More than 5,000 women have got their driving licences in 13 provinces.
The authorities in Kabul Traffic Presidency say that while a majority of the female drivers are residents of the Afghan capital, the rest are from Herat, Balkh, Logar, Laghman and other provinces.
Women drivers are from either wealthy families or middle class. Traffic presidency officials say not all women with a driving licence drive. There are traditional and social restrictions on women’s mobility. For instance it is not considered a suitable occupation. But Sara Bahayee has defied custom and works as the only woman taxi driver in Mazar-e-Sharif.
More women may consider driving if there were more schools with female instructors.
Razia Mohammadi who studies in Kabul University, is very keen to learn driving. “I checked out many places,” she says, “but everywhere trainers were male and my family will not let me join.”
Yar Mohammad Mamozai, in charge of the Mamozai school for driving and technical courses in Kabul, agrees with Mohammadi. The Mamozai school opened in 2008. It has training facilities in eight locations in Kabul city but does not offer instruction by female drivers.
According to Mamozai, “35 percent of students have been women, both young and older”. But this could not be independently confirmed.
Women are not willing to become driving teachers, he claims. “Apart from security issues, the general failure also to follow rules on the road means women are wary of getting on the road let alone teaching others to drive,” he says.
From information provided by Abdul Satar Shafa, head of the education department of Kabul traffic presidency, all the 22 driving courses available in Kabul cater to women. There are also training courses for women in Balkh (one) and Herat (3).
“Applicants have to register by paying 20,000 Afs (290 USD),” he says.
Adela Adi from a training school in Herat called Khwaharan e Afghan (Afghan sisters), says there are generally between three and six women in every course they run.
None of the schools are run by the government. Wazir Mohammad, the head of the authority issuing driving licences in Kabul, says there is no money for such a service.
