Honoring Yemen’s female fighters

Struggling women unite in the National Museum hoping for progress and support.

The US Embassy in Sana’a, on behalf of the US Secretary of State, honored six Yemeni women who have demonstrated a struggling move toward a better future for the Yemeni women during the year 2009.The honoring took place in the National Museum in Sana’a with the presence of women rights activists who, during the difficulties faced by the Yemeni women, gave their help and support. This honoring came on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. “Given that the museum is preparing to showcase Yemen’s ancient queens -- Arwa, Balqees, and Saba’a -- and the days when women ruled Yemen, I find it a particularly fitting location to celebrate International Women’s Day this year,” said U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Angie Bryan.
 
On behalf of the U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, 6 Yemeni women received certificate of “Courage” signed by U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Stephen Seche.
 
Nujood al-Ahdal and Reem al-Numery,  were honored as victims of early marriage, Tawakul Karman as a human rights activist, Arwa Ali Saeed Abdullah as a survivor of landmine happenings, Fatima al-Agel, as an advocate for the disabled women, and Jamala al-Baidhani as an activist in the social field. US Embassy Chargé d’affaires Angie Bryan  handed over the certificates to the women who all of them have  received  media attention as Yemeni heroines.
 
Men were side by side with women, supporting them through their participation in this ceremony. Ali al-Ma’abari said that he participated in honoring women because through all the hard work they have put in this country, they have earned it. Kamal Saraf al-Deen a caricaturist, who posted for al-Jomhuriah, al-Jazeera.net, criticized the radicals  who confiscate women’s freedom, under the cover of religion.
 
The Yemeni woman is thought to have accomplished a lot during her mission toward a better prospect for her. “I am really astonished by how the Yemeni woman has accomplished so far,” said Deborah Smith, the public Affairs Officer in the US embassy in Sana’a. “The Yemeni woman can also benefit and give back to their family and their country by education, and the more they are empowered, the better their future will be,” Smith added.
 
“Women have a voice that deserves to be listened to. To express that voice, she would love to have a supporter; it could be a partner, family, or friend,” concluded Sarah al-Same’ee, a participant at the celebration.
 
on the same context,  women’s Status in Yemen Needs more than words.

The second national conference designed to stop violence against women was held on 7-8 March under the auspicious care of the Women National Committee at the Police Officers Club.
 
The conference, entitled “Stop Violence Against Women,” was attended by Prime Minister Ali Mujawar. He stressed his desire for the full partnership of women, considering the cause to be a common commitment that all political parties must undertake to fulfill. Mujawar also wanted the assist in the education of the general public and political elite, specifically in disposing of the classical impression that women are merely votes during elections.
 
Mujawar added, “The government will do its best to enable women to obtain their constitutional public rights. In these efforts, we will include policies eliminating violence against women into all public projects and programs.”
 
Dr. Fuad al-Salahi, Chief of the Women’s Status Report of 2009, reviewed a primary summary of the report. Within Dr. al-Salahi’s remarks, areas where women’s rights are significantly inferior to men were discussed, particularly emphasizing Education, Health Care, environment, economic activity, political participation and violence against women.
 
According to al-Salahi, the report researchers faced many challenges as they attempted to gather the data and information from ministry and governmental establishments. They claimed that the bureaucracy didn’t respond to the logic of public interest.
 
Rashida al-Hamdani, the President of the Women’s National Committee, reviewed the gains achieved in efforts to stop violence against women since the first conference was held in March of 2003.The paramount areas where gains have been achieved remain in the fields of education, the decrease of poverty and some gains in the effort to stop violence against women.
 
Al-Hamdani replied that these policies have received a modest response in their execution. She added, “The work groups started analyzing all development fields to pinpoint the gaps and recommended the required processes that must be taken in consideration.”
 
In the first session of the conference, Dr. Najat Sa’em, Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Sana’a University, presented a study handling violence based on gender, concepts, spreading areas, affected population groups, relation to family decision making and the relation to gender.
 
The second study was presented by Rana Ghanim, Chair of Programs and Activities in the Democratic Social Forum. The study explained the forms of violence against women, as well as exploring the forms of political violence, legislations and the reasons for this political violence.
 
There were also studies regarding violence against rural women, which takes forms such as physical, psychological and sexual abuse. The study reviewed the social status of rural women, and modes of repression, such as early marriage, domestic violence or exchange marriages.
 
This event was sponsored in collaboration with International Women’s Day 8 March, which is a global day to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

Related Content

•  Al-Qaeda statement denies official reports
•  Dutch police detains two Yemenis on US flight
•  Mysterious fate of Sa’dah deputy security director
•  Government and Houthis sign schedule for implementing 22 points
•  Final qualifying stage for Yemen poet, Al-Aqeeq channel
•  Economic Media Center demands traders maintain reasonable prices
•  SCER mandates education to review voters tables for 2010
•  More than million children out of school, government report
•  Intensifying al-Qaeda attacks are government’s biggest challenge, President Saleh
•  Abyan al-Qaeda attacks security raising death toll to 23 troops