A 38-year-old woman has become Afghanistan’s first female taxi driver, breaking with the traditional, Islamic full-body veil (burqa) donned by the vast majority of women in the country, Washington Post reported.
“Sara Bahayi is Afghanistan’s first female cab driver in recent memory, and she is believed to be the only one actively working in the country,” the newspaper said in its report.
“She endures condescending looks, outright jeers, even threats to her life. Most men will not enter her taxi, believing that women should never drive for a man,” according to the Washington Post.
She, however, manages to secure enough earnings to spend on her 15-member family, making US$10-US$20 a day.
“With every fare, Bahayi says, she is determined to send a message to Afghan women: Get out of the house. Earn money. Don’t rely on men”, the newspaper says.
