With support from WRI Türkiye, Istanbul’s Maltepe district made public transit and other sustainable options, like walking and biking, safer for women and marginalized groups.
The Challenge
Many Istanbul residents rely on public transit to get around; the city’s rapid-ride bus system alone serves over half a million people per day. But not everyone enjoys equal access to sustainable transport.
Some neighborhoods are underserved. Issues like dark streets, blocked sidewalks and lack of ramps can make it difficult for people — such as the elderly and those with disabilities — to take public transit or walk. Women have reported feeling unsafe at bus and subway stations.
Many local governments, NGOs and private companies are working to address these challenges in Turkey, but these groups aren’t always well coordinated. Piecemeal efforts have led to inefficiencies and wasted resources, hampering large-scale changes.
WRI’s Role
In 2020, WRI Türkiye and partners launched the Sustainable Urban Transport Network (SUTN) to better coordinate transport initiatives in cities across the country. The network unites experts, local governments and civil society organizations to evaluate transport challenges and design more effective solutions. Over the last four years, WRI Türkiye has helped cities gather input from residents, collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, assess potential actions and apply for microgrants to support local projects.
Four projects received microgrants under the SUTN project. One, in the Maltepe district of Istanbul, focused on improving sustainable transport for women and other marginalized groups.
The Outcome
After consulting local residents in its planning process, Maltepe adopted a “Women-Friendly City Commitment.” It will leverage grant funding to address women’s safety concerns like dark streets while also bringing additional improvements, such as higher, wider sidewalks; benches; green spaces and a play wall for children.
WRI Türkiye has since launched the Stronger Civil Society for Equal Cities project, which will improve access to urban services such as public transit, parks and affordable housing for marginalized groups in underserved areas of Istanbul. Government workers are also incorporating learnings into the urban transport chapter of Turkey’s 2024-2028 Development Plan, with support from WRI Türkiye staff, to help bring better transport planning to cities across the country.
