UNAMA-Kabul, March 5, 2006

The government of Afghanistan, with technical assistance from the UN Development Fund for Women, has launched an ambitious nationwide programme aimed at easing access for women to public transport.

“It is a historic moment in women’s life in this country,” said Women’s Minister Massouda Jalal on March 4, after signing a memorandum of understanding at the Millie Bus Depot in west Kabul with Deputy Minister of Transport Mohammad Waezzadah and UNIFEM programme director, Meryem Aslan.

Under the agreement, by the end of the year at least 30 percent of seats on all public transport will be reserved for women; priority will be given to pregnant women and those with children; drivers and conductors will be given seminars on women’s rights; and travel for children aged under 12 will be free.

UNIFEM has produced stickers indicating where women should board and sit, as well as posters promoting a positive attitude among public transport staff and male passengers towards women passengers. Implementation will be monitored by the independent Afghan Women’s Network.

All too often bus drivers speed past designated stops if there are only female passengers waiting to board, while most men refuse to give up seats for women and children and barge past them to board buses. But Mr Waezzadah said a hotline would be set up to take complaints and disciplinary action will be taken against staff who fail to enforce the new directive.

There are around 600 public buses in Afghanistan, including 350 in Kabul.

The programme is in line with the benchmarks spelt out in the Afghanistan Compact and with government commitments to promote gender equality.

Meanwhile, Mrs Jalal led a group of about 40 women to Friday prayers at Kabul’s Hazrat Ali mosque on March 3 in a move aimed at encouraging other women to start worshipping regularly at mosques. The mosque is the first in Kabul to reserve a special section for female worshippers.