Recently, the Amsterdam-Amstelland region has been shaken multiple times by serious violence against women. In September, measures were introduced to improve safety on the streets. Additional measures followed in December. What actions have been taken so far and what is planned for the near future? And how do we ensure that especially young women are involved in our plans?

We collaborate with the police, city districts, and other partners on measures to make public spaces more social, safer, and more pleasant. We do this in three ways: by making adjustments outdoors, involving women in design processes, and increasing knowledge within the municipality.

Looking through a ‘women’s lens’

The way women perceive public spaces is important. Their perspective on the design of parks, tunnels, and metro stations is a key principle in implementing the measures. They can indicate where they feel unsafe and contribute ideas for solutions. The benefit is that public spaces become more pleasant not only for women but also for other groups such as children and the elderly.

What we do outdoors

  • Map of problem areas. Together with city districts, we have created a map showing unsafe spots in the city. At these locations, we address issues such as poor visibility, inadequate lighting, and deferred maintenance. We are also improving the reporting system so that reports from Amsterdam residents can be better incorporated into this list.
  • Improvement of Spaklerweg – Holterbergweg. In June, we will start widening the bike path with more asphalt and improving lighting. We will prune where necessary. Afterwards, we will investigate how to design bike routes so that women feel more comfortable.
  • Trial with dynamic lighting. Tunnels and other underpasses are often too dark during the day and dazzling in twilight and at night. Therefore, we will conduct a test with three different ways to illuminate the underpasses. We use indirect lighting so you can better see what is happening in the underpass. The test will take place in Zuidoost, where there are many underpasses.
  • Woman-friendly approach to metro and train stations around 13 metro stations in Zuidoost. The experience of women, girls, and people with disabilities is paramount. We focus on good lighting, recognizability and findability of stations, seating, and maintenance of stations and surroundings. To increase the feeling of safety, a kiosk will be placed at Bullewijk station and possibly a pavilion at Holendracht. Hosts are already present at Van der Madeweg station from 4 p.m. until the last metro.
  • Redesign of parks and squares with input from women. In Spieringhorn Park, there will be places specifically for women and girls, public toilets, and better visibility. Women are involved in improvements at Flevopark and Plein ‘40-’45, such as better visibility, addressing dark corners and hiding spots, toilets, and a meeting place.

Research, explorations, and trials

Meanwhile, we are researching how women and girls experience the city. We have started testing new designs in Zuidoost, Oost, and Nieuw-West. Together with women and girls, we have looked at how to adapt public spaces to their needs and their (sense of) safety. There will also be a special trial for safety on a bike route in Noord.

More knowledge within the municipality

Within the municipality, we are also taking action. Employees receive training to better account for differences in perception between men and women. We are expanding the team working on public spaces with experts in gender equality.

Next steps

The municipality wants this approach to become a fixed part of daily work. Therefore, we are also looking at how to better manage vulnerable places in the city, such as parks, stations, and areas around schools, in the long term.