Sri Lanka empowers women with new Uber feature

By Hazel Camba

Sri Lanka is ramping up efforts to empower women by launching different inclusive initiatives that expand their opportunities and strengthen their rights in society.

One of the government’s latest efforts is the launch of the “Women Rider Preference” feature in the ride-hailing app Uber, which aims to encourage more female drivers to join the platform.

This new feature will allow female drivers to receive trip requests solely from female passengers – a flexibility many requested to support female drivers, especially during late hours or when navigating unfamiliar areas.

“The launch of Uber’s Women Rider Preference feature in Sri Lanka is a commendable step toward building a safer and more inclusive digital transport ecosystem.”

“By giving female driver-partners greater choice and control, this initiative directly supports our national vision of leveraging technology to create equitable opportunities – particularly for women,” Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne said, as quoted by Island.lk.

The feature is now available across cars, Tuks, and bikes in Sri Lanka.

Government promoting women in workforce

This new feature aligns with the government’s efforts to boost women’s participation in the workforce.

Despite securing high ranks on the Human Development Index – with a literacy rate exceeding 92% and women making up over 60% of university students – only 35% of the women in Sri Lanka are in the paid workforce.

Women’s participation in politics is also low, at just 10.7%.

To address these gaps, the Sri Lankan Parliament enacted the Women Empowerment Act No.37 of 2024.

The act establishes an independent National Commission on Women tasked with securing women’s participation across all sectors, including politics, economics, education, and social welfare.

International collaboration

Last year, the national civil society organisation Chrysalis also joined hands with the Government of Australia and UN Women to further support women empowerment in Sri Lanka.

Under a five-year project titled, “THRIVE – Together for Her: Resilience-building, Inclusivity, and Voices for Equality in Sri Lanka,” the three bodies seek to help marginalised women, particularly women with disabilities, female-headed households, and women working on plantations.

THRIVE focuses on communities in Badulla, Colombo, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Monaragala and Nuwara Eliya, where poverty remains a significant challenge.

READ NEXT: