The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Cities by her, for her
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women shaping Nepal’s cities – making them safer, more inclusive and climate resilient.
Through the Cities 4 Women initiative, women and girls are leading change – co-designing public open spaces, advocating for equal access and safety, and ensuring urban development reflects their needs. From planners to vendors, commuters to community leaders, their voices and actions are starting to transform cities into places where all women and girls can live, work and thrive.
Photos
- © UNOPS/Ranjit Tripathi
- © UNOPS/Lisa Hickman
We need to consider the people around us, to understand the surroundings and communities, and make the design accessible for all kinds of people.
- Deewa Dhakal, an architecture student at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu.
LGBTQI+ voices are often excluded from the urban planning process. Through a series of workshops and roundtables, Cities 4 Women is driving real change.
Generally, we feel like we are still left behind when it comes to SDG 11* and this is where UNOPS has been including the LGBTQI+ voices.
- Sarita K.C., Executive Director of Mitini Nepal – a woman-led organization in Kathmandu, Nepal, which supports lesbian, bisexual and transgender women
- *Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
Tansen, a historic town nestled in the hills of Nepal, is home to public spaces brimming with untapped potential. One such space is Durbar Street – the bustling heart of the municipality’s commercial and social life. In recent years, however, the street has faced growing challenges, including unorganized street vending, haphazard parking and inadequate infrastructure.
Recognizing its potential as a vibrant community hub, the Cities 4 Women project is collaborating with local residents to reimagine Durbar Street through gender-responsive planning. The goal: to transform it into a safe, inclusive and multifunctional space that serves everyone.
Even before reconstruction, the Cities 4 Women project made the area active, preparing locals for the transformation. Today, it hosts the Sadak Mela, a vibrant street market where 70 per cent of vendors are women, proving that inclusive urban planning can create economic opportunities for women and lift communities.
On Fridays, Jyotsana Tuladhar sets her stall up at Tansen’s Sadak Mela.
I create and sell recycled products in a market where the concept is still new. Beyond selling, I'm introducing recycling to the community and also want to encourage other women entrepreneurs to join and grow their businesses.
- Jyotsana Tuladhar
When women help design their cities, everyone benefits. The Cities 4 Women project is proving that inclusive urban spaces aren’t just possible – they’re essential. That's why UNOPS architect and urban planner Manju Raut has been working with the Tansen municipality and community to make their vision for inclusive and vibrant public open spaces a reality.
My work is grounded in the voices of the community and I’m committed to turning their needs into designs that will create a safer, more inclusive environment for everyone.
I’m also committed to creating vibrant street markets that women can safely access and grow their livelihoods.
- Manju Raut
About the project
The project focuses on inclusive and climate-resilient urbanization in seven municipalities of Nepal: Birendranagar, Chandragiri, Dhanghadi, Hetauda, Sunwal, Tansen and Tilottama as well as sub-metropolitan cities. The overarching strategy is to strengthen institutions with capacity building and tools for transformative, resilient and sustainable urbanization with a goal to mainstream gender into urban planning, design and budgeting.
Global Goals we are supporting through this initiative:
