Bilqis: Legal Support is the Key to Empowering Yemeni Women and Opens up New Horizons for them

Women in Development and Peace

 

Yemeni women diplomats have the unique ability to provide a balanced and multifaceted perspective on issues related to peace and security, especially in light of the challenging circumstances that Yemen is currently experiencing. Women have the ability to represent and express the diverse voices and interests within Yemeni society, transcending tribal, ethnic, and partisan affiliations.” This is what the Counselor at the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Bilqis Al-Zawm, emphasized.

In a special interview with the newspaper “Women in Development and Peace,” she pointed out that true and developmental peacebuilding relies entirely on diplomatic work in all its forms (diplomatic, economic, defense, political, scientific, cultural, social, etc.). The diplomatic field was the exclusive domain of men for a long time, which made it incomplete, stagnant, and superficial. However, when Yemeni women were allowed to participate in this field, they gained the qualities of flexibility, patience, and balance.

She mentioned that under the difficult circumstances that Yemen is going through, the importance of the role of women diplomats is more prominent than ever, especially in the peacebuilding process. They have a tremendous ability to provide a balanced and multifaceted perspective on issues related to peace and security, and they have a unique ability to truly represent and express the diverse voices and interests within Yemeni society.

She added: “These characteristics have enabled them to play a pivotal role in building bridges of communication between different and conflicting parties, whether at the local or national level. Given their ability to promote dialogue and mutual understanding, the practical and non-formal involvement of women in ongoing negotiations and peace talks is undoubtedly a necessity to achieve a just and sustainable peace.”

Empowering Women’s Leadership Capabilities in Achieving Peace

The role of Yemeni women in the peace process is not limited to building bridges of communication between the conflicting parties; it also requires empowering them and developing their capabilities to become active leaders in achieving peace.

Here, counselor Bilqis explains that the empowerment journey begins with raising women’s awareness of themselves and understanding their pivotal role in the peace process. This step includes strengthening their legal and political capabilities through training programs and workshops that help them understand the principles of international law and mediation mechanisms, equipping themselves with knowledge in the fields of politics, mediation, and international representation, and understanding the nature of conflicts and the negotiation process. Moreover, knowledge of the law is an essential element in achieving peace and security, and a necessary investment in the future of Yemen and the achievement of just and sustainable peace.

Regarding Counselor Bilqis’ experience in the diplomatic field, she says: “I had a great opportunity to enter the diplomatic and consular corps with the support of my family and close circle, from whom I found encouragement, and they helped me overcome obstacles and open new doors for me that made me somewhat prepared to face society. Women’s contribution to the peacebuilding process begins from the inner circle (family) to extend and include the wider circle (society), which helped me strengthen my communication and understanding skills among different segments of society.”

Yemeni Women: A Journey of Self-Discovery

Yemeni women have witnessed radical transformations in various aspects of life after the revolutions of September 26th and October 14th. However, they have also faced numerous obstacles, making their journey akin to a quest for self-discovery. The 1970s and 1980s were marked by a relative opening to the outside world and an expansion of educational and employment opportunities for women.

This period also saw the emergence of prominent female figures who enriched cultural and social life. In the 1990s and early 2000s, some of the gains made by women in the previous period were reversed due to the deterioration of political and economic conditions and the intensification of internal conflicts. However, in the current phase, there is a renewed determination among Yemeni women to achieve further progress and freedom and to demand full equality with men in all fields.

Here, counselor Bilqis adds: “Legal support is the key to empowering Yemeni women. The revolutions of September 26th and October 14th played a pivotal role in empowering Yemeni women and opened up new horizons for them, such as joining education at all levels and specializations on an equal footing with men. This enabled them to engage in public life and participate in political, economic, and social life, and to contribute to creating change in the country.”

She pointed out the most significant achievements made by women during this period, which are reflected in their political participation. Women have come to hold positions as parliamentary deputies, ambassadors, ministers, and judges, and they have entered the public service with force and competition. Women have become teachers, doctors, engineers, and security personnel as police officers.

