Women in Pakistan are being considered marginalized and financially dependent, but The Environment Protection Fund, an NGO, has taken the initiative to introduce the pink rickshaw scheme for the women of Lahore. The ‘ladies only’ pink rickshaws service is indeed a fabulous effort to bring the women to the mainstream by providing them a chance to earn their livelihood. It provides them the much-needed financial independence in the dominating patriarchal society. Moreover, The Environment Protection Fund provides pink rickshaws on easy installment along with driving guidance to women.
On the other hand, pink rickshaws not only provides business opportunity and financial independence but also provide safe and comfortable rides to those women who often face various types of harassment by using other public transports.
Driving a taxi or rickshaw is considered a male dominated profession in Pakistani society. Hence, this step for women as rickshaw drivers might bring a revolutionary change in Pakistan’s conservative society where women face the cultural obstacles and gender inequality.
On the whole the unconventional opportunity for women such as being a rickshaw driver may give them self confidence to take a step for better and autonomous life.
Thus, once this special service for women proves successful it will serve as a role-model for other such schemes to bring women empowerment in Pakistani society.
However, to make this scheme successful and hazard free, there is a dire need of continuous governmental oversight to ensure safety of such women driving these rickshaws. Without such oversight, it can prove quite difficult for a woman to be a rickshaw driver in Pakistan’s male dominant society with a stereotypical mindset towards women.