The trend of people living in cities is irreversible, with the number of people set to double by 2030. Urbanization often effects changes in the roles women and men play in society, for example with regard to formal and informal sector employment or household management and headship. This text highlights key aspects of gender and housing affecting low-income women in urban areas of developing countries. Its main aims are to demonstrate the interacting dynamics between gender and the urbanization process, to review key problems associated with gender-differentiated experiences of shelter, and to identify the importance of mainstreaming gender in urban planning and policy-making.