Women In Public Realm Case Study

In an Asian Indian context, women are more likely to be responsible for child bearing and management of household and are hence expected to be confined to private realm, in contrast to men who are money making workers. Hence urban spaces in a city evolved without considering women as part of its functioning. Women tend to use more of designated public spaces that confirm to their gender roles. A medical precinct, revolving around the functioning of one or more medical institutions, is a gendered space and an extension of the care giving responsibility where most of the patients are accompanied by women. This study probes into the issues faced by women in a medical precinct taking the Trivandrum Medical College as an example, in order to
This is due to their specific roles in the society and their unique behavioral patterns.
Women's Role as Caregivers
Women are expected to be responsible for caring for children and running the family. The role of caregivers includes personal care, cooking, shopping, keeping company and providing emotional support . There is physical and emotional stress on caregivers due to these responsibilities. One of the important factor for caregiver stress is inaccessibility of affordable community resources (UO Okoye, 2011).
Safety from Crime
Today the major issue faced by women in the world are sexual harassment and violence. A survey on women's safety in public areas conducted by Safe Women Project in Australia, found that women's perception of safety in public places differed with time of day or how the space was being used and by whom. Women said they felt unsafe in places which:
•Are dark and have poor lighting
•Are deserted
•Are not visible to others or nobody watches over the place
•Have no access to help
•Have inadequate
Women are more likely to need public toilets as they travel on public transport more than men, and are often accompanied by children. Women who are menstruating, pregnant, at menopause, with weakened bladder control after pregnancy and with diabetes will need to use the toilet more often than men. Women tend to take longer in using the toilets due to their biological features like dealing with menstruation issues, clothing and caring for children accompanying them. Other requirements of caregiving women like baby changing facilities and feeding facilities are also needed.
Many toilets are the subject of crime, vandalism and sexual activity if they are located in out of the way places, behind bushes where there is no natural surveillance of who is going in and out.
Women and leisure spaces
Women tend to use more of designated public spaces like parks, temples, beaches, markets etc for leisure activities like walking, exercising, going out with family and friends etc.
Mobility of women
These varied duties of women including household responsibility and paid work require them to navigate the city in complex patterns of multiple short distance trips, especially in off-peak hours. This is known as Trip Chaining. Most often, women may be accompanied by children or they carry heavy loads like grocery with