Women-only ‘pink rickshaw’ driving change in Pakistan

By Saneela Jawad

“Fed up with being groped and harassed by male autorickshaw drivers,” Pakistani environmentalist Zar Aslam has launched an innovative new initiative exclusively for the women of Lahore.

Launched by Aslam, president of Pakistan’s Environment Protection Fund, the Pink Rickshaw Initiative will include a fleet of pink rickshaws for female commuters and female drivers, giving them a safer option to travel without fear of harassment or abuse in the city.

In a country where women account for just 33.7 percent of the workforce, rights for women are restricted and the taxi and rickshaw industry has long been dominated by men, this initiative is a welcome step in the right direction towards financial independence and professional and economic empowerment of women.

According to Reuters, Aslam has started off with one rickshaw, complete with added headlights, fans, doors and of course, pink and white paint, with plans to have at least 25 on the streets of Lahore by the end of the year and hopefully spread throughout the country. She is currently looking for sponsors for the initiative.

“One auto costs 300,000 rupees (about $3,000), therefore it cannot be done without sponsorship from donors,” said Aslam. She also mentioned that the government has currently not offered any assistance with the project. “We will lease out the autos to deserving females on easy installment,” Aslam said. “We will teach them driving and will also help them get the driving license.”

“This is absolutely amazing,” said Mehrunissa Khan, a successful entrepreneur and women’s rights activist in Pakistan. “It will make it more socially acceptable for women to get around and give them a lot more freedom.”

So far, the project has garnered some positive attention and feedback from people around the country and the world, revolutionizing the way Pakistani women are perceived in society as well. It also encourages women to ‘follow suit and enter male dominated professions’ without the fear of getting harassed.

According to the project’s stated objectives, “the initiative’s effect will perpetuate a virtuous cycle of women becoming self-reliant independent and productive members of the society.”

“Pakistani women are often harassed in the Pakistani society”, said Aslam. “But we’ll provide training to the women drivers to deal with every kind of situation.” In addition to teaching women to drive, the project will also train them to deal with any situation or emergency such as minor hacks and repairs, changing tires, etc.

She also says that it is about time that people in Pakistan stand up and take practical steps to empower women.

“The women love it. I mean, I cannot tell you that it has already created, or broken that ice, that whole stigma of a woman driver, because they see me drive a rickshaw, they see her drive a rickshaw, we have another lady with us…They see her drive a rickshaw. It’s all over the news,” Aslam said.

Starting this initiative in Pakistan can be very challenging for women and organizations involved, logistically, financially and culturally. The launch of this powerful project, however, does have the potential to challenge and alter the conservative thinking of men in Pakistani society and put women in the driver’s seat to become self-reliant, independent and productive members of society.

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