The Just City Case Studies
The Just City Project brings together powerful stories of urban transformation from across Africa, highlighting how communities, local governments, and civil society are shaping more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cities. This webpage presents a collection of case studies from Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), Bertoua and Kribi (Cameroon), Nakuru (Kenya), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Kampala (Uganda), and Zambia, each documenting unique challenges and innovative responses within rapidly changing urban contexts.
Each case study traces the journey from challenge to solution: beginning with the social, economic, political, and historical forces that shape the city, followed by an exploration of the pressing urban issues and the communities most affected. It then outlines the strategies and interventions adopted—whether community-driven, policy-based, or infrastructural—before showcasing the tangible outcomes such as improved services, stronger engagement, or policy reforms. The case studies conclude with lessons learned and key takeaways for future initiatives, while also connecting local experiences to broader regional, continental, and global agendas for just urban development.
Together, these case studies provide not only a rich picture of the diversity of urban challenges and responses across African cities but also a shared vision of what it means to build just cities for all. They offer insights and inspiration for policymakers, practitioners, and communities across the continent and beyond, emphasizing that while urban challenges are complex, they can be addressed through inclusive and transformative approaches.
Urban Life and Informal Transport in Dar es Salaam
Background
Dar es Salaam is one of the fastest-growing cities of Africa and a soon-to-be megacity. For decades, its informal transport network was dominated by buses (daladalas) which served as a crucial yet unreliable means of transit. In the early 2000s, a new force emerged: motorcycle-taxis or boda boda. While initially viewed as a fringe service, by 2020 over 1.4 million motorcycles were operating across Tanzania, and 200,000 of them in Dar es Salaam alone.
For many urban poor, motorcycle-taxis represent affordable, flexible mobility in a city where Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is still limited and daladalas are overcrowded, unsafe and unreliable. While the sector is rapidly growing and plays a crucial role in transportation and employment, it remains unclear how boda bodas and their driver can form part of a just city vision in Tanzania.
Conflict and Challenges
While the motorcycle-taxi sector’s rapid growth created new economic and work opportunities, it is characterized by pervasive injustices such as labor precarity, safety concerns and regulatory incoherence. Large investors profit from importation, assembly, and financing, while individual boda-boda drivers remain trapped in informality without fixed wages, labor and social security protection, or secure rights to operate. For women, the realities are even more stark. Female drivers experience discrimination, and women passengers face regular sexual harassment and gender-based violence with few safety mechanisms in place The government’s attempt to regulate the industry often lacks genuine concern for the wellbeing of workers and users, while prioritizing political and financial gains instead.
Meanwhile, daladala transport continued to struggle with overcrowding, weak safety enforcement, and the challenge of balancing affordability with sustainable operations. The city’s transport policies, though recognizing informal actors, failed to integrate them into a broader vision of just (public) transport for all, and incorporate their voices and demands in the planning processes.
These compounded challenges across the motorcycle-taxis transport sector have led to a fragmented urban mobility landscape where dignity, equity and safety remain out of reach for many.
Approach and Solution
In response to these challenges, the transport sector union COTWU-T launched a strategic push to organize and empower motorcycle-taxi drivers. Their initiative, supported by FES, aims to strengthen workers’ voices in urban planning, encourage and initiate policy dialogues that include boda boda representatives, and advocate for gender equity and safety measures in informal transport.
Moreover, efforts to improve safety standards are ongoing: local officials, trade unions, and civil society come together to enhance protections for marginalized groups in the sector, especially female riders and passengers.
Outcomes
While it is not possible to erase the deep-rooted challenges in the sector with one action alone, the initiative has nonetheless engendered meaningful progress:
In Ilala City Council and Kinondoni Municipal Council, inclusive and participatory decision-making processes have been adopted whereby the drivers’ associations are actively engaged in parking area(s) planning. This approach ensures that the allocation of parking areas align with the actual demands of the boda-boda operators.
Motorcycle-taxi drivers are increasingly being acknowledged by the municipal councils (Ilala & Kinondoni) as vital contributors to urban transportation, shifting the narrative from an informal service to a recognized economic actor within the transport ecosystem. Involvement of bodabodas in planning of parking zones as well as trainings and safety campaigns organized by the Municipals, signify the recognition of the sector. This affirmation by the local government authorities both at Ilala and Kinondoni not only upholds their economic value but also restores dignity to their role as important players in transport ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
This case study highlights the intersection of transport, informality, and justice. The case of motorcycle-taxi operators in Dar es Salaam reveals that:
- Informal workers must be integrated into urban governance to create a truly equitable transport system.
- Empowerment through organizing is crucial to amplify the voices of informal transport workers in shaping urban mobility and governance.
- Gender inclusion and safety are crucial, requiring a deliberate push to address violence and discrimination in informal transport.
The FES Tanzania and COTWU-T initiative demonstrates that a just city is one where all transport actors both formal and informal are actively engaged in shaping the city’s future. The work is far from over, however, the ground work has been laid.
Messages to local actors and partners
The success in Ilala and Kinondoni shows that when informal workers are given a seat at the table, planning becomes more responsive and inclusive. Therefore, other local and central government actors are urged to replicate and scale this participatory model across other regions.
The government is also urged to actively support unionization and invest in targeted training initiatives that empower informal transport workers in a drive to strengthen sector’s resilience and professionalism.
Urban Life and Informal Transport in Nakuru
Background
Situated in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, Nakuru officially gained city status on December 1st, 2021. As the country’s fourth largest city, its population of approximately 400,000 faces a rapidly shifting urban landscape, particularly in public transport. Unlike other cities with formal public transit systems, Nakuru relies heavily on privately operated motorcycles (bodabodas), matatus, tuk-tuks, and taxis. According to the Nakuru County Statistical Abstract of 2022, bodabodas alone account for over 16,800 transport players yet public investment in infrastructure that supports them is minimal. Instead, the city has prioritized roads and parking spaces for cars, leaving pedestrians and Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) users marginalized. This skewed investment creates urban injustices, where the majority those walking or riding low-cost vehicles are underserved, excluded from planning, and exposed to unsafe conditions.
Conflict and Challenges
As Nakuru’s population grew and informal transport modes like bodabodas, matatus, tuk-tuks, and taxis became dominant, mobility inequities deepened. The city’s infrastructure continued to favor private cars, sidelining pedestrians and Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) users. This imbalance created unsafe conditions and excluded the majority of low-income commuters from urban planning processes.
Efforts to address these injustices sparked significant tension, proposals to decongest the city and introduce car-free zones met strong opposition from matatu and taxi operators, who feared loss of income and influence. Their resistance reflected broader anxieties about shifting power dynamics in urban transport.
On the other hand, traditional top-down, expert-led planning models clashed with emerging calls for inclusive, participatory approaches. Stakeholders struggled to reconcile technical expertise with community voice. While civil society and urban mobility advocates pushed for NMT infrastructure, entrenched transport groups resisted changes that threatened their operational dominance. These conflicts underscored the urgent need for a new planning model that could bridge divides, build consensus, and center equity in urban mobility.
Approach and Solution
To respond to growing mobility inequities, Nakuru partnered with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Kenya, the Just City Working Group (JCWG), and the Socially Just Public Transport Working Group (SJPTWG). Together, they launched a Transformative Change Making (TCM) model anchored in Just City principles.
The TCM journey followed three strategic phases:
- Dialogue & Visioning: Through open and participatory engagement, a shared vision emerged that recognized the urgent need to redesign Nakuru’s transport infrastructure to better serve non-motorized transport users including pedestrians, cyclists and bodaboda riders.
- Narrative & Alliance Building: A socially just implementation plan for NMT, presented by urban mobility experts, gained consensus among stakeholders and Nakuru City Board.
- Catalytic Action: The World Bank-funded NMT system was implemented in Nakuru’s Central Business District, demonstrating the viability and scalability of pedestrian and cyclist-focused planning.
Despite political resistance from matatu and taxi operators who opposed decongestion and car-free zones, the initiative succeeded by reframing urban planning as inclusive and participatory rather than expert-led and top-down.
Outcomes
The Just City approach has now taken root in Nakuru Vision 2050, which prioritizes a city that is just, democratic, prosperous, and resilient. Some major wins include:
- A shift toward citizen-centered urban development.
- Public consultations influencing official policy.
- Redesigning of 10km of city roads (Mburu Gichua Road, Kenyatta Avenue, West Side Mall Road) to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.
- Adoption of NMT designs in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023–2027.
Backed by strong political leadership and expert guidance from technical partners, Nakuru’s urban planning process now actively embraces the principles of rights, equity, dignity, and diversity. This shift reflects a broader commitment to inclusive development, integrating citizen perspectives into the design and implementation of public transport strategies and urban infrastructure.
