The Numbers Behind the Problem
The issue came sharply into focus during the 2025 Canal Parade, when data revealed a striking disparity: men had access to 588 public urination options, while women had just 210. That means men effectively had nearly three times the access. The Volt faction in Amsterdam's city council has been pushing hard on this issue, arguing that women, older visitors, and disabled attendees consistently face longer waits and fewer free options than men do.



Alderman Melanie van der Horst acknowledged the frustration but was direct about the city's limitations. "On peak event days, we've reached the practical and spatial limits of how many toilets we can place in the city," she said. In other words, even with the best intentions, the city's streets and squares simply cannot hold many more portable units.



What Amsterdam Plans to Do
Rather than expanding overall numbers, the city is looking at smarter solutions. During Pride events — including the planned WorldPride 2026 — Amsterdam intends to trial women's urinals as a way to speed up access and cut down on queue times. There are also plans to install permanent women-friendly toilets in several parks across the city.



The deeper problem, though, is structural. Dutch cities have long relied on open urinals to discourage men from urinating in public, but that approach created a sy.