October 27, 2020
The power of women’s mobility in shaping peace
Thinking through the lens of mobility, transport innovators from around the world will discuss the potential for creative forms of transportation to create peace.
Thinking through the lens of mobility, transport innovators from around the world will discuss the potential for creative forms of transportation to create peace.
In this conversation, a select group of mobility entrepreneurs from Bolivia and Afghanistan discussed advancing transportation for women’s empowerment. From the only all-female transportation service in Afghanistan to an aerial cable car system in Bolivia dedicated to providing security for women, participants highlighted a shared commitment to preventing violence against women in transport systems, including gender-based kidnapping and disappearances, while also empowering women to participate in socio-cultural, economic and political spaces.
Women and mothers create a sense of comfort and trust
Women at the Wheel (Mujeres al Volante), founded by Gabriela Strauss, helps women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable populations safely travel around their cities. Mujeres al Volante emerged from a group of mothers who wanted to use their private cars to transport women and children to keep them safe from kidnappings. All of its drivers are mothers, which helps build trust among their customers. As these mothers continue to pick up children and families, they have created an extended community around their service to the extent that customers start to think of Mujeres al Volante drivers as part of their extended family. Because they offer trust in addition to transportation, their work has evolved beyond transporting people and expanded into transporting important goods including medical prescriptions.
Employees must understand the political ramifications of their work to be equipped for the job
Pink Shuttle is the first and only transportation service in Afghanistan driven by female drivers for female passengers. The service was launched in 2019 by Nove ONLUS, an Italian NGO, and has since received more than100 applications from women who would like to join as drivers. It was important for the founders of Pink Shuttle that new drivers strongly believe in the organization’s mission, are passionate about creating larger societal change and have a thorough understanding of their work’s power.
Empowering women in one area begets confidence in others
Giving women the opportunity to be behind the steering wheel is a first step to empowerment. In contexts where a major obstacle to women’s agency is difficult and restricted mobility, driving allows women to access basic rights such as the right to study and to work. These empowered women have shown their increased confidence by setting up entrepreneurial activities.
Place impacts how people interact within it
As the General Communications Manager for Mi Teleférico, an aerial cable car urban transit system in Bolivia, Fatima Sanchez designed and implemented Cultura Teleférico. This programme ensures that the transport system and its stations generate a sense of ownership and belonging for Mi Teleférico riders. To help prevent the harassment and kidnapping of women prevalent in the Bolivia transport system, Fatima’s project, “Moving Against Violence”, integrates anti-violence messages in art, graffiti, and murals in messages that are displayed in urban stations and cable cars. By investing in the spaces that people occupy when using their transportation service, Cultura Teleférico created a safer environment for women and children. Additionally, this investment in beautifying the places instilled a sense of pride in the communities, and they, in turn, take care of the infrastructure.
Gabriela Strauss
Gabriela Straus is the founder of Mujeres al Volante (Women on the steering wheels) which helps women, children, elderly people and other vulnerable populations safely travel around their cities. Mujeres al Volante emerged from a group of mothers who wanted to use their private cars to transport women and children to keep them safe. The project is a continued success and is a continued effort to fight gender-based violence and democratize urban transportation.
Bolivia
Gabriela Strauss
Gabriela Straus is the founder of Mujeres al Volante (Women on the steering wheels) which helps women, children, elderly people and other vulnerable populations safely travel around their cities. Mujeres al Volante emerged from a group of mothers who wanted to use their private cars to transport women and children to keep them safe. The project is a continued success and is a continued effort to fight gender-based violence and democratize urban transportation.
Bolivia
Gabriela Strauss
Gabriela Straus is the founder of Mujeres al Volante (Women on the steering wheels) which helps women, children, elderly people and other vulnerable populations safely travel around their cities. Mujeres al Volante emerged from a group of mothers who wanted to use their private cars to transport women and children to keep them safe. The project is a continued success and is a continued effort to fight gender-based violence and democratize urban transportation.
Bolivia
Gabriela Strauss
Gabriela Straus is the founder of Mujeres al Volante (Women on the steering wheels) which helps women, children, elderly people and other vulnerable populations safely travel around their cities. Mujeres al Volante emerged from a group of mothers who wanted to use their private cars to transport women and children to keep them safe. The project is a continued success and is a continued effort to fight gender-based violence and democratize urban transportation.
Bolivia
Gabriela Strauss
Gabriela Straus is the founder of Mujeres al Volante (Women on the steering wheels) which helps women, children, elderly people and other vulnerable populations safely travel around their cities. Mujeres al Volante emerged from a group of mothers who wanted to use their private cars to transport women and children to keep them safe. The project is a continued success and is a continued effort to fight gender-based violence and democratize urban transportation.
