Making safer places: Gender and the right to the city

The revitalisation of British cities has been a concern of the current Government since the late 1990s. However, while much physical regeneration of the public realm has been undertaken, attention to the social dimensions of the city remains limited. This is despite the legacy of scholarship initiated by Jane Jacobs and Oscar Newman, which highlighted the human dimension to security and wellbeing. Moreover, a clear gender dimension is emerging within the literature. This paper reflects on these issues within the context of urban life in the United Kingdom drawing on empirical research conducted under the Women's Design Service (WDS) Making Safer Places umbrella in London, Manchester, Bristol and Wolverhampton. The project has worked to empower women to identify and articulate issues around safety in everyday urban settings. © 2009 Palgrave Macmillan.