SUSTAINABLE, SMART, AND INCLUSIVE CITIES FROM AN ECOFEMINIST PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article analyzes how ecofeminist principles can be applied to urban planning to promote sustainable, smart, and inclusive cities. Based on the guiding question “In what ways do urban structures and dynamics contribute to the production and reproduction of gender inequalities?”, the discussion addresses how urban spaces have historically reflected structural inequalities, particularly those related to gender, race, and class, and how these dynamics require a critical review of urban planning practices. Ecofeminism, by linking the struggle for gender justice to environmental justice, proposes a transformative approach that values care, sustainability, and equal participation as the foundation for more equitable urbanism. In addition, the role of smart cities is highlighted as models that use technology and innovation to tackle contemporary challenges, from environmental degradation to social exclusion. However, inclusion and sustainability must go beyond technocratic solutions, incorporating intersectional perspectives that consider the needs of marginalized populations, especially women. The research method used was analytical. It concludes that urban planning grounded in ecofeminist principles can create more democratic, resilient, and just spaces by integrating technology, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability as pillars of urban development.