Sir: According to the Constitution of Pakistan, women are considered equal under the law and in religious practice but in reality gender discrimination has proved to be shattering for the morale of women and the structure of society as a whole. Due to cultural restraints women are either not allowed to work or they have only been given the right to do white collar jobs. Mostly we see that only well-educated women have jobs: they can be teachers, doctors, nurses, etc, while the rest of the professions are for men.
The ladies only pink rickshaw service is an initiative that will revolutionise the way women are perceived in the public’s eye and encourage women to enter many male denominated professions. Projects like this will perpetuate a virtuous cycle of women becoming self-reliant, independent and productive members of society. In a bid to remove the cultural barriers for women, it provides them with new possibilities to generate revenue for their families in the Punjab capital. The service has been launched to provide women belonging to the lower strata of society, travelling comfort without being harassed or feeling uncomfortable. The transport service also helps women become financially independent while providing safe rides for other women. The rickshaw is beautifully designed in pink and white. We strongly hope that the pink rickshaw is only the beginning and will empower other women to open up to new opportunities and freedom.
AMNA FAROOQ
Kamloops
Canada