Women Drivers are on Rise in Herat, Afghanistan despite challenges of getting out in the public, learning driving skills and facing threats and teasing from the local clerics and people opposed to women driving.
The women's interest in driving increased by 50% this year and 1800 women received driving licenses from Herat Traffic Department, Officials at Herat Traffic Department said.
Habibullah Sadeqi, the director of the driving license traffic department says the number of female drivers indicates women's role is promoting in rebuilding Afghanistan.
According to Herat traffic officials hundreds of women are learning driving skills and taking driving training courses in Herat. Meanwhile, some women call it a social need to learn how to drive and stress it will free them of being dependent on males and will allow them to implement their needs on their own.
Another interesting phenomenon has also been seen that traffic rules are more observed and respected by women than men which send us an encouraging message that an increase in female drivers can decrease the number of daily accidents and disorders in the city, Herat traffic department.
Despite the unprecedented rise of female drivers in Herat (one of the religious cities of Afghanistan), women who are learning the driving skills complain of some bad behavior of being threatened and teased by men and the verdicts made by Herat’s local clerics.
Hama Sahadat, a harassed female driver says she has been driving for a year now and has been harassed by men while driving “most of them tease and have threatening looks at women who drive”, she says. She vows to stand strong.
Train-driving instructor Amena who is also in charge of training courses in Herat says students were subjected and have experienced such obstacles many times as they were practicing in Kazarghah street; the men of Herat’s well-known local cleric has threatened the female drivers not to pass the streets again or face the dire consequences including being burned in their cars.
Months ago some local clerics called for a public firm stance toward what they called moral corruption and Behejabi (not fully covering them as per the local customs and traditions) which was faced with a huge reaction on social media and international media outlets.
Women continue to get trained, grow and empower themselves despite the existing threats. Some female drivers state that the continuing of such threats makes them giving up on their interest in driving for the sake of our own security but many vowed to stay strong and face these threats.
There are 4 training courses for females drivers in Herat that started to open since 2012. The increase of female drivers in the last 2 years was the largest than the past 18 years, Herat Traffic Department.
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Contributor Details: Omid Subhani is a local journalist from Herat, Afghanistan and a regular contributor to www.CoolDeeeds.com
