Yemen's Revolutionary Women

Since the beginning of Yemen’s revolution, SAVE has been following and supporting women at the forefront of the demands for democracy and social justice. Women have emerged as leaders of the revolution; their determination and calls for a positive future for Yemen have sustained the protests day after day. In our conversations with these activists, SAVE realized these women need the support of the international community to show them that they are not alone in their calls for freedom. Here, we collect the inspiring stories of Yemen’s women activists in Sana’a and Taiz. If you would like to write to any of these women, please send your message to office@women-without-borders.org. 


Atiaf Al-Wazeer 

Atiaf Al-Wazeer is a Masters graduate who has lived in the USA and Egypt, but who has returned to Yemen to live in the house where she was born and to support the revolution.

“I am a 31-year-old Yemeni woman who was born in Sana'a. I grew up, amongst other places in the U.S., and returned from Egypt to Yemen last fall where I am living with my husband in the same house that I was born in. I consider myself a world citizen, but at the moment my world is focused on Yemen.

I've been involved in the protests from the beginning doing many different things. I have been working as part of a youth group on various events, talking to the media to spread information on the revolution, organizing with women on how to guarantee women's rights in the future government, translating documents, helping with awareness raising events, and mainly documenting the revolution in all its aspects.

The revolution has made me become a citizen journalist through blogging and online activism, mainly using Twitter and Facebook. My blog is updated with commentaries, photographs and videos from the square. Contributions include factual events and reporting on the revolution, but also just reflective pieces and personal stories.”

You can read Atiaf’s blog here: http://womanfromyemen.blogspot.com/


Fayza Ali Ahmed Alraimi

“The world should not be afraid of Yemen – it should support us!”

Fayza Ali Ahmed Alraimi is a 40-year-old Yemeni housewife and a mother of four daughters, but she is also a fearless protester on the streets and squares of Taiz.

Fayza was one of the first people to start the revolution in Taiz. “The revolution of Yemen started from Taiz,” says Fayza. She was already involved in human rights activism in Yemen before the revolution, helping people to achieve their rights, even if she did not agree with their personal views. Now Fayza is the head of the women’s section in Taiz’s Change Square and attends the protests everyday with her husband and four daughters who are members of medical committees. Together, they offer first aid to injured protestors. Fayza is also the focal point between women and other committees in the square, helping to coordinate services and provide help to women.

Fayza worries that the illiteracy of women in Yemen restricts their participation. She also feels that the current regime is attempting to give the female participants of the revolution a bad reputation by disseminating derogatory remarks and information. She says that most of Yemen’s women are eager to change the governing system in order to gain access to their basic rights. “Women’s dreams are still small according to their simple backgrounds,” says Fayza. “They are not like educated women who want to achieve a constitutional country with the rule of law. If we want to make their dreams bigger, we should widen their thoughts through education and practice civil rights.

“The future situation of women will be made by women themselves; women's enemy is inside them. We, as women, will ensure positive discrimination for women’s issues in Yemen. Women do all the tasks in the household alongside their other work. Our laws are suitable for men and women but the problem lies in traditions, because the cultural backgrounds that lead to discrimination are promoted by the governing system.

"I am totally convinced that participation in this revolution is right. I used to help people to get back their individual and basic rights; now it is time to get back our entire home!"

Fatima Mohamed Saeed

A grandmother and retired secretary from Aden, Fatima has devoted her life since the beginning of the revolution to the struggle for a cleaner Yemen that better serves its people. Fatima has two daughters and six grandsons.

“We should sit-in with this oppressed and tired people,” says Fatima. “I also see the bad situation of Yemen; there is no freedom, and a lack of services. While there are a lot of disadvantages to the people, there are a lot of advantages to the government. It is a humble and humiliating situation; death is better that living without dignity. “

Fatima attends the protests in Taiz every day, hoping to achieve a cleaner Yemen with more services, development and justice. She describes women’s role in Yemen as “not bad at all”, and says that women are hoping to achieve equality with men. “Women’s dream is to get a life of dignity and honour,” she says.

“People have died because they demand democracy and want to get the basic rights and necessities of life. The international community should support us as much as they can in our struggle.”


Baha'a Ali Mohammed
  

Baha’a is a widow and housewife. Since the beginning of the revolution she has been attending the protests in Taiz every day.

“I heard about revolution three month ago, so I come here to rid Yemen of corruption. I attend everyday and I will continue attending until we close the unfair governance system. Yemen will be more peaceful and stable. We will live safely.

“Women are strugglers, just like men. Women have been prevented from everything including from achieving their rights for the last 33 years. It is the time to change their situation.”



SAVE would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Fakhria Hugaira for collecting these profiles on the ground in Yemen.