Mother Card (Anne Kart) 

Istanbul, Turkey  

About the city. Because of the increasing traffic density and use of private cars in Istanbul, people are increasingly favouring fast means of transport such as the Metro and Marmaray. To enable mothers to use these transports quickly and comfortably, IMM provides them with free transport support.

Goal

The aim of the project is to increase the mobility of mothers in the city, support the continuation of social life and contribute to family economies.

Implementation period. The project was launched in July 2020.

Fact

• The Mother Card project was one of the election promises of IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. İmamoğlu announced his project: “Mothers cannot leave home and travel, they cannot go to the doctor. Transportation is expensive for them. For example, they will go to a city park to catch their breath, but they cannot. A mother with a child between the ages of 0-4 will be given a card on the day her child is born, and her travel with her child will be free in this city until she turns 4.”

Solutions

Mother Card is a special card that offers free public transportation to mothers living within the borders of Istanbul. To benefit from the Mother Card, it is necessary to be a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, live in Istanbul and have a child under 48 months (0-4 years old). All mothers who meet these conditions can apply for the Mother Card.

Mother Card payment can be made by clicking the “Apply Now” button on the official website of İstanbulkart. Applications can also be made at the nearest İstanbulkart Application Centres in Istanbul and the card will be delivered immediately.

Documents Required for Application: 

• 1 passport size photograph of the mother taken within the last six months,
• identity document showing the Republic of Turkey identity number,
• ID card for the mother’s data in the Mother Card version.
• Mother Card Usage Limits. 

Mother Card provides 150 free passes every month and these rights are renewed at the end of the month. The card loses the ones that are separated from the first day of the 49th month from its birth and returns to the full tariff. After the 49th month, it can be used as an Istanbul Card without a card.

Mother Card is personal to the person and it is forbidden to share it with others. In case of irregular use, a penalty is applied; 602 TL is charged for the first breakage, and 6080 TL is charged for the second breakage. In case of loss or theft, the card must be opened by calling ALO 153 Solution Centre immediately and a new card must be entered.

Mother Card is valid in Istanbul and is available for urban transportation. In addition, the card balance can be loaded and spent at Beltur, Social Facilities, Ispark, Isper, Migros, A101, Hamidiye Automats and iTaksi in Istanbul. The card can be used at Migros and A101 markets.

Why the project is successful:

• mothers, the target audience of the project, showed great interest in the project,
• the cost of the project was lower than other free transportation projects,
• the promotion and implementation of the project was carried out effectively.

Team

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu

Timeline

• By December 2024, over 183 million free rides have been made thanks to this project.
• By December 2024, the number of citizens using the Mother Card exceeded the target of 150 thousand and reached 730 thousand mothers.
• The Mother Card project is an important example of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s social policies for women. The project contributes significantly to improving women’s quality of life and ensuring gender equality.

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