The regional webinar Fair Istanbul: rights-based social support and food security, held on 18 November 2025, was developed by MUFPP in collaboration with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, a Steering Committee member representing Eurasia and South West Asia.
 
Organised as part of the regionalization process of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, the webinar contributed to strengthening peer-to-peer learning and the exchange of best practices among cities across the Region.  
 
The webinar opened with welcome remarks from Filippo Gavazzeni, Director of the MUFPP Secretariat, and Enif Yavuz Dipşar, Head of the Social Services Department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. This was followed by a presentation by Şilan Eraslan, Deputy Director of Social Services, on rights-based social support and food security policies for a fairer Istanbul, and concluded with an interactive Q&A session.

The webinar highlighted the innovative and inclusive services developed by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality aligned with its “Fair Istanbul” vision, grounded in rights-based social support and food security policies. Speakers highlighted Istanbul’s human-centered approach, built on three pillars: cash-based assistance, in-kind support and social solidarity campaigns, all designed to preserve dignity in social assistance. 

Participants learned about key programs designed to ensure equitable access to food, including the Istanbul social support card, that enhances the living standards of vulnerable households and strengthens food security. The webinar also presented solidarity-based initiatives developed through strong multi-stakeholder collaboration, such as the School Meals Support Program reaching 15,000 primary school students every month. 
 
Another flagship initiative, Public Milk, launched in 2019, now supports 120,000 children monthly through milk distribution at 27 points across the city, while prioritizing small local producers during procurement.  

By sharing Istanbul’s experience, the webinar opened a dialogue on how rights-based and inclusive food policies can be adapted and scaled in diverse urban contexts. The exchange offered cities across the Region a valuable opportunity to learn from each other, inspire innovative policy solutions and advance fairer, more inclusive urban food systems.