Young women in Kostheim transform unsafe streets with a 'dark walk' initiative
A group of young women in Kostheim has taken action to improve safety in their neighbourhood. They organised a 'dark walk' to highlight areas where poor lighting and neglect made them feel unsafe. Their efforts have already led to concrete changes in the city.
The walk, named My City, My Feelings, was led by young women from the Krautgärten Youth Pavilion and the Reduit community centre. As they moved through Kostheim at night, they identified 12 problem spots. Issues included broken streetlights, overgrown vegetation, illegal waste dumping, and signs of vandalism. Some locations also had unreported construction violations that posed safety risks.
The group's findings were passed to city authorities, who created a list of action items. The first improvement came quickly: new lighting was installed between the indoor pool and the sports hall. The upgraded area now feels brighter, more structured, and safer, especially around the forecourt. The project was carried out in partnership with mattiaqua, the local municipal services provider, and the Social Affairs Department. Dr. Patricia Becher, head of the department, stressed the need to include young women's perspectives in urban planning. Other locations flagged during the walk are now under review by relevant city teams.
The Kostheim dark walk has become a model for gender-sensitive urban planning. By involving young people as co-creators, the initiative has already made parts of the city safer. Further improvements are expected as authorities assess the remaining sites identified during the walk.
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