Urban green spaces (UGSs) are vital elements of urban infrastructure, offering diverse ecological, social, and psychological benefits- especially for vulnerable groups like women. Given the pivotal role of women in both society and family, equitable access to UGSs plays a significant role in improving their quality of life, and family relationships. Women, however, especially in developing countries, face greater challenges in accessing UGSs due to socio-cultural norms as well as spatial inequalities. As a major metropolis in a developing country, the city of Mashhad is no exception to this phenomenon. Given these challenges, this study was conducted to assess the spatial distribution of UGSs in Mashhad, evaluate women\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s walking accessibility, and measure their satisfaction to these spaces. Spatial clustering was analyzed using Ripley’s K-function, and walking-based accessibility was examined through Origin-Destination network analysis within GIS. In addition, a questionnaire was distributed to assess women’s satisfaction with access to UGSs in two districts: District 10, representing planned urban development, and District 3, characterized by its informal and aging urban fabric. Based on Cochran’s formula for an unknown population with a 90% confidence level, 92 questionnaires were allocated in District 10 and 121 in District 3. The findings revealed significant clustering in the spatial distribution of UGSs throughout the city. Spatial and statistical analysis showed that District 10 accommodates approximately 18% of the city’s UGSs (n=83), enabling nearly 73% of its residential blocks to meet the 300-meter accessibility standard. In contrast, District 3 contains only 7.8% of UGSs (n=36), with just 37% of residential blocks falling within the same accessibility threshold. Qualitative results show that despite the substantial disparity in walking-based accessibility, women in District 3 reported higher levels of satisfaction: 70.4% rated their access as \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"high\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" or \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"very high,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" compared to 66.6% in District 10. Similarly, 25.2% of District 3 respondents reported moderate satisfaction versus 21.1% in District 10. Only 4% of District 3 participants expressed low satisfaction, compared to 12.2% of District 10 participants who rated their satisfaction as “low” or “very low.”. This counterintuitive outcome—higher satisfaction despite lower walking-based access—may stem from various factors, such as differing expectations, socio-cultural barriers across social classes, a stronger appreciation for limited amenities, or the more significant role UGSs play in the daily lives of residents in under-resourced districts. These findings highlight the importance of going beyond solely quantitative measures of accessibility in urban policy-making.

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