- In Pakistan's capital, buses are now for women only
Only addressed or immediately groped: For women in Southeast Asia, harassments in public transportation are a daily occurrence. This is set to change. Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, is now introducing buses exclusively for women.
Under the slogan "No Fare & No Barrier", these pink buses aim to provide safe transport for female teachers and students from nearby villages to the city, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education told the German Press Agency. However, these buses will be available to all female passengers. The buses are set to start operating on Wednesday, with free fares.
According to the spokesperson, the cost of fares or fear of harassment in public buses, especially in rural areas, often deterred many girls from attending school. While Islamabad already has free school buses that transport only girls, they usually do not reach areas outside the city. "We hope that many girls will return to school" with this initiative, the spokesperson said.
Pakistan's pink buses aim to enhance educational opportunities
Harassment in public transportation is a widespread issue in the traditional South Asian country. In the metro lines of larger cities, there are already women's compartments, but they are often used by men as well.
The idea of pink buses was first implemented in the Pakistani metropolis of Karachi in February. The city started with ten pink buses, but the number is set to increase to cover almost the entire city in the future.
"The idea is to provide women and girls with safe transportation to their offices, schools, or universities," said Fida Hussain Baladi, spokesperson for the local transport authority, to the German Press Agency. Apart from the passengers, the bus staff will also be female, except for the bus driver.
Politicians and celebrities welcomed the project at the time. Pakistani actress Iffat Omar, for instance, called it a "great contribution to empowering women". A student from Karachi told the German Press Agency: "Thousands of women have to end their studies or leave their jobs due to their conservative families' wishes, as there are no safe means of transport." The introduction of women-only buses, therefore, was an "encouraging step".
The pink buses, intended for the safety of female passengers, will replace traditional public transportation for many women in Islamabad, offering a solution to the concern of fare costs and harassment. This shift in transportation could potentially encourage more female students to attend school, addressing a notable issue in Pakistan's educational landscape.
Given the initial success of pink buses in Karachi, Islamabad's move towards women-only transportation is expected to follow a similar trajectory of increased safety and improved opportunities for females in the workplace and education.
