Her City evolved from the urgent need to address a fundamental gap in urban development. Cities are not designed with the needs of girls and young women in mind, often making public spaces feel unsafe, inaccessible, and unwelcoming. At the same time, they are rarely given the opportunity to influence the planning and design of their surroundings, leaving their voices unheard in decisions that shape their daily lives.

Her City is our answer. By offering a transformative alternative to conventional urban planning approaches, the methodology challenges this exclusion and asks a simple yet powerful question—“If girls designed cities, how different would they be?” This approach not only empowers girls but fosters cities that are better for all.

More than 6 years on from the first Her City project in Botkyrka, Sweden, we know the answer. When given the opportunity, women and girls plan with sustainability, inclusivity and accessibility in mind, developing infrastructure and making decisions which benefit all.

With 1500 registered users in 430 cities, 350 independent initiatives and 25 UN partnership projects delivered impacting over 800,000 people, it is a timely moment to reflect on the impact of Her City and see how the methodology can go even further.

This updated Her City methodology mainstreams inclusion and embeds transformation across urban processes. The updated methodology includes:

– A new pre and post assessment block to embed projects in local structures and networks, monitor impact and scale up implementation.

– Inspirational examples from the range of contexts in which Her City has been applied, including support to tailor the methodology to specific contexts and the groups most in need of having their voices heard.

– New steps which focus on inclusive participant recruitment and stakeholder engagement.

– Additional tools which place emphasis on intersectionality and the inclusion of excluded communities at each phase of the process.

An inclusive city is a stronger city. The Her City Guide is more than a toolkit; it is a roadmap for transformation. We invite policymakers, planners, and communities to embrace this approach and work together to shape cities that truly serve everyone.