Unveiling the Trajectories and Trends in Women-Inclusive City Related Studies: Insights from a Bibliometric Exploration

Abstract

Despite the ongoing discrimination that hinders women’s full participation in urban life, the International Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize the eradication of violence against women and underscore the need for regulatory measures, local governance, and equitable practices for sustainable urban development focusing on women’s needs. The women-inclusive cities related (WICR) studies, which have been gaining academic attention since the late 1990s, remain broadly explored yet lack a holistic trajectory and trend study and a precise women-inclusive city concept framework. This study applies bibliometric analysis with R-package Bibliometrix version 3.3.2 and a systematic review of 1144 articles, mapping global trends and providing a framework for women-inclusive city concepts. The findings show that WICR research increased significantly from 1998 to 2022, indicating continuous interest. Gender, women, and politics are the top three most frequent keywords. Emerging research directions are expected to focus on politics, violence, and urban governance. The findings also indicate a clear tendency for researchers from the same geographical backgrounds or regions to co-author papers, suggesting further international collaboration. Although no explicit definitions were found in the articles used, the prevailing literature consistently suggests that a “woman-inclusive city” ensures full rights, equal consideration of needs, and the active participation of women in all aspects of urban life.