Women take to the streets in Dubai, as taxi drivers

Women take to the streets in Dubai, as taxi drivers
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

DUBAI, MAY 31: Driving a public taxi will not be a male domain in Dubai any longer.

Breaking what is considered a social taboo in the Arab world, women taxi drivers will hit the roads of this Emirate on Thursday to cater to women passengers and their families who feel more comfortable with a woman at the wheel.

According to Gulf News, the first seven women taxi drivers in Dubai, all Arab nationals, say they are excited about taking up their new assignment, overcoming social stereotypes and prejudices in their choice of a new career.

The seven taxis, driven by women, are being introduced by the Dubai Transport Corporation (DTC). The women drivers will wear long skirts and head scarves in line with local customs.

The welfare of the newly-recruited women drivers will be looked after by a woman inspector, who has been given full powers of inspection by the Dubai Police. If the project succeeds, these seven women will be joined in by 23 more, DTC officials said.

Abla Hussain, one of the newly-recruited woman driver, told the newspaper, "when I showed an interest in applying for the driving job, there was quite a lot of opposition from my brothers and senior family members. I really had a tough time getting them to agree."

She said, "but I feel that opting for a driver's job does not mean that I am going against my traditions. Basically, it is the way you look at things."

The job is being taken up as a challenge by Ehasan Hassan, a Sudanese national. "If women can be pilots and fly, why not drive a taxi?" she asked.

She said her initial apprehensions of entering the field and approaching a passenger have been wiped out. "We have undergone rigorous training for three months, including how to deal with passengers and their attitudes," she added.

Ehasan felt that it is time more Arab women entered this male-dominated sector as in many other Asian and European countries.

"Women in those countries too have their traditional culture values. When they can do it, why can't we? If we fail, there is always the option to quit and go back to the sheltered life," she said.

For 29-year-old Jameela Bashla, a Syrian national, the main reason for opting to work is to help her husband financially. She said that she does not expect any special favours from the DTC - just equal respect from the management and male colleagues.