Malta’s equality commission says eCabs women-only service is not discriminatory

A new eCabs category allowing female passengers to select a woman driver for the taxi ride is not a discriminatory service, according to the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE).

In a statement on Friday, the commission pointed out that the law allows for specific measures to be taken to prevent or compensate for disadvantages linked to sex.

“[…] To achieve true equality in society we must recognise that different social groups experience different needs and challenges due to long-standing structural inequalities,” it said.

The commission said it is common for women and girls to experience sexist microaggressions, unwelcome sexual comments, and other forms of sexual harassment in their everyday lives, apart from being the primary victims of violence such as stalking and rape.

Moreover, this impacts women’s and girls’ perception of space and their feeling of safety and security, the commission said.

“By recognising this social reality, one is not assuming that all men are aggressors. Indeed, most men are not. However, a service provision which seeks to create safer spaces for women and girls is merely taking cognisance of the undeniable fact that women and girls, in certain situations, tend to feel less safe with men due to the very real social experience of gender-based violence, especially if they went through personal experiences of such violence.”

The NCPE added that ignoring these challenges faced by people because of their gender simply perpetuates inequalities, rather than avoids discrimination.

“Service provision that seeks to mitigate the challenges faced by women and girls due to their gender will not eliminate deep rooted social inequalities. However, it is still a welcome step to improve their everyday lives - lives which are often disrupted by experiences of gender-based discrimination and violence.”

eCabs recently  announced a new ride type category operated by women for women that's geared towards supporting female drivers and promoting passenger safety.

The new Women+ category will give riders the option to select a female driver when hailing a ride on the eCabs app in Malta, with fares in line with the eCabs Go category. 

Women drivers will also be free to cancel or refuse male riders on Women+ without being penalised.