Bolivia
Gabriela Strauss
Gabriela Straus is the founder of Mujeres al Volante (Women on the steering wheels) which helps women, children, elderly people and other vulnerable populations safely travel around their cities. Mujeres al Volante emerged from a group of mothers who wanted to use their private cars to transport women and children to keep them safe. The project is a continued success and is a continued effort to fight gender-based violence and democratize urban transportation.
Bolivia
Olga Fátima Sánchez Quiroga
Fatima Sanchez is the General Communications Manager for Mi Teleférico, an aerial cable car urban transit system in Bolivia. In her role, she designed and implemented "Cultura Teleférico”, a program to ensure the transport system and its stations generated a sense of ownership and belonging for Mi Teleférico riders. Fatima worked to create cultural programs that empowered women and to ensure safe ridership for women and families. She is deeply respected for her involvement in planning and implementation of educational, arts, environmental, socially active programming.
Bolivia
Olga Fátima Sánchez Quiroga
Fatima Sanchez is the General Communications Manager for Mi Teleférico, an aerial cable car urban transit system in Bolivia. In her role, she designed and implemented "Cultura Teleférico”, a program to ensure the transport system and its stations generated a sense of ownership and belonging for Mi Teleférico riders. Fatima worked to create cultural programs that empowered women and to ensure safe ridership for women and families. She is deeply respected for her involvement in planning and implementation of educational, arts, environmental, socially active programming.
Bolivia
Olga Fátima Sánchez Quiroga
Fatima Sanchez is the General Communications Manager for Mi Teleférico, an aerial cable car urban transit system in Bolivia. In her role, she designed and implemented "Cultura Teleférico”, a program to ensure the transport system and its stations generated a sense of ownership and belonging for Mi Teleférico riders. Fatima worked to create cultural programs that empowered women and to ensure safe ridership for women and families. She is deeply respected for her involvement in planning and implementation of educational, arts, environmental, socially active programming.
Bolivia
Olga Fátima Sánchez Quiroga
Fatima Sanchez is the General Communications Manager for Mi Teleférico, an aerial cable car urban transit system in Bolivia. In her role, she designed and implemented "Cultura Teleférico”, a program to ensure the transport system and its stations generated a sense of ownership and belonging for Mi Teleférico riders. Fatima worked to create cultural programs that empowered women and to ensure safe ridership for women and families. She is deeply respected for her involvement in planning and implementation of educational, arts, environmental, socially active programming.
Bolivia
Olga Fátima Sánchez Quiroga
Fatima Sanchez is the General Communications Manager for Mi Teleférico, an aerial cable car urban transit system in Bolivia. In her role, she designed and implemented "Cultura Teleférico”, a program to ensure the transport system and its stations generated a sense of ownership and belonging for Mi Teleférico riders. Fatima worked to create cultural programs that empowered women and to ensure safe ridership for women and families. She is deeply respected for her involvement in planning and implementation of educational, arts, environmental, socially active programming.
Bolivia
Olga Fátima Sánchez Quiroga
Fatima Sanchez is the General Communications Manager for Mi Teleférico, an aerial cable car urban transit system in Bolivia. In her role, she designed and implemented "Cultura Teleférico”, a program to ensure the transport system and its stations generated a sense of ownership and belonging for Mi Teleférico riders. Fatima worked to create cultural programs that empowered women and to ensure safe ridership for women and families. She is deeply respected for her involvement in planning and implementation of educational, arts, environmental, socially active programming.
Bolivia
Madina Hassani
Madina Hassani is the program coordinator for Nove Onlus where she runs the “Women in Business Hub” a center for professional training, business mentoring and entrepreneurship development dedicated to Afghan women. She was pivotal in the development of the Pink Shuttle, the first transportation service in Afghanistan run by women drivers for female passengers only. The Pink Shuttle is a catalyst for social inclusion, helping women become an active and productive part of society.
Afghanistan
Madina Hassani
Madina Hassani is the program coordinator for Nove Onlus where she runs the “Women in Business Hub” a center for professional training, business mentoring and entrepreneurship development dedicated to Afghan women. She was pivotal in the development of the Pink Shuttle, the first transportation service in Afghanistan run by women drivers for female passengers only. The Pink Shuttle is a catalyst for social inclusion, helping women become an active and productive part of society.
Afghanistan
Madina Hassani
Madina Hassani is the program coordinator for Nove Onlus where she runs the “Women in Business Hub” a center for professional training, business mentoring and entrepreneurship development dedicated to Afghan women. She was pivotal in the development of the Pink Shuttle, the first transportation service in Afghanistan run by women drivers for female passengers only. The Pink Shuttle is a catalyst for social inclusion, helping women become an active and productive part of society.
Afghanistan
Madina Hassani
Madina Hassani is the program coordinator for Nove Onlus where she runs the “Women in Business Hub” a center for professional training, business mentoring and entrepreneurship development dedicated to Afghan women. She was pivotal in the development of the Pink Shuttle, the first transportation service in Afghanistan run by women drivers for female passengers only. The Pink Shuttle is a catalyst for social inclusion, helping women become an active and productive part of society.
Afghanistan
Madina Hassani
Madina Hassani is the program coordinator for Nove Onlus where she runs the “Women in Business Hub” a center for professional training, business mentoring and entrepreneurship development dedicated to Afghan women. She was pivotal in the development of the Pink Shuttle, the first transportation service in Afghanistan run by women drivers for female passengers only. The Pink Shuttle is a catalyst for social inclusion, helping women become an active and productive part of society.
Afghanistan
Madina Hassani
Madina Hassani is the program coordinator for Nove Onlus where she runs the “Women in Business Hub” a center for professional training, business mentoring and entrepreneurship development dedicated to Afghan women. She was pivotal in the development of the Pink Shuttle, the first transportation service in Afghanistan run by women drivers for female passengers only. The Pink Shuttle is a catalyst for social inclusion, helping women become an active and productive part of society.
Afghanistan
Livia Maurizi
Livia Maurizi is responsible for Nove Onlus’s projects portfolio in Afghanistan. She has been involved in the identification, design, monitoring and evaluation of programmes focusing on gender equality, advancement of women’s rights and female entrepreneurship. One of the social innovation projects she designed and piloted is Pink Shuttle – the only transportation service in Afghanistan dedicated to women. Livia believes in a world where everyone should be able to access and exercise their rights to contribute to the peaceful development of societies.
Afghanistan
Livia Maurizi
Livia Maurizi is responsible for Nove Onlus’s projects portfolio in Afghanistan. She has been involved in the identification, design, monitoring and evaluation of programmes focusing on gender equality, advancement of women’s rights and female entrepreneurship. One of the social innovation projects she designed and piloted is Pink Shuttle – the only transportation service in Afghanistan dedicated to women. Livia believes in a world where everyone should be able to access and exercise their rights to contribute to the peaceful development of societies.
Afghanistan
Livia Maurizi
Livia Maurizi is responsible for Nove Onlus’s projects portfolio in Afghanistan. She has been involved in the identification, design, monitoring and evaluation of programmes focusing on gender equality, advancement of women’s rights and female entrepreneurship. One of the social innovation projects she designed and piloted is Pink Shuttle – the only transportation service in Afghanistan dedicated to women. Livia believes in a world where everyone should be able to access and exercise their rights to contribute to the peaceful development of societies.
Afghanistan
Livia Maurizi
Livia Maurizi is responsible for Nove Onlus’s projects portfolio in Afghanistan. She has been involved in the identification, design, monitoring and evaluation of programmes focusing on gender equality, advancement of women’s rights and female entrepreneurship. One of the social innovation projects she designed and piloted is Pink Shuttle – the only transportation service in Afghanistan dedicated to women. Livia believes in a world where everyone should be able to access and exercise their rights to contribute to the peaceful development of societies.
Afghanistan
Livia Maurizi
Livia Maurizi is responsible for Nove Onlus’s projects portfolio in Afghanistan. She has been involved in the identification, design, monitoring and evaluation of programmes focusing on gender equality, advancement of women’s rights and female entrepreneurship. One of the social innovation projects she designed and piloted is Pink Shuttle – the only transportation service in Afghanistan dedicated to women. Livia believes in a world where everyone should be able to access and exercise their rights to contribute to the peaceful development of societies.
Afghanistan
Livia Maurizi
Livia Maurizi is responsible for Nove Onlus’s projects portfolio in Afghanistan. She has been involved in the identification, design, monitoring and evaluation of programmes focusing on gender equality, advancement of women’s rights and female entrepreneurship. One of the social innovation projects she designed and piloted is Pink Shuttle – the only transportation service in Afghanistan dedicated to women. Livia believes in a world where everyone should be able to access and exercise their rights to contribute to the peaceful development of societies.
Afghanistan
