By Invitation | Economist/Shell Writing Prize 2001

The long and winding road to women's transportation solutions

|

Fifteen year old Maram lives in the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. Despite being amongst the top percentile in her class, she recently dropped out of school. This hard decision was made by Maram and her parents with much anguish, as they are fully aware of the long term consequences. However, considering the circumstances, they felt that they had no option. Public transport was simply not available for Maram, and she could no longer bear the harassment she faced from men every morning and afternoon whilst making her journey on foot.

Discover more

Lebanon needs a new army in the south, says Yair Lapid

Israel’s opposition leader sees a way to turn war into a much-needed reset for the country

Philippe Lazzarini says the blows to humanitarian law in Gaza harm us all

The head of UNRWA, the UN’s agency for Palestinians, warns the world not to look away


Ernesto Zedillo says AMLO has left Mexico on the verge of authoritarianism

The former president exhorts Claudia Sheinbaum to opt for democracy


COP29 is greenwashing a dictatorship, writes Azerbaijan’s main opposition leader

Ali Karimli on the hypocrisy of holding the climate conference in a petrostate where dissent is silenced

Ara Darzi on why antibiotic resistance could be deadlier than cancer

To get on top of the crisis, stop prescriptions without a proper diagnosis, argues the surgeon and politician

Bill Gates on how feeding children properly can transform global health

The stomach influences every aspect of human health, says the philanthropist