Making Spaces for Girls Their Right to the Public Realm
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Abstract
The paper explores the exclusion of teenage girls from public spaces, particularly parks and recreation grounds. It reveals the multiple challenges faced by teenage girls in accessing and utilising these spaces and the impact this has on their well-being and sense of inclusion in the community.
The fundamental problem is that parks are not designed with the needs of teenage girls in mind. Facilities intended for teenagers, such as skate parks, Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGAs), and BMX tracks, predominantly cater to the interests of boys, contributing to inequality of opportunities. Moreover, the design and dominance of these facilities by boys can further discourage girls from participating in outdoor activities, impacting their physical health and mental well-being. Consequently, teenage girls perceive public spaces as unwelcoming and unsuitable for their use.
Safety emerges as a critical concern, with teenage girls reporting feeling unsafe in public spaces due to various factors, including sexual harassment. The paper highlights the broader definition of safety for girls, encompassing not only physical security but also the sense of welcome and acceptance in a space. This is important not just because girls have a right to public space. The barriers they face also impact their physical and mental well-being to a significant degree. Drawing attention to the intersectionality of these challenges, the paper advocates for the active engagement of teenage girls in the design process, recognizing their diverse perspectives and needs.
While the paper identifies emerging principles for effective engagement with teenage girls, it calls for further research and larger-scale practical projects and a need to evaluate the impact of inclusive design on the ground. Ultimately, the research contributes to a growing discourse on gender-inclusive urban planning, advocating for a paradigm shift that prioritises the needs and voices of teenage girls in shaping public spaces.
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