Conversations with CoM SSA webinar on Gender-sensitive public-lighting: How and why?

Join CoM SSA for a deep-dive on “Gender mainstreaming in the development of public lighting projects in sub-Saharan African cities” webinar on 24 June at 13h00 CAT (13h00 CET) for English speakers, and on 24 June at 15h00 CAT (15h00 CET) for French speakers.

Urban planning tends to reflect the dominant values of society, which are typically neither inclusive nor equitable. Cities have long reflected traditional gender roles and gendered divisions of labour; marginalising women and girls in public spaces. This is because historically, cities have been planned and designed by men with little knowledge or concern for how decisions affect women. Outdoor public lighting and street lighting services (SLS) are an extension of this marginalisation, with outdoor public lighting and street lighting systems still being planned and designed in many places without considering gender differentiated uses of urban spaces.

These issues are exacerbated in many developing regions, including in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where cities are dimly lit due to, among other things, financial challenges, deficient operation and maintenance and limited in-country technical capacity for planning and operations.

With cities joining networks such as the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), which helps to build knowledge and internal capacity regarding sustainable energy projects, there is an opportunity to design and implement energy-efficient street lighting projects that are gender responsive.

To achieve this, CoM SSA partner, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has carried out a study to develop useful gender-sensitive tools and methodologies for municipalities and other stakeholders involved in identifying, preparing, implementing and monitoring urban public-lighting projects. Building on the findings of this study, the webinar brings together energy and gender experts to share their perspectives on the challenges and actions needed to have gender responsive street lighting in sub-Saharan African cities.

The discussions will build on the following questions:

1.    What is a gender-sensitive street lighting? 
2.    Why cities shall include gender approaches while planning and implementing street lighting systems projects? 
3.    How can Street Lighting make cities more inclusive? 
4.   Which are the main steps to prepare and implement a Gender-responsive street-lighting system?

The webinar will bring as well the opportunity to launch the AFD User guide, which contains a set of methodologies and tools for planning and implementing gender-sensitive public-lighting infrastructure projects.

Register to join the webinar on Thursday 24th June at 13h00 CAT for English speakers here, and 15h00 for French speakers here.

Moderator: Silvia Puddu, Coordinatrice COM SSA at AFD

Speakers:

•    Amandine Gal, Energy Efficiency Expert, Econoler 
•    Giulia D’Angiolini, Energy Efficiency Expert, Econoler
•    Joëlle Matte, Gender equality and social inclusion expert
•    Alina Meyer, Human rights, gender, diversity and social inclusion expert