When you picture a scooter on a Kathmandu street, do you see a woman riding it? Over time, scooters — especially lightweight, low capacity models — have come to be seen as “feminine vehicles”. At first, this may seem like yet another unnecessary gendering of an inanimate object. But in Nepal, that image tells a deeper and more meaningful story. The scooter has quietly become a symbol of change: a practical machine that has expanded women’s physical freedom, economic participation and public visibility. Far from being a trivial stereotype, the association between women and scooters reflects how private mobility has enabled thousands of Nepali women to navigate their cities, careers and lives on their own terms.

Before scooters became a common sight in Nepal, getting around was a real challenge for many women. Public transportation—buses and microvans—was often male-dominated and harassment was widespread. A 2017 study by Safe City Kathmandu found that nine out of 10 women had experienced some form of harassment while using public transport. This hostile environment did not just make commuting inconvenient, it also discouraged many women from traveling altogether.

The barriers were not just social but logistical. According to the 2017 National Time Use Survey, women in Nepal were spending nearly twice as much time on unpaid caregiving as men. With already stretched schedules, unreliable and unsafe further restricted their access to jobs and services. Traveling longer distances for work meant risking harassment, facing public judgment and managing exhaustion. This made many families hesitant to let women pursue jobs that required late night shifts or unfamiliar commutes.

In a society where women were traditionally expected to stay close to home, the idea of them moving independently through the city was often met with resistance. Concerns about safety, social disapproval and logistical challenges kept many women confined to narrow economic and physical spaces.

Things began to change in the late 2000s with the rise of the scooter. Lightweight, gearless models from brands like Honda, Yamaha and TVS were marketed as easy to handle, stylish and cost-effective that resonated with many women. Moreover, scooters were cheaper than motorcycles, consumed less fuel, and came with financing options that made them accessible to the growing urban middle class. Between 2011 and 2021, the number of women owning scooters rose by over 120%. In 2020, women made up nearly 35% of all new two-wheeler registrations in the Kathmandu Valley, up from just 9% in 2010.

This surge in scooter ownership coincided with the rise in women’s participation in urban employment in urban jobs, especially in the service sector. According to the Nepal Labor Force Survey, 2017/18, about 90.5% of working women were employed in the informal sector. Over the previous decade, there was a 7.4% increase in employment in sectors that require mobility such as education, healthcare, retail and sales. Scooters enabled women to access these jobs, helping them reach workplaces spread across the city and beyond.

The impact of owning a scooter on women's workforce participation has been profound. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), urban women with access to private transportation are nearly twice as likely to remain in long-term employment compared to those who depend on public transport. A 2019 study on urban mobility in Kathmandu found that women scooter users saved an average of 1.5 hours per day—time they could redirect toward paid work or learning opportunities.

The ability to move freely has also allowed women to switch jobs, grow businesses and pursue education outside of their neighborhoods. Vocational schools reported increased attendance and completion rates among women with scooters, particularly in fields like nursing, cosmetology and technical training.

Owning a scooter has also had psychological benefits. A 2020 survey by the Centre for Gender and Development in Nepal revealed that 68% of women with scooters felt more confident and socially confident, compared to just 29% of women without them. This newfound confidence often translated into greater ambition and better job retention.

Women's labor force participation in Nepal stood at 78.69% in 2021, though only 22.5% of those women were in formal employment. Scooters have helped expand the economic and geographical horizons available to working women. The Asian Development Bank has reported a 15% rise in female participation in delivery services and mobile sales jobs in the Kathmandu Valley after 2015, largely due to improved mobility.

This shift is paying dividends for families, too. A 2020 case study by the Nepal Women’s Commission found that dual-income households with access to scooters saw a 22% increase in income. The Women’s Rehabilitation Center has also reported that improved mobility contributed to higher completion and retention rates in training programs for women.

The growth of scooter ownership among women has also begun to shift gender norms. A 2021 study by the Samata Foundation found that 61% of urban respondents under age 30 viewed women riding scooters as normal and empowering—up from just 34% in 2012.

On the policy front, new initiatives have started to recognize this change. The Department of Transport introduced gender-inclusive licensing campaigns in 2018, resulting in a 28% increase in female license holders over three years. Infrastructure updates, such as dedicated scooter parking and road safety workshops, also reflect the growing presence of women on the roads.

However, scooters are just one part of a larger story. Improvements in education, access to microfinance, vocational training and evolving family economics have all contributed to women’s increased mobility. Government policies, such as subsidized loans for women entrepreneurs and targeted skill programs, have also played a key role.

International comparisons suggest even greater potential. In countries like Vietnam and India, access to two-wheelers can significantly boost women’s participation in both education and workforce. Nepal’s progress is promising but incomplete. For many low-income and rural women, scooters remain financially out of reach. And concerns are growing about the environmental impact of fossil fuel vehicles.

To truly improve women’s mobility and economic opportunities, scooters must be seen as part of a broader system that includes safe public transport options, bike lanes and walkable city designs.

In conclusion, this is not just a story about scooters; it is about the freedom to move. It is about women being able to leave their homes without fear, earn an income, attend a class or simply go to the market without anxiety. For thousands of urban Nepali women, scooters have made cities feel smaller and opened up new possibilities. We should recognize these changes as crucial to how our cities evolve and our economies thrive.

Looking ahead, we need to focus on creating transportation that considers gender, broadening access to electric vehicles and ensuring that urban mobility is truly for everyone. If we want women to participate fully in the workforce, we first need to ensure they can get there easily. Let’s pay attention to this movement happening right now.

(Pradhan is an analysts at Business Brainz, a global business research and insight firm operating from Nepal.)

(This opinion article was originally published in  June 2025 issue  of New Business Age Magazine.)