A programme that aims to eradicate transport issues for women by training and providing them with motorbikes, ‘Women On Wheels’ will launch in Karachi in the next month The initiative was launched under the Punjab government’s Strategic Reforms Unit in 2016. What started off with just 40 women managed to train over 5000 women in all five districts of Punjab by the end of the campaign. Last year, the programme was able to provide over 700 women with subsidised motorbikes as well. The founder of the programme, Salman Sufi, also introduced the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016 and South Asia’s first Violence Against Women Centre. Sufi is aware of the routine harassment women face in public spaces, and wants to empower more women with the WOW programme.
“This programme is far too important to be left to chance that someday a government will pick it up, hence I am personally funding and re-launching it with the help of civil society,” said Sufi.
The programme includes motorbike training and road safety workshops, along with preparation for the driving license test and help in applying for jobs as well. Read more from ProperGaanda: Tom and Jerry Is Getting Its Own Live Action Movie