Tuk tuk is one of the best and most used transportation in Cambodia for tourist according to “Movetocambodia.com.” You don’t need to search for vehicles to go somewhere but the tuk-tuk will come and find you. You can move from block to block, town to town and even from one province to another the tuk-tuk driver is willing to take you there. But why there nearly no women being a tuk-tuk driver? And what are the effects on the economic of excluding women from driving tuk-tuk?
If tourists come and visit in Cambodia they can only see men tuk-tuk driver, men tour guide, men taxi driver and men pilot. One of the reasons women are excluded from those jobs because of environment and society. You can see tuk-tuk everywhere but it is extremely rare to see women driver because if women drive tuk-tuk they will be judged harshly. As a 10 years experienced tuk tuk driver Sophal said that “He never heard of any women tuk tuk driver.” And another tuk tuk driver also mentioned that “women are not brave enough and scare to do their work but some women that he knows and work as a tuk tuk driver are the women who experienced violent and harassed by their husband so they have no choice then work as tuk tuk driver.” And this clearly show that there are very few women in Cambodia that drive tuk tuk compared to men.
Many types of research show that by including women into driving transportation including tuk tuk and allow women to take a position in the tourism industry will have a big impact on the economic. Washintonpost.com had clearly mentioned that “by allowing the entire country to drive could have a major economic effect.” This encourages particular economic areas to include women to be a driver or tuk tuk driver will help economic of any particular country including Cambodia.
As a developing country and also as a tourist country including both gender are very important. Also if we allow women to drive tuk tuk the tourist have a higher chance of being more sanctified and more cheerful than men because “Women tend to be warmer and friendlier than men.”
“Closing gender gaps in the labor market would raise GDP in the United States by 5 percent, in the United Arab Emirates by 12 percent, and in Egypt by 34 percent.” So how about Cambodia? Encourage women to drive to improve Cambodia.
