Dawn Images

Stepping right into 2019, women of Pakistan have made it clear to the world that they’re accepting no public spaces that are unwaveringly exclusive to men. Today, Pakistani women are taking charge of their lives and breaking free of all boundaries that restrict their access to opportunities and reduce them to heavily sexist roles.

It is said that approximately half of Pakistan's population is all female, but their involvement in the corporate world is still restricted to roughly 15-20%. This highlights a major gendered gap in the country’s corporate fold.

In an attempt to appreciate the zeal and drive that women in Pakistan have been tirelessly exhibiting, several bias-free businesses and brands have been brewing newer opportunities to help women identify, grow and sustain their inner talents without having to fear societal barriers.

Paving her way with resilience, the passionate and brave female rider Rubab has left behind all boundaries of society that heavily restrict women’s access to select professions.

Meet Rubab, belonging to foodpanda’s fleet of delivery riders now, who has bagged a new milestone for women across Pakistan.

Shielding her spirit of steel with a pink helmet, oodles of confidence and a passion to excel in her career, Rubab will now be seen zooming around streets on her bike, delivering hot and scrumptious meals to foodies. Her journey began as a part-time food delivery rider who aimed to earn a livelihood for herself and her household.

In a society that shuns the idea of women riding bikes and taking up jobs that have essentially belonged to men for ages, Rubab zips through traffic, delivers food to customers and is always greeted by a smile at every step of the way.

Watch Rubab's story here:

For Rubab, and many more women to come, the best part of the food delivery job is that it is convenient and easy, and gets her the safety she needs for her household’s income. To her, the greatest of all strengths comes from her family; the smiles on their faces and the pride in their hearts ensures Rubab puts her best foot forward each day for the job she now adores.

Commenting on how Pakistani women are taking a step forward in the right direction by normalizing bike rides as means of transport, Rubab says, “I had always thought if women can hail bikes as their means of commute, it shouldn’t be all inappropriate for us to take up food delivery jobs as well. I spotted foodpanda’s job ad for riders and filed an application. Within few days, I was called over for registration and that is where my journey of hope began”.

Reflecting on seeing Rubab’s interest in following his fleet, Rider Supply Lead at foodpanda, Faisal, says, “I wasnt expecting a woman to opt for a rider’s job role. I can say I was a little surprised. I asked what made her want to work as a rider and she said she wanted to do it to earn a decent living for herself and her family. I appreciated her passion.”

Exemplary roles, like that of Rubab, teach us how important it is to take a leap of faith and shun all barriers to personal growth. Pakistan’s corporate sector should do all to break gendered occupational boundaries and teach millions of Pakistani women the important lesson of identifying who they really are and benefitting from all possible opportunities spread across all of Pakistan.

If you’ve got motivational stories of your own, head over to these hashtags and let the world know who the real hero is: #ourheroswearhelmets #pinkpower #womenhistorymonth

This content is a paid advertisement by foodpanda and is not associated with or reflective of the views of Images, Dawn.com or its editorial staff.