Beyond the map: When women redraw public safety in Serbia

Women use public spaces every day, but cities are not always designed around their daily realities. In Serbia, nearly half of women report concerns about their safety in public spaces and fear sexual violence. As a result, many choose different routes, avoid certain areas after dark, remain alert and adapt their routines in ways that often remain invisible. To ensure these experiences inform local planning and decision-making, UN Women supports Safety Audit Walks in several cities in Serbia. During these walks, women and girls come together to explore familiar streets, parks and public areas through the lens of their own lived experiences.

A city may look the same to everyone, but it is not experienced in the same way.

During a Safety Audit Walk in Vršac, a city in Serbia’s Vojvodina province about 80 kilometers from Belgrade, women and girls walked on streets, parks and public areas and reflected on what influences their sense of safety and how their experiences can contribute to safer communities.

Organized by FemPlatz with the support of UN Women, the walk was only the first step. After returning from the field, participants gathered around a large map of Vršac, the sixth city to host the initiative, to compare observations, identify locations they considered challenging and develop recommendations for local authorities.

“We looked at space as a community rather than as individuals. By thinking together, we noticed issues that one person alone might have missed,” shared Lana Jovanovic, reflecting on how differently women can experience the same place.

As the discussion unfolded, participants pointed to poorly lit areas, neglected infrastructure and locations where they felt uncomfortable or unsafe. They also explored practical changes that could make public spaces more accessible and welcoming for everyone.

“By walking through public spaces together and sharing our experiences, we can identify places that present risks for women in our city,” said Andjela Stefana Sabo, another participant. “It is a small step, but an important one towards making Vršac a safer place for women.”

For Sabo, the conversations were just as valuable as the walk itself. “I could express my thoughts freely, knowing that everyone was listening without judgment. That made me feel accepted,” continued Stefana Sabo.

Many participants realized they shared similar experiences when navigating the city. “Every woman carries a mental map of her city - places where she feels comfortable, places she avoids and routes she chooses almost automatically,” explained Andrijana Covic, Programme Officer at FemPlatz. “Safety Audit Walks help make those invisible maps visible. When women share those experiences, they become the basis for practical recommendations that can help create safer public spaces.”

The women developed a set of recommendations that will be shared with the local government. These include improving street lighting, increasing safety in parks and playgrounds, repairing roads and pathways, strengthening the implementation of existing regulations and raising awareness of personal safety resources, such as whistles and flashlights.

“The recommendations are a reminder that building safer public spaces begins with listening to the people who use them every day. When women's experiences are included in local decision-making, public spaces can become more accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of entire communities,” said Ivana Tabasevic, Operations Analyst at UN Women.

The Vršac walk builds on similar Safety Audit Walks previously held in Sombor, Kragujevac, Krusevac, Nis and Novi Pazar. Across these cities, women have identified priorities related to public infrastructure, lighting, accessibility, maintenance of public spaces and community safety measures. Their recommendations are helping local authorities better understand how public spaces are experienced from a gender perspective.

The Safety Audit Walks are part of the regional “Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust” project, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. The initiative supports the localization of the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas by promoting participatory approaches that place women's lived experiences at the centre of efforts to create safer and more inclusive public spaces.