Simple steps towards safer public spaces

Think of a place in your neighbourhood where you don't like to walk at night. Why? Maybe it's dark. Maybe there are no houses or shops. Maybe there's an empty plot with tall grass. Maybe the road has no sidewalk and motos speed past. Maybe you once heard a story about something bad happening there.

Now think of a place where you feel safe, even in the evening. Probably it's lit, busy, open, and there are people around — sellers, families, neighbours.

The difference between those two places often isn't police or cameras. It's design, light, activity and community.

What simple steps can communities take to make public spaces safer for everyone — especially women, children, older people and people with disabilities?

What makes a space feel unsafe

Research on urban safety — including work by UN Women's Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces programme and UN-Habitat — highlights common factors:

• Poor lighting.
• Isolation (no people, no shops, no windows facing the street).
• Hidden corners and blocked sightlines.
• Poor maintenance: rubbish, broken structures, abandoned buildings.
• No sidewalks or safe crossings.
• Lack of transport at night.
• Harassment that goes unchallenged.

Many of these can be improved with simple, low-cost actions.

UN Women's Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces initiative works in dozens of cities worldwide, including African cities such as Kigali, Cairo, Rabat and others, to prevent sexual harassment and violence against women in public spaces. (UN Women) Safety is a design, community and policy issue — not only a policing issue.

Step 1: Light it up

Lighting is one of the most effective and affordable safety measures. A well-lit street:

• Helps people see and be seen.
• Encourages people to walk and gather.
• Discourages crime and harassment.
• Reduces accidents.

Some studies — including a large randomised trial in New York City public housing (2016–2017) — found that adding outdoor lighting was associated with significant reductions in certain night-time outdoor crimes.

Low-cost options:

• Ask households and shops to keep outdoor lights on in the evening.
• Install solar street lights (increasingly affordable).
• Report broken lights to the commune.
• Light dark corners, bus stops and paths to schools.

Joke break: One neighbourhood committee asked residents to keep their outdoor lights on at night. An old man refused: "Electricity is expensive." The next week, his goat was almost stolen in the dark. The week after, his house had the brightest light on the street. He now calls it "the goat lamp."

Step 2: Keep eyes on the street

Urban writer Jane Jacobs, in her famous book "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" (1961), described "eyes on the street": streets are safer when people are around — shopkeepers, residents at windows, people walking.

In African cities, "eyes on the street" are often natural: market women, zémidjan drivers, tailors, phone credit sellers, people sitting outside in the evening. Communities can encourage this:

• Support small businesses along streets.
• Encourage evening activities: sports, markets, cultural events.
• Avoid building high walls that block views of the street.

"The safety of the street works best, most casually, and with least frequent taint of hostility or suspicion precisely where people are using and most enjoying the city streets voluntarily." — Jane Jacobs

Step 3: Clean and maintain

Rubbish, tall grass, broken structures and abandoned buildings make spaces feel neglected and unsafe. Regular clean-ups and maintenance send a message: "This space is cared for."

• Clear tall grass from empty plots.
• Remove rubbish piles.
• Repair broken benches and walls.
• Paint murals on blank walls.

See What it takes to keep a street clean together.

Step 4: Make roads safer for walking

In many African cities, the biggest danger in public spaces is traffic. WHO's Global Status Report on Road Safety shows that pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists make up a large share of road deaths in the African Region.

Steps communities can push for:

• Sidewalks that are clear (not blocked by parked motos, goods or construction).
• Safe crossings near schools, markets and clinics.
• Speed bumps in residential areas.
• School crossing volunteers at busy times.
• Helmets for moto riders and passengers.

See What a healthy city needs beyond hospitals.

Step 5: Do a safety walk

A "safety audit" or "safety walk" is a simple tool used by UN Women, UN-Habitat and community groups worldwide. A group — ideally including women, young people, older people and people with disabilities — walks through an area and notes:

• Where do you feel unsafe? Why?
• Where is lighting poor?
• Where are there hidden corners?
• Where are sidewalks missing or blocked?
• Where is there no one around?
• What would make it safer?

Walk during the day and at night. Mark problems on a map. Take photos. Then prioritise actions. See Why local action needs good information.

Step 6: Address harassment

Harassment of women and girls in public spaces — on streets, in markets, on transport — is common in many cities worldwide. Communities can:

• Make clear that harassment is not acceptable (posters, radio messages, community agreements).
• Encourage bystanders to safely intervene or support victims.
• Train market associations, moto drivers and transport workers.
• Ensure clear ways to report incidents to authorities.
• Involve men and boys as allies.

Step 7: Design for everyone

A space that's safe and comfortable for a child, an older person or a wheelchair user is usually good for everyone.

• Ramps and flat paths.
• Benches and shade.
• Clear signs.
• Toilets in public spaces (clean and safe).
• Play areas visible from seating.

Step 8: Work with authorities — and each other

Communities can do a lot, but some changes need authorities: street lighting, road design, enforcement. Build partnerships:

• Share your safety walk results with the commune.
• Propose specific, costed solutions.
• Offer community help (monitoring lights, maintaining spaces).
• Follow up respectfully and persistently.

See How young people can join local decisions.

An illustrative story: the school path

In an illustrative town (illustrative), students walked home from school along a dark path next to an empty plot. Several girls reported being harassed. Parents were worried.

The school's student council organised a safety walk with parents, teachers and the neighbourhood chief. They identified three problems: no lighting, tall grass on the plot, and no people around after 6 p.m.

Actions:

• Neighbours agreed to keep outdoor lights on.
• The commune installed two solar street lights.
• Students and parents cleared the grass monthly.
• A women's association set up evening snack stalls along the path.
• Teachers organised walking groups for students.

Within a few months, students reported feeling much safer. The path became busier — and friendlier.

Safer transport stops and night journeys

Many people feel least safe while waiting for transport or travelling at night. Simple improvements help:

• Light bus stops, taxi ranks and moto stands.
• Place stops near shops or busy areas, not isolated corners.
• Encourage transport operators and moto drivers to register and wear visible ID.
• Share the ride: tell someone your route and expected arrival time.
• Community "walk-home" groups for students and workers who finish late.

Moto-taxi associations can be strong safety partners. Drivers see everything on the street and can help report problems — if they're involved and respected.

What individuals can do today

Not every safety step needs a committee. Individuals can:

• Keep an outdoor light on in the evening.
• Greet and know your neighbours — familiar faces are safer.
• Report broken lights, dangerous holes and dumping.
• Speak up (safely) if you see someone harassed, or support the person afterwards.
• Teach children safe routes and what to do if they feel unsafe.
• Drive and ride carefully — road safety is public safety.

Small habits add up. A street where people notice and care is a street where problems are caught early.

Safety is shared

Safe public spaces don't happen by accident. They're built by lights, paths, clean corners, busy shops, caring neighbours, good design and responsive authorities. Most importantly, they're built by communities that decide: everyone deserves to walk safely here.

Start with one dark corner. Light it. Clean it. Bring people to it. Watch it change.

Keep reading: What it takes to keep a street clean together, How to turn a conversation into a project, and our Africa & Action section.

Questions

How can we make public spaces safer?

Improve lighting, keep "eyes on the street," maintain spaces, make roads safer for walking, do safety walks, address harassment, design for everyone and work with authorities.

What is a safety walk or safety audit?

A group walk through an area to identify safety problems (lighting, visibility, isolation, maintenance) and propose solutions.

Does street lighting reduce crime?

Research, including a large trial in New York City, has found better outdoor lighting associated with reductions in some night-time outdoor crimes.