The Problem: Shazia, like millions of women in rural Pakistan, faces restrictions on her mobility that keep her from reaching her individual and financial potential.

“I can’t go anywhere alone. I have to go everywhere with my husband. I have to ask for his permission. Then after that, I have to ask my mother- and father-in-law. If they allow me, I go.”
- Shazia

WATCH the IDRC documentary “The Village Edge”:

Testing Solutions: EPoD and CERP have partnered with the Punjab Skills Development Fund to find ways to provide rural women with the skills necessary to get jobs.

“It was difficult for me to leave the house, because I wasn’t accustomed to going anywhere alone or making my way back home alone… Not anymore.”
- Skills Training Participant

WATCH the EPoD/CERP documentary “Glass Walls: Overcoming Invisible Barriers to Vocational Training”:

The Underlying Issues: Understanding the barriers women face to travel freely and safely is important to improve policies that promote women’s empowerment throughout Pakistan.

“If you truly are able to address the mobility issue, it’s going to become much easier for women to access labor market opportunities and fulfill their lives in terms of work and what they care about.”
- Dr. Ali Cheema

WATCH Ali Cheema, one of the founding members of CERP, give further insights on the principals behind the research:

These videos were produced in a joint effort by Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD), the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).