Manal Sharif
The situation of women and girls in Yemen is extremely dire. They are subjected to domestic and societal violence on an almost daily basis and are deprived of their most basic natural and legally-guaranteed rights, whether economically, educationally, or socially. The ongoing conflict in the country for more than eight years has added greatly to their suffering and exacerbated the existing gender inequality. According to UN assessments, they live in a country that is not suitable for them.
In the city of Taiz, there has been a decline in women's awareness and many educational and cultural institutions have been halted since the start of the war. Women's movement and role are now threatened due to the security situation. According to statistics from a community resilience report issued by the Youth Without Borders organization for Development, in partnership with the University Youth Foundation and several youth initiatives in the governorate, women and girls are the group most affected at various levels, whether economic or social. Out of 830 respondents, 37% said that the situation of women has deteriorated due to the war. Additionally, 88% of the female respondents in the survey are unemployed, and 27% of girls have not completed their education due to marriage and social circumstances.
In the face of the many attempts to marginalize and oppress women in Taiz, civil society organizations, together with government institutions, have a serious responsibility to address or mitigate this, to advocate for the abused women, and to continue raising awareness in the community about their rights and the necessity of their involvement and active participation in various fields, as they are an essential segment of society with an important role in driving the wheels of development forward.
According to the recommendations in the study - the 2022 study on community resilience in Taiz Governorate - it stated that "civil society organizations should also enhance the economic empowerment and rehabilitation of women through serious and feasible programs, involving women in the planning process of these projects, and in close coordination with government institutions to ensure that their impact is sustainable and not just for a specific time period, as many women in the city have found themselves responsible for entire families since the beginning of the war, and the survival of these families depends on the extent of their understanding and their ability to manage their projects."
The issue of women's education is also of utmost importance, as many girls have dropped out of their education due to the heavy economic toll of the war on families, with preference given to educating boys over girls. Therefore, supporting girls' education and enabling women to complete their university education is an obligation for civil society organizations, as women today need support to stand up against the ongoing deprivation and denial of their access to resources.
The pressure for the political participation of women and their access to decision-making positions will have a strong impact on addressing the various problems faced by women in society. The actual presence of women at the top of authority provides a clear picture and strong evidence of the importance of their participation and presence in the local community, and breaks the stereotypes against them, which contribute to their continued marginalization and oppression. Additionally, this would provide a strong space to ensure their defense and involvement in various fields and programs.
The reality of preserving social cohesion and internal peace must not be devoid of providing what helps women acquire awareness and financial independence. Moreover, this large segment of society will not contribute to providing development and progress without receiving actual rehabilitation and empowerment; otherwise, they will remain mere victims of violence and deprivation.
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