Empowering women to believe that #SisBoleh

Based on surveys and feedback from current Grab women partners, many were deterred from joining the platform due to preconceived mindset that driving and deliveries are not suitable for women, and lack general confidence. As such, the expanded programme is a commitment to improve gender equality, and reduce barriers for women, to enable and empower more women to earn on the Grab platform. The platform wants to equip them with necessary skills and know-how so they can confidently earn and build a community of empowered womenfolk from the moment they join the platform.

Onboarding & Training

• Customised training sessions designed specifically for women, such as in-car safety training, managing difficult situations with passengers and car maintenance.  
• Training materials will also be made available via GrabAcademy (Grab partners’ learning portal)

Community

• Developing a Grab women partners-only online community to encourage women to mutually share and discuss topics more relevant to them. 
• More frequent on-ground engagements geared for women to network and build a stronger bond. 

As a first step, from 8 to 31 March 2024, Grab Malaysia is offering free PSV classes (usually priced at RM150) in Petaling Jaya, Pulau Pinang and Johor Bahru for women drivers.

Adelene Foo, Managing Director of Grab Malaysia shared that the company is encouraged by the number of women earning on Grab today. “The growth rate of women on our platform from Jan 2021 to Jan 2024, has increased by almost 156%. Women make up slightly over half the population in Southeast Asia, yet only represent 24% in the workforce, and an even smaller percentage are driver- and delivery-partners. We see this as a great opportunity to build a truly inclusive platform and make women feel welcomed. We hope the #SisBoleh programme can create more economically independent women, which is inline with Grab’s mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone.” She also encouraged women to participate in the programmes and share their opinion so they can co-create a platform that truly prioritises women. 

Women to drive and travel safely with ‘Women Passengers Preferred BETA’

Continuing the efforts to improve safety standards on the platform, Foo also shared that Grab will be introducing the ‘Women Passengers Preferred BETA’ feature. The new feature which will be rolled out on March 5 will increase the chances of women-drivers who have opted in (to the feature) to be matched with only women passengers, if there is one within the vicinity. To complement this, women passengers will be encouraged to update their details in their Grab App.

The feature is the latest in a series of safety tech innovations Grab has invested to keep users safe while on the road. A feature which was introduced last year – Audio Protect – is gaining traction with 7 out of 10 driver-partners and passengers opting into the feature, especially at night. Refer HERE for more information about Grab’s safety features. 

Assistant Commissioner Tuan Shahrulnizam Bin Ja’afar @ Ismail (ACP Ketua Polis Daerah Petaling Jaya) shared, “As PDRM our commitment to ensuring safety and security for all individuals remain unwavering, which is one of the reasons we established AMANITA. Similarly, programmes #SisBoleh and Grab’s beta safety feature underscores the importance of women within each community in fostering a safer environment for everyone. By working together, we can create a community-driven approach to safety that benefits all members of society.”

For more information about #SisBoleh, please click HERE.