Silk Road:
The Silk Road specifically refers to the trading land routes that connects East and Southeast Asia to South Asia and Persia followed by Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and finally Southern Europe. 
This network was regularly used from 130 BCE and part of that road is still in existence as a paved highway that connects Pakistan and the Uygur.
Chinese are the one who first started trading in this road and as its name indicates it is mainly used as a trade route for trading silks.
Hence this ancient road played a major role on times when it was constructed.
 
        
             
        
        
        
Answer:
C. Gender
Explanation:
Gender inequality happens to be a major factor that makes women with unprecedented access to education, jobs and income "opt out" of the workforce.