Background

The city of Terrassa, like other European cities, embraces many different social groups. Such circumstance leads to a city with increased dynamism and cultural wealth. However, aspects such as ethnic and cultural origin, age, functional diversity, as well as sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic conditions are axes of vulnerabilitythat can lead to discrimination, and therefore inequality.

People's identity is partly constructed, but it is also determined by other factors such as age, gender, origin, ethnicity, or class. Such factors cannot be chosen or modified; hence people’s identity is conditioned by axes of inequality. It must be considered that people have multiple identities, formed by several layers that derive from social relations, history, and the intervention of power structures. We belong to more than one community at the same time and, we can experience oppression and privileges simultaneously. To deal with it, the City Council of Terrassa has been implementing intersectionality in public policies for years: a tool that allows to visualize, analyze, and intervene in situations of inequality using a complex approach, which considers that the axes of oppression do not act independently, but are interrelated. The challenge will be carried focusing on this methodology.

Goals

• Achieving more agile and effective responses to situations of aggression or violence in public space.
• Improve the perception of security in public space, especially for people susceptible to aggression for sexist, lgtbiphobic reasons, racists, ableists, etc.
• Dissuade and prevent aggression for sexist, lgtbiphobic reasons, racists, ableists, etc. in the public space and collect and systematize information on discrimination in the city to be able to provide answers with a comprehensive approach.

Challenge Providers

• Stakeholder: Terrassa City Council
• Hosting University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona