The issue of shelter-related amenities is linked to the urban problems and the political ideology of the state. The existing power and social relations in class, patriarchy, and culture affect the shaping of built environment, and women are adversely affected by these factors. Patriarchy is its most expressive in the institution of family to which the concepts of shelter and infrastructure are closely linked. Women's contribution as reproducers is not valued and as producers is not recognized, resulting in the invisibility of their needs in policy..
The growing feminist awareness of the planning of environment has led to many hypothetical solutions. This paper examines several within the reality of the sociocultural context of low-income settlements of Bombay. Theaimsofthestudyare: (a) to analyze how the amenities provided by the state in the settlements fulfill the needs of women; (b) to identify the chores for which immediate relief is required and culturally acceptable, and (c) to explore the women's response to proposed new amenities to improve the quality of their lives and provide necessary infrastructure for a non sexual division of labor.
Long-term structural changes are needed in the society to improve the status of women, including a reformulation of housing policy addressing gender issues. Certain practical measures are suggested in the present context. However, a holistic gender-aware approach would require joint efforts of professionals, and feminist activists, and other progressives.