Ana Falú: Housing policy can significantly reduce inequality

Most public policies, including housing policy, still fail to adequately take gender issues into account, co-founder of the Women and Habitat of Latin America network, Ana Falú, said during the closing ceremony of WUF13 in Baku, according to Report.

"We cannot talk about housing in an overly simplified way. It is necessary to understand that housing and cities, housing and neighborhoods, housing and territories are inseparable. Gender-sensitive urban planning and housing policy are indeed capable of significantly reducing inequality arising from the burden of care and reproductive labor in women's lives," she said.

Falú noted that women around the world continue to face systemic barriers in access to adequate housing, urban infrastructure, and public spaces.

According to her, the absence of a gender-based approach in public policy only deepens social inequality, especially amid poverty and rapid urbanization.

"We must focus on everyday life, on gender-based violence, on care and reproductive labor. We must make this issue a priority and place it at the center of the discussion," she said.

Falú stressed that modern cities should be designed with consideration for safety, access to services, transport infrastructure, and social support systems. In her view, particular attention should be paid to unpaid caregiving and family care work, which in most cases falls on women.