Revving Change: Women on Wheels Empower Pakistani Women

Pakistani women, including Laiba Rashid, are shifting cultural norms by learning to drive motorcycles through the Women on Wheels (WOW) program in Lahore. Despite societal taboos, the program empowers women to independently travel by providing training in two-wheeler operation as economic factors make motorcycles a viable commuting option.

In Lahore, a new wave of empowerment is surging among women as they learn to ride motorcycles, thanks to the Women on Wheels (WOW) program. Launched by the Lahore traffic police, this initiative is redefining societal norms by enabling women like Laiba Rashid to travel independently.

Despite being operational for seven years, seeing women maneuver motorcycles remains a rarity in conservative Pakistan, where cultural and religious norms have traditionally kept women from the driver's seat. However, as economic conditions deteriorate, motorcycles are becoming the only affordable transport option for many.

The WOW program has educated 6,600 women, fostering independence and resilience. Participants like Ghania Raza describe the experience as empowering, while others see it as a challenge to societal barriers, much like the cultural shift with cars in the 1980s.

(With inputs from agencies.)