According to the Counselor’s view, since the establishment of the Yemeni Republic, Yemeni women have received significant support through legislation and laws that fully guarantee their rights. The laws on nationality, labor, wages, and retirement are among the most prominent examples of these laws that have strongly established the principle of gender equality and supported women’s rights in general.

She explained that Yemen’s achievements in the field of women’s empowerment have not been limited to the national level but have also extended to the international level. Our country has been a pioneer in drafting laws compared to other Arab countries, and Yemen was one of the first Arab countries to ratify all international agreements and treaties related

Yemeni Women Diplomats and Challenges

Despite advancements in various fields, Yemeni women, particularly in diplomacy, continue to face challenges. Counselor Bilqis Al-Zawm outlines the key challenges:

1. Diplomatic authority at the highest levels of government remains largely in the hands of men. Women diplomats are often confined to ceremonial roles, with limited opportunities to actively participate in decision-making and influence foreign policy.
2. Existing laws guaranteeing women’s rights are not always effectively implemented. The 30% quota for women’s representation, a key outcome of the National Dialogue Conference, remains unfulfilled. International agreements and UN Security Council resolutions, like 1325 recognizing women’s role in conflict resolution, face resistance from some authorities.
3. Underrepresentation: Due to political and tribal affiliations, women face challenges in securing leadership positions in diplomacy.
4. Deep-rooted cultural and social norms limit women’s professional advancement, particularly in entering and succeeding within the diplomatic field.
5. Security Challenges: The volatile security situation in Yemen disproportionately impacts women diplomats, who face heightened risks to their personal safety and security. This exacerbates the already existing struggles women face with mobility, work, and travel, even during peaceful times.

Recommendations for Empowering the Role of Women Diplomats:

To address these challenges, counselor Bilqis Al-Zawm outlined some recommendations to enhance the participation of women diplomats in negotiation processes and comprehensive peacebuilding in Yemen, as reported by “Women in Development and Peace” newspaper. These recommendations include:

1. Empower women to lead and actively participate in peace processes and conflict mediation at local and national levels, which is essential for achieving sustainable and just peace.

The counselor mentions that there is strong evidence that women’s active participation in peace negotiations has a positive impact on the sustainability and quality of peace. There are numerous examples of Yemeni women’s involvement in negotiations to secure passage on the front lines at the local level, which led to ceasefire agreements and resource management.

She also clarifies that women’s participation in the peace process is not limited to negotiations alone, but should encompass all stages of the peace process, from the pre-negotiation phase, through the negotiation preparation phase, to the post-agreement phase. Women often play a pivotal role in the pre-negotiation phase by communicating with conflict parties and building trust, as they do not pose a threat due to their neutral stance.

2. Encourage the inclusion of women in political processes, elections, national governance, security sector structures, and peace processes to achieve sustainable development and build the future, through participation in monitoring ceasefire agreements, conflict management, and prevention.
3. Raising awareness among all individuals, including decision-makers, police officers, military personnel, and politicians, about the importance of women’s participation in peacekeeping operations is a crucial step towards achieving sustainable peace and providing strategic advice to senior leadership on progress in gender equality, activating the principle of monitoring, ensuring accountability, and compliance by all individuals.
4. Continue working on the qualification of women in general and diplomats in particular, which is essential for their effective participation in peacebuilding; the argument of the lack of qualified female cadres is often used as a reason for women’s exclusion from decision-making positions. Therefore, the state must support the existing female cadres practically and scientifically, and develop systematic practical policies to provide training on negotiation skills, advocacy tools, pressure groups, conflict resolution tools, conflict analysis, and effective communication for women in conflict zones.
5. Work towards the implementation of Yemeni law and the constitution, which have granted women their rights and provided them with a solid foundation to continue their progress and participation in all fields at the national level, and commit to the treaties signed by our country, endorse and facilitate UN Security Council resