Women behind the wheel

Putting women in the driver’s seat as a metaphor is becoming something of a cliché in development policymaking circles, thanks in no small part to the great work of groups like Vital Voices, the International Center for Research on Women, and leaders like Hillary Clinton. But on the ground in countries like Bangladesh, literally putting women in the driver’s seat is still a revolutionary idea.

Visitors have called Dhaka’s traffic jams a recipe for mental breakdown. It’s why driving really is a profession in Bangladesh, but to this point one dominated by men. Last year, The Guardian published a photo essay documenting the pioneering women of BRAC’s driving course. Earlier this year, the British television series Unreported World broadcast their documentary following a cohort of women enrolled in the course. It’s now available on their YouTube channel.