In 2025, UN-Habitat, in partnership with the Shared City Foundation, published a Ukrainian edition of the Her City handbook to help professionals create cities where women and girls feel safe. This toolkit is designed to integrate gender equality into urban planning and is particularly relevant for Ukraine, where war has destroyed infrastructure and increased women’s vulnerability through displacement, unemployment and limited access to services. The handbook acts as a catalyst for recovery by engaging young people in the process of turning challenges into opportunities for sustainable communities.
In Ukraine, elements of this methodology have already been tested by the Ro3kvit urban bureau in collaboration with the Estonian Association of Architects during an urban hackathon in Kalush.
her-city-guide_ukrainian-ed_2025_final_interThe genesis of the initiative in a global context
The Her City initiative grew out of the Urban Girls Movement, launched in 2017 with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Urban development experts, including partners such as the Block by Block Foundation and the architectural firm White Arkitekter, joined forces to develop tools for equitable planning. The third edition of the handbook, published by UN-Habitat, emphasises how involving girls makes cities better for everyone, as they take into account a variety of needs. “Involving girls in urban development will make the city better for everyone. Girls plan and design with diversity and different needs in mind,” the document states. This approach transforms urbanisation from a problem into a force capable of overcoming social inequality and environmental challenges, with cities generating 70% of global CO2 emissions.
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Adaptation to Ukrainian realities
The Ukrainian edition, launched on 19 August 2025 on the hercity.org platform, is adapted to the local context, where a full-scale invasion has destroyed homes and infrastructure, forcing more than 3.6 million Ukrainians, mostly women, to relocate. Women account for three-quarters of registered unemployed, and the war has increased the burden of unpaid work and the risks of gender-based violence. The guide highlights the role of women in recovery, from repairing bomb shelters to volunteering in communities. “In the context of Ukraine, we want the publication of the Her City initiative to be a driving force for socially sustainable recovery,” writes Gwendolyn Menetrier, head of the UN-Habitat office in Ukraine. The document integrates human rights and social inclusion into planning so that cities become gender-sensitive even during conflict.
Step-by-step methodology for practitioners
The guide is structured around nine blocks, divided into three stages: assessment, design, and implementation. The project team begins by forming a group in which girls and young women constitute the majority to ensure a balance of opinions. Digital tools such as KoBo Toolbox for collecting georeferenced data allow for the analysis of public spaces at the city and specific site levels. Participants record issues of accessibility, safety and zoning by creating challenge maps. The process takes four weeks to prepare and seven weeks to evaluate, taking into account online adaptation due to pandemics or restrictions.
During the design phase, the focus is on generating ideas through workshops, such as Block by Block’s Minecraft workshops, where girls visualise change. Recommendations are turned into action plans approved by experts. Implementation includes public presentations and evaluation of results to standardise an inclusive approach. “Cities are effective platforms for real change,” says Thomas Melin, chairman of the Shared City Foundation, emphasising the local level as the key to reducing social divides.
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Impact on post-war recovery
In Ukraine, Her City is becoming a tool for urban regeneration, aligning recovery with climate and social goals. The initiative promotes trust among young people and marginalised groups, reducing the risk of conflict. Research shows that joint planning with vulnerable groups leads to more resilient communities. The guide marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, making gender equality a priority for the UN. In cities such as Kyiv and Lviv, where UN-Habitat supports recovery, this approach can transform devastated spaces into safe zones where women actively influence decisions.
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