ICLEI Social Equity Framework

The ICLEI social equity framework consists of three dimensions designed for use in communication, planning, and project design. For public authorities and community partners, it provides a shared lens to assess how strategies and actions influence social equity, helping them to map risks and opportunities. When applied to individual projects, these dimensions support organizations with developing concrete measures that strengthen equity outcomes in practice.

Access

In cities, access to resources, services, and infrastructure is often shaped by where people live, their income, age, gender, origin, or language. To ensure all residents can benefit, local governments can identify gaps and provide targeted support where necessary, while prioritizing inclusive project design that serves all residents.

Participation

Inclusive design-making depends on involving residents, especially underrepresented groups, in decision-making and early planning stages. Programs created with communities, rather than for them, are more likely to meet local needs and deliver long-term impact. This requires inclusive engagement, co-creation with local actors, and support for community-led efforts already in place.

Opportunity

Creating fair opportunities for all means looking beyond immediate needs and investing in long-term prospects. Local governments can lead by example: promoting diversity in their own workforce, offering training and support programs, and helping to shape a more inclusive and resilient local labor market.

A first and essential step in using these dimensions and to strengthen equity outcomes is recognition of the historic and ongoing inequalities that shape life in cities today, along with the shared rights and responsibilities that arise from them. These include both the right to a safe, clean, and sustainable environment, and the right to participate meaningfully in environmental and public decision-making. Also, this relates to the responsibility of public institutions to protect these rights and ensure inclusive, equitable processes.

In our efforts to improve equity by enhancing access, participation, and opportunities for disadvantaged populations, we should not think about barriers, but also recognize and build on existing strengths in communities. Embedding equity in program design means valuing and supporting the assets that are already there, such as diverse cultures and heritage, social networks, and the wide range of skills, knowledge, and capabilities that residents bring. These elements often serve as the foundation for mutual support, resilience, and local innovation.