Public lighting - ways to implement gender mainstreaming

Women feel more harassed and at risk in public places than men. They have a more pronounced need for safety.

Possible solutions

Women and men benefit from well functioning street lighting in equal measure. Installing efficient lighting technology in the right places makes sure everyone’s needs are met, especially those of the non-motorised road users, i.e. mostly women, children, youth and elderly people. Gender-equitable public lighting means moving away from simply lighting traffic lanes towards fully illuminating footpaths and pavements as well.

Examples

Project: Extension of tram line 26 of Wagramerstraße to Hausfeldstraße

• Construction stage 1 - New lighting system at Kagraner Platz: The lighting in the park, on the sidewalk areas and the protection path has been improved. The planning took into account in addition to better lighting and stronger bulbs and the local conditions. Thus, more light intensity than in the relevant standards is available on site required.
• Phase 2 - illumination of the station area in the industrial park Stadlau, Pogrelzstraße: The planning took into account the structural conditions through the subway. To avoid anxiety rooms (obstruction of the light cone by the supports) more lamps are fitted as necessary during walk under the subway route.
• Construction phase 3 - illumination of the way to school Oberfeldgasse to Hausfeldstraße: On a sufficient illumination of the surrounding pedestrian crossings was respected.

Implementation

Mindful of the principle "see and be seen" Municipal Department 33 - Public Lighting (MA 33) (German), has taken it upon itself to increase safety and people’s individual sense of safety and thus to improve gender equitable mobility.

• Regular maintenance has been expanded to include gender mainstreaming measures on existing lighting.
• MA 33 has launched a park campaign to analyse the lighting situation in a total of 200 parks.
• MA 33 has also prepared a catalogue of measures for critical pedestrian crossings in cooperation with Municipal Department 46 - Traffic Management and Organisation (MA 46) (German).