WEST BANK: Palestinian woman challenges society's rules by becoming the West Bank's first female truck-driving instructor, a job normally taken by men

Record ID: 560786

  • Title: WEST BANK: Palestinian woman challenges society's rules by becoming the West Bank's first female truck-driving instructor, a job normally taken by men
  • Date: 7th June 2011
  • Summary: DURA TOWN, WEST BANK (JUNE 6, 2011) (REUTERS) KAWKAB DARAWISH IN CLASSROOM, TRAINING NEW DRIVERS ON ROAD SIGNS STUDENTS IN CLASSROOM DRIVING LESSON VARIOUS DARAWISH SHOWING SIGNS TO DRIVING STUDENTS CLOSE OF POSTER OF ROAD SIGNS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRUCK-DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, KAWKAB DARAWISH, SAYING: "Since I started my driving life, I got all the licenses for different types of driving: private car, truck and bus licenses. After I got all the driving licenses, I started to work as a driving instructor for female and male students. My main ambition was to train men in truck-driving. I had no barriers." SIGN READING IN ARABIC "AL-SHAM SCHOOL FOR DRIVING, DIRECTED BY KAWKAB DARAWISH" DARAWISH LEAVING TRAINING SCHOOL DARAWISH GETTING INTO TRUCK FOR TRAINING SESSION DARAWISH WITH TRAINEE IN TRAINING TRUCK VARIOUS OF STUDENT DRIVING TRUCK THROUGH DURA TOWN WHILE DARAWISH IS TRAINING HIM DARAWISH GIVING INSTRUCTIONS DRIVER DURING DRIVING LESSON CLOSE OF DARAWISH'S HANDS WHILE TRAINING DARAWISH GIVING INSTRUCTIONS MIRROR SHOWING ROAD DURING DRIVING LESSON (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRUCK DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, KAWKAB DARAWISH, SAYING: "I worked more on buses and trucks, I love to drive buses and trucks, but, sure, driving private cars is easier that driving trucks, but through practice everything becomes easier." STUDENT DRIVING TRAINING TRUCK THROUGH STREETS VARIOUS OF DARAWISH GIVING INSTRUCTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRUCK DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, KAWKAB DARAWISH, SAYING: "I hope many women will enter this field, and that women will take on different careers beyond being a teacher or doctor. I hope society will support this." TRUCK PULLING AWAY VARIOUS OF STUDENT DRIVING TRUCK THROUGH ROADS UNDER DARAWISH'S INSTRUCTION
  • Embargoed: 22nd June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank, West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVABA7PHCEL509XS3JUHQUDMIPAH
  • Story Text: Women do not usually drive trucks in the Palestinian territories. But now West Bank driving instructor Kawkab Darawish has broken new ground and challenged social norms by becoming the first Palestinian woman truck-driving instructor, and one of the very few Arab female truck drivers.
    Thirty-nine-year-old Darawish is a mother of six from the small West Bank town of Dura. She started out driving trucks and buses, but has found her forte as a truck driving instructor. When she started her training school she did not realise that she would be the only woman in West bank to be a truck-driving instructor.
    "Since I started my driving life, I got all the licenses for different types of driving: private car, truck and bus licenses. After I got all the driving licenses, I started to work as a driving instructor for female and male students. My main ambition was to train men in truck-driving. I had no barriers," Darawish told Reuters Television.
    Palestinian women like Darawish have worked hard for years to break down barriers preventing them from entering the labour market.
    There have been mixed reactions from the residents of Dura to her career, traditionally seen as a male domain. But many of those reactions are positive, Darawish says, and see it as a new challenge for women.
    The mother of six wishes more women would take up the challenge and pursue careers in fields not normally open to them.
    "I hope many women will enter this field, and that women will take on different careers beyond being a teacher or doctor. I hope society will support this," said Darawish.
    A culture of shame and family honour remain the main obstacles for women in entering traditionally male jobs.
    The Middle East has the lowest percentage of female participation in the labour force according to World Bank figures.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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