Cities for All: Reimagining Urban Spaces

Equiverse Voices

How can urban design shape our feelings of safety and belonging? Join Suparno and Elsa as they explore the importance of creating inclusive urban spaces that cater to everyone, including women, LGBTQ communities, children, senior citizens, and people with different abilities. They share personal experiences and insights from cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, and Stockholm, highlighting how visibility and representation can make public spaces more welcoming. The discussion also touches on Washington DC as an example of an inclusive city, especially for women.

What makes European cities like Berlin, London, and Stockholm ahead of the curve in terms of women's safety and urban infrastructure? The conversation shifts to the advantages of their public transport systems and walkability, contrasted with the challenges faced in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. Through examples from Poland and Japan, like AI-timed traffic lights and empathy-driven design practices, we spotlight innovative solutions and advocate for more women in leadership roles to bring diverse perspectives into urban planning.

Community participation is vital for creating equitable, safe urban spaces. From the transformative engagement seen in Kibera, Nairobi, to youth-led initiatives at UN Habitat Urban Thinkers campuses, we explore how involving local communities can lead to vibrant public spaces. Reflecting on awards like the Remarkable Feminist Voice in Transportation, we underscore the importance of everyday hard work and community-driven efforts in driving societal change.

This episode promises to inspire and provide practical insights into making our urban spaces more inclusive for all.

The podcast is brought to you by TalentNomics India, a mission-driven organisation focused on scalable solutions for gender equity, especially at leadership levels

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About the guest:

ElsaMarie D'Silva (she/her) is the Founder of Red Dot Foundation (India) and President of Red Dot Foundation Global (USA). She pioneered the Safecity platform, which crowdsources global experiences of sexual violence, making it the largest crowd map of its kind. A co-founder of the Brave Movement and Beyond Black, she is recognized by the United Nations, the German Federal Foreign Office, and India's Niti Aayog for her work. A Yale World Fellow and Aspen New Voices Fellow, she has contributed to numerous global forums, advocating for sexual violence prevention and gender equity. Before Safecity, ElsaMarie held a leadership role in aviation.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elsadsilva/

About the host:

Suparno Banerjee is a seasoned technology leader with a distinguished career in incubating and developing market-defining start-ups within top-tier technology companies. He has spearheaded global teams to deliver pioneering Digital Infrastructure projects in diverse environments. Recognized as an expert in Digital Infrastructure, Smart Cities, and Digital Government Transformation, Suparno actively participates in World Economic Forum panels on Public-Private Partnerships and Urbanization. He advises policymakers and senior executives and has authored influential papers on technology-enabled urbanization. His recent focus includes innovative financial models for large-scale digital projects. Suparno also serves on the Board of TalentNomics Inc. and is an accomplished photographer.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suparnoban/

How can you be of help as a listener?

By putting in practice the wisdom shared by the guests and advocating for gender equity, amplifying women’s voices and building an ecosystem that paves the way for an equitable world.