Bridging The Gap - An Average Day In The Life Of a Girl

Dr Komal Rao chose the adrenaline rush that comes with training in martial arts.

Komal Rao/Volvo Cars India

The 2000s have been a momentous time for gender equality. Around the world, we have witnessed strong movements that called for gender parity and protection of women’s rights. While these battles have been hard fought, there’s still a long way to go. In the meantime, we cannot help but celebrate the women that break gender stereotypes and glass ceilings around the world to redefine normal. Dr Komal Rao is one such wonder woman who is making her way in a man’s world, trouncing all stereotypes associated with the feminine gender.

Common stereotypes have often restricted women to conventional careers, but Komal chose the adrenaline rush that comes with training in martial arts, which is more often than not is considered a male sport. However, she did not just train. She went on to defeat a male opponent with a single punch in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in a cage fight in YBN Germany in July 2017. With this, she became one of the few women in the world to have defeated a male opponent in MMA.

While we know that women like Komal are bridging the gender gap one step at a time. there are still many areas where this gap is often overlooked. For example, something as basic as making cars safe and comfortable for women had so long been ignored. But not anymore. Enter, Volvo Cars. This year, the 92-year-old company took up the ‘Equal Vehicles for All’ initiative, which centres around safety for all and not just safety developed by testing the traditional 'Male Crash Test Dummies'.

Women have a different anatomy and hence are at a higher risk of getting injured during car crashes. As part of ‘Equal Vehicles for All’, Volvo has collected car crash data for more than 40 years and are now sharing this research with the rest of the industry in a bid to make cars safe for everyone. To this end, the automaker has also been using female crash test dummies since 1995. Volvo seats are ergonomically designed such that the risk of a whiplash injury reduces by half, irrespective of your gender. Their innovative Side Impact Protection System relies on an intelligent structure to boost overall safety.

Whether you’re a man or a woman, if you believe in bridging the gender gap, then here’s your chance to contribute to an equal world. Sign up for Volvo’s drive for safety and equality here and #StandForSafety for all!