Key Takeaway
When urban mobility prioritizes the majority who walk, cycle, or ride bodabodas, cities become safer, fairer, and more functional. The success of Nakuru’s transition shows that community voice, multi-stakeholder dialogue, and catalytic action are powerful tools to dismantle systemic urban inequities. Furthermore, bottom-up planning unlocks innovation and resilience.
Message to local actors and partners
Urban Life and Waste Management Reform in Bertoua and Kribi
Background
Africa is undergoing a monumental demographic shift, with its population expected to double by 2050. Nearly 950 million new urban dwellers will settle in cities, placing immense pressure on infrastructure, services, and governance systems (OECD/CSAO, 2020). Cameroon, like many African nations, is grappling with the consequences of this urban growth. Its two largest cities Douala and Yaoundé have experienced uncontrolled urbanization, leading to the proliferation of informal settlements, spatial segregation, and a deepening divide between affluent and marginalized communities (Foyet, 2022).
One of the most pressing urban challenges in Cameroon is waste management. With over 6 million tons of waste generated annually, 10% of which is plastic, less than 40% is collected, leaving streets, gutters, and waterways blocked with waste. The burden falls disproportionately on low-income communities, where waste collection infrastructure is lacking and informal workers operate under unsafe and exploitative conditions.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Just City Project in Cameroon seeks to make a contribution which is urgently needed to reshape Cameroon’s urban trajectory to build inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities where clean environments and dignified livelihoods are not a privilege, but a right for all.
Conflict and Challenges
Through fieldwork in Bertoua and Kribi, the Just City Project uncovered systemic injustices within the waste sector that disproportionately affect both workers and local residents.
The waste workers often face hazardous conditions due to (i) lack of protective gear and proper training, (ii) absence formal contracts, resulting in irregular wages and minimal job security, (iii) social stigma and marginalization, (iv) corruption in contract allocation undermines fairness. And (v) unsafe environments and limited awareness of legal rights further expose them to exploitation and harm. Meanwhile, urban residents contend with (i) irregular and insufficient waste collection, leading to unsanitary conditions and heightened health risks, (ii) poor infrastructure and frequent traffic disruptions worsen the situation, and (iii) limited public awareness and civic engagement, which hinder the development of sustainable waste management solutions.
Approach and Solution
The Just City Project in Cameroon chose Bertoua as its pilot city due to its active waste recovery system, strong network of sector stakeholders, and the local authorities’ openness to reform. Bertoua offers a promising environment for testing inclusive urban solutions that could be scaled elsewhere. At the heart of the project are six core principles of a just city, each guiding both long-term transformation and immediate action.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): The project begins by empowering those often left behind, training youth and women in waste recovery and investing in infrastructure in underserved areas. In the short term, the project clarifies the realities of waste labor through targeted research, evaluates the human impact of working conditions, and empowers workers by equipping them with critical knowledge of their labor rights.
- Dignity: The initiative focuses on empowering waste sector stakeholders through targeted training and capacity-building on social security and labor law, equipping them with the knowledge to claim and protect their rights.
- Democracy: Urban justice demands democratic participation. The project strengthens trade unions and promotes transparency in contract allocation. This year, it supports stakeholder engagement and accountability, ensuring that all voices especially those of informal workers are heard in decision-making.
- Public Safety: To protect both workers and residents, the project plans to build waste transfer centers and train workers in proper sorting techniques. In the short term, it runs sanitation and health awareness campaigns to reduce risks and improve public hygiene.
- Accessibility & Affordability: The project facilitates financing and tax relief for equipment, helping small operators thrive. In the immediate term, it advocates for inclusive financing mechanisms that don’t leave informal actors behind.
- Sustainability: Finally, the project promotes green entrepreneurship and sets clear rules and sanctions to guide responsible waste management. In this year (2025), it trains workers in sustainable practices and begins assessing the environmental costs of current systems.
Together, these principles form a holistic framework for building a city that is not only cleaner but fairer, safer, and more inclusive.
Outcomes
Though still in early implementation, the project has already catalyzed several positive developments:
- Increased visibility of waste workers and their rights through advocacy and publications.
- Improved coordination among stakeholders, including unions, municipalities, and informal actors.
- Pilot training programs launched for youth and women in green entrepreneurship.
- Community engagement in sanitation campaigns, fostering civic responsibility.
- Policy dialogue initiated with local authorities on inclusive waste governance.
Key Takeaways
- Waste management is not just a technical issue it’s a justice issue. Addressing it requires centering the voices of informal workers and marginalized communities. This means recognizing their contributions, protecting their rights, and involving them directly in the design and governance of waste management solutions.
- Inclusive urban planning must integrate informal systems. Informal recyclers and pre-collectors are vital to the circular economy and deserve legal and institutional support. This means creating enabling environments where informal actors can thrive through secure workspaces, fair compensation, access to social protections, and meaningful participation in decision-making.
- Youth and women are key agents of change. Empowering them through training and entrepreneurship unlocks sustainable solutions.
Messages to local actors and partners
Informal Transport and Urban Life in Kampala
Background
Kampala’s transport system is predominantly run by informal, private operators such as boda bodas and 14-seater minibus taxis, with little regulation, no formal routes or schedules, and highly competitive market dynamics. With an estimated 30,000 boda boda riders and a sharp rise in motorcycle ownership nationwide, the sector has expanded rapidly but lacks safety standards and gender-inclusive design, hindering especially women’s mobility during off-peak hours.
Public transport is poorly structured to support daily travel patterns involving multiple stops and caregiving responsibilities. The consequences of this unstructured mobility model hit hardest on the city’s most vulnerable. Women, in particular, experience challenges of safety, harassment, and insecurity during off-peak travel hours, especially when connecting between peripheral and central neighborhoods.
Political disputes have also stifled reform efforts, despite several initiatives since 2000 aimed at streamlining operations, introducing high-capacity buses, and reducing boda boda concentrations in the central business district. Lack of formal planning and governance has created a fragmented and inequitable transport landscape. Addressing these challenges requires more than infrastructure it demands political will, inclusive planning, and a commitment to justice in mobility.
Conflict and Challenges
Kampala’s informal transport system, though vital, poses serious safety risks due to weak traffic enforcement, lack of protective gear, and reckless driving making daily travel unpredictable and hazardous for many riders and passengers. On the other hand, women face significant mobility challenges in Kampala’s transport system, which overlooks their travel patterns and safety needs as a result limiting their access to work, education, and daily activities.
Moreover, political fragmentation poses a significant challenge within Kampala’s transport ecosystem. Urban transport has become a contested space where competing interests frequently collide. Commuters clash with operators over fare hikes during peak hours, while national and local governments grapple over who controls infrastructure and collects revenue. At the same time, regulatory bodies encounter resistance from operators when attempting to formalize and restructure the sector, further complicating efforts to formalize and restructure the sector. ward cohesive reform.
Lastly, umbrella organizations representing mini bus taxi and boda boda operators hold significant influence in Kampala’s transport sector, often resisting reforms that could impact their economic interests. This resistance contributes to a persistent stalemate, hindering progress toward a more equitable and efficient urban transport system.
Approach and Solution
Facilitated by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Uganda office, a consultative platform was launched in 2019 to unite paratransit operators and public authorities in jointly shaping strategies to improve public
transport in Greater Kampala. The forum aimed to resolve issues such as uncoordinated urban transport planning, lack of integration of informal transport services into formal structures, inter-agency conflicts, and tensions between workers and regulators.
This initiative led to the creation of the Paratransit Consultative Forum a multi-sectoral space for dialogue and coordination among government ministries, local agencies, informal transport representatives, and civil society. The Forum adopted a participatory approach focused on:
- Road safety education and standards for informal operators
- Organizing and leadership training to strengthen workers representation
- Social protection frameworks including potential models for health insurance and retirement benefits for informal transport workers.
Importantly, the Forum expanded its role beyond transport regulation venturing into national urban planning discussions, influencing policies that affect infrastructure, labor, environment, and safety.
Outcomes
Through the work of the Paratransit Consultative Forum, Kampala’s transport sector has begun a meaningful transformation. Over the past three years, informal operators that were long excluded from formal decision-making have gained a seat at the table alongside policymakers. This shift marks a growing commitment to inclusive dialogue, shared responsibility, and co-governance in shaping the future of urban mobility.
Efforts to formalize fare structures and harmonize regulations are underway, additionally, informal transport workers are organizing into associations, building collective power to advocate for their rights, safety, and recognition. Importantly, the conversations around gender-sensitive transport design are gaining momentum, with growing awareness that women’s mobility needs must be reflected in how the city designs and develops its transport systems.
While full transformation remains a work in progress, the Forum has established a strong foundation for a co-governed, rights-based, and gender-responsive public transport system in Kampala.
Key Takeaway
Kampala’s case illustrates that even deeply informal systems can evolve through collaboration, trust-building, and shared responsibility. Through the Paratransit Consultative Forum, public authorities including national and local government actors have begun to formally engage with informal operators, acknowledging their role in urban mobility and involving them in planning, dialogue, and reform processes.
Messages to local actors and partner
Urban Life and Informal settlements in Luyando
Background
Kitwe, located in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, is a rapidly growing urban center with a population exceeding 660,000. Its expansion is driven by rural-to-urban migration and its pivotal role in the mining industry. However, this growth has outpaced infrastructure development, resulting in over 60% of residents living in informal settlements with limited access to essential services such as clean water, sanitation, electricity, and adequate housing.
With an annual urban growth rate of 4.2%, Kitwe faces deepening inequalities in public service delivery. Informal settlements like Luyando exemplify this divide, densely populated, under-resourced, and largely excluded from formal urban planning processes. These areas are home to the “urban invisibles”: individuals who are socially, economically, and politically marginalized, many of whom are women and persons with disabilities whose voices and needs are often overlooked in governance and development initiatives.
To build a more inclusive and equitable Kitwe, stakeholders across government, civil society, and the private sector must come together to champion inclusive urban development that recognizes and empowers most vulnerable residents.
Conflict and Challenges
Kitwe’s urban development is marked by a series of interlinked challenges: (1) Overburdened infrastructure due to rapid population growth which has strained existing systems, especially in informal settlements where basic services are lacking; (2) Unequal service distribution sees wealthier, formal areas are well-served with public services, while poorer neighborhoods remain underserved in essentials like water, sanitation, and electricity; (3) Land tenure issues persist, as many informal residents lack legal recognition, limiting their access to public services and fostering insecurity; (4) Limited government capacity hampers effective response, with local authorities struggling to meet growing demands due to resource constraints; (5) Environmental degradation from unchecked urbanization contributes to pollution and deteriorating health conditions, particularly in vulnerable communities; and (6) Corruption and governance issues further exacerbate inequalities, as mismanagement of resources undermines equitable service delivery.
These challenges disproportionately affect low-income groups, deepening the social and economic divide between formal and informal urban residents.
Approach and Solution
In an effort to promote public participation, equity, and the inclusion of marginalized communities particularly those living in informal settlements, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Lusaka office has joined
forces with key local partners to advance the Just City initiative in Lusaka and Kitwe through a platform captioned Kitwe Urban Development Forum.
This collaborative platform brings together the Civic Forum on Housing and Habitat (CFHH), the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ), the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Copperbelt University (CBU-URP), the Alliance of Zambian Informal Economy Associations (AZIEA), and the Kitwe City Council (KCC), united in their commitment to inclusive and sustainable urban development.
The forum fostered collaboration and meaningful engagement among key stakeholders across the urban landscape. Public discussions were held on a wide range of pressing issues, where community members voiced their concerns and advocated for access to clean water, improved sanitation, and legal recognition of their settlements.
On the other hand, women’s groups and youth leaders emerged as powerful voices in the platform, petitioning government authorities, leading cleanup initiatives, and actively negotiating for infrastructure upgrades.
The persistent advocacy of Luyando residents through the platform has begun to resonate, prompting city officials to take notice and engage more meaningfully with the community’s concerns.
Outcomes
Though Luyando has yet to achieve legal formalization, the community is already witnessing tangible progress.
- A garbage collection station was established, significantly improving sanitation and public health.
- Plans for a school and health post are underway through public-private collaboration.
- Regular meetings between residents and local officials have become a norm, creating a space for dialogue and shared problem-solving.
- A growing sense of ownership and civic engagement has thrived within the community, they’re no longer passive observers, they’re active participants in shaping their localities.
These outcomes in Luyando prove that informal does not mean illegitimate, and that dignity, agency, and inclusion can flourish even in the absence of formal recognition.
Key Takeaway
The FES initiative in Luyando is a powerful evidence to the strength of inclusion, community agency, and collaborative governance. Rather than relying on top-down solutions, transformative change emerged as residents led the way drawing on lived experience to shape their own future.
This journey illustrates a vital truth when marginalized voices influence policy, urban spaces become more resilient, more relevant, and more human.
Messages to local actors and partners
Urban Life and Informal Economy in Bulawayo
Background
Zimbabwe’s urban landscape is shaped by a legacy of colonial planning, compounded by decades of political instability, economic hardship, and rapid urbanization. Cities like Bulawayo face deep-rooted challenges in delivering equitable urban development. Planning frameworks often fail to reflect the realities of marginalized groups particularly informal sector workers and women who make up the majority of urban residents.
Bulawayo’s informal economy is vibrant and vital. With scarce formal employment opportunities, the informal sector provides livelihoods for a significant portion of the population. According to Zimbabwe’s National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), 76% of Zimbabwe’s working population is employed informally, with women comprising 64% of street vendors. Yet, these workers operate in precarious conditions, excluded from policy-making and underserved by urban infrastructure.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Just City Project in Bulawayo focuses on transforming urban markets into inclusive, dignified, and democratic spaces. It aims to bridge the gap between informal workers’ lived realities and the city’s planning and governance systems.
Conflict and Challenges
Bulawayo’s informal sector faces a range of intersecting injustices:
- Policy Disconnect: Informal workers are excluded from urban planning and decision-making platforms, resulting in ineffective and often hostile policies.
- Gender Injustice: Women vendors face widespread sexual harassment from customers, fellow vendors, and municipal authorities hence creating unsafe and discriminatory work environments.
- Lack of Representation: Informal workers lack a unified voice and structured platforms to advocate for their rights and needs.
- Inadequate Infrastructure: Vending sites are poorly designed, gender-insensitive, and lack basic amenities.
- Limited Dialogue: There is minimal engagement between city authorities, vendors, and civil society, leading to mistrust and fragmented responses.
These challenges perpetuate exclusion, insecurity, and economic vulnerability for thousands of informal workers especially women.
Approach and Solution
To address these injustices, FES Zimbabwe partnered with the Bulawayo Informal Sector Working Group, the Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association, and the Bulawayo City Council. Together, they launched a multi-faceted strategy anchored in the Just City principles:
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Advocacy for fair access to urban services, this initiative champions inclusive access to urban services and the formal recognition of informal workers as vital contributors to the urban economy. Through strategic collaboration with organizations such as the Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association, the project drives policy reforms that address the intersecting inequalities faced by informal workers
- Dignity: The project places dignity at its core by confronting the stigma around informality. Through anti-sexual harassment efforts, better working conditions, and advocacy for gender-sensitive urban spaces, it affirms the rights and value of informal workers.
- Democracy: The project champions democratic values by fostering inclusive, rights-based urban planning. It creates platforms for dialogue and raises the voices of informal workers ensuring their perspectives shape decisions that impact their livelihoods and well-being.
- Public Safety: The project prioritizes safer urban environments by addressing the unique safety challenges faced by informal workers, especially women. It promotes more inclusive and secure vending spaces through targeted strategies, including anti-sexual harassment measures and gender-responsive urban planning.
- Accessibility & Affordability: Support for affordable, formalized vending spaces and services tailored to women’s needs.
Through evidence-based advocacy, inclusive dialogue, and strategic partnerships, the project created space for informal workers to participate meaningfully in shaping their urban environment.
Outcomes
The Just City Project has led to transformative change in Bulawayo:
- Policy Reform: The City of Bulawayo passed a full council resolution to develop a comprehensive and inclusive MSME Policy focused on the informal sector.
- Democratic Participation: FES Zimbabwe was invited to lead the facilitation of the policy process, setting a precedent for consultative and inclusive governance.
- Recognition of Informal Workers: The informal sector is now acknowledged as the backbone of Bulawayo’s economy, with women’s contributions at the center of policy discussions.
- Model for Other Cities: Bulawayo’s approach is emerging as a blueprint for inclusive urban policy-making across Zimbabwe and beyond.
Key Takeaway
Bulawayo’s experience demonstrates that urban justice can be realized when the right conditions and approaches are in place. It can be realized when informal workers are treated not as peripheral actors, but as central stakeholders. The FES Just City project in Bulawayo has proved that inclusive policy-making grounded in dignity, equity, and participation can transform hostile urban environments into spaces of opportunity and safety.
