ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the interactive relationship between changes in decision-making processes in urban spatial planning and their impacts on the implementation of gender-aware urban planning. It considers governance as a form of political guidance and decision-making processes that combines public and private spheres, hierarchical and network structures of collaboration. The chapter suggests that a gender perspective incorporated into mainstream policies is a prerequisite for sustainable and inclusive urban governance. A governance system with capacity is one that encourages well-balanced diverse voices and interests. Gender-sensitive good governance to confirm social, economic and ecological sustainability has to consider integrating variety by balanced female representation and by using gender mainstreaming tools in designing the structures and assessing the outcomes of governance processes. The hybridity of the different complex forms of governance between networked modes of governance, elected representations and the governmental institutions of local authorities is simultaneously an opportunity and a threat.
