🧩 The Challenge
Improving affordability for vulnerable women is essential for fostering independence, facilitating access to essential services. For women in situations of domestic violence and economic vulnerability, transportation costs can be a significant barrier to seeking help or escaping abusive environments. Affordable and accessible transport empowers women to access support networks, justice services, and social protection mechanisms, creating pathways to safety and self-reliance.
Rio de Janeiro faces a persistent challenge with gender-based violence (GBV), including high rates of domestic violence and feminicides. Many women, particularly those in remote or low-income areas, lack the means to escape abuse or access specialized support services. The city’s Specialized Network for Combating Violence Against Women, comprising facilities like the Specialized Center to Assist Carioca Women (CEAM), provides critical support but often struggles to reach women constrained by financial and logistical barriers.
🛠️ The Intervention
Recognizing the intersection of economic vulnerability and mobility challenges, Rio de Janeiro City Hall with the support of the World Bank’s Rio de Janeiro Fiscal Management and Sustainable Development Policy Loan1 launched an innovative transport subsidy program to address this gap.
The Cartão Move Mulher (Move Women Card) program was established by the decree in 2021 (and sanctioned through the law in 2022) to provide free public transportation to women experiencing domestic violence. Administered by the Secretariat for Women's Policies and Promotion, the program distributes Move Mulher travel cards, which enable users to access critical services within the city’s violence-fighting network, including women's shelters, public defenders, police stations, and specialized service centers. Each eligible woman receives a card charged for up to six bus tickets per month with the possibility of adding another card within a month in case of need.
In addition to the Move Mulher card, Rio City Hall has introduced complementary measures like the Cartão Mulher Carioca, offering financial aid of R$500 to the families of women who are victims of violence.
📊 Results
By the end of 2023, more than 4,000 Move-Mulher cards have been distributed. The Move-Mulher program represents a significant step in Rio’s policies to combat GBV by ensuring affordable mobility for women in crisis. By enabling women to access essential services without financial burden, the program empowers them to break the cycle of violence and seek justice. The provision of multiple cards per user ensures continued support and fosters a sense of security and autonomy.
📌 Conclusion
The Move-Mulher program exemplifies how targeted transport subsidies can address gender-specific barriers, fostering empowerment and resilience for women in vulnerable situations. As the program continues to expand, it serves as a model for integrating mobility, social protection, and GBV prevention into a cohesive urban policy framework. This initiative not only improves individual outcomes for women but also strengthens Rio’s broader commitment to gender equity and inclusive development.
Note: This case study was prepared based on a desk review of project documents and recent articles such as Rio City Hall launches the Move-Mulher Card (Rio Prefectura, 2022) and Rio, uma cidade referência na equidade de gênero (Rio Prefeitura, 2023). Ana Waksberg Guerrini, Senior Urban Transport Specialist at the World Bank, provided input into this case study.
1 Rio de Janeiro Fiscal Management and Sustainable Development Policy Loan (P179182) (2023–2024).