SheTaxi is a revolutionary public-private transport service initiative by women, for women. Kerala’s all-women taxi service won the Chief Minister’s Award for Innovation in Public Policy 2015 for making strides in entrepreneurship and inclusion.
SheTaxi is the flagship project of Gender Park. It was launched in 2013 in Kerala, India and has since gained much acclaim. The service seeks to increase the level of security and employability of women. India was in the spotlight recently for high profile cases of gang rape. Women are among the most excluded groups in India. 43% of working-age women are confined to domestic work, according to recent reports. Additionally, high level of violence against women prevail.
SheTaxi made huge strides in a short amount of time for women’s safety and self-reliance. Currently, there are 45 SheTaxis across three cities – 25 in Trivandrum, 15 in Cochin and 5 in Kozhikode. The project will expand to 4 other districts. Its uniqueness and possibility to be replicated brought it the Chief Minister’s Award for Innovation in Public Policy 2015. The World Bank has also taken notice. It wants to replicate the initiative in South Asian countries like Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
The stories of the women involved in the project also drew the attention of filmmaker Elisa Paloschi. In the documentary Driving with Selvi she paints the journey of Selvi from child bride to driver for SheTaxi. The documentary premiered on The International Day of the Girl Child in the US. It has garnered praise from numerous human rights activists.
Sources: VOANews; Times of India; Business Standard
Photo: Gender Park, hyderabadi.co.in
