmast, University of Tehran

As an urban policy researcher trained in urban planning and management at the University of Tehran, Atousa Sarmast specialises in smart cities policy making, and technology-driven innovations, focusing on disaster management, infrastructure, housing, and governance. With over five years of professional experience in academia and industry, she brings expertise in qualitative research, policy-making, and stakeholder analysis in collaboration with national and international institutes such as the UNESCO chair in Tehran.

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