The driver of this taxi-moto pauses on a country road in Athiémé
The driver of this taxi-moto – also called zémidjan or zem (“get me there quick”) in Fon, the local language – wears the distinctive yellow shirt that is the drivers’ uniform. He pauses on a country road in Athiémé, Benin, on a bright November day, carrying all female riders. In Sub-Saharan Africa, horizons for girls often shrink, especially for poor girls or girls in rural areas where distance and norms for mobility can be a significant constraint. Physical mobility is critical for girls’ and women’s access to services- including education, health, water and justice- and for the development of social networks. Photo: © Stephan Gladieu / World Bank