Assessing women’s housing projects within a socio-ecological justice framework

Abstract Patriarchal structures continue to shape housing design, access, and governance, producing gendered barriers such as systematic exclusion and limited decision-making power. These dynamics constrain women’s autonomy, self-determination, and social control. Women’s housing projects have emerged as a response to these inequities, yet their impacts remain underexplored. This exploratory study investigates the extent to which women’s housing initiatives reshape women’s position within Berlin’s housing market, employing a socio-ecological justice lens. Findings indicate that women’s housing projects exert an overall positive influence on women’s housing security and agency, though their transformative potential is curtailed by challenges such as private ownership models. Broader integration into housing policy is further constrained by limited public lobbying and the persistent misrecognition of structural gendered disadvantages. The study highlights the need for greater institutional recognition and policy frameworks that embed gender equity within housing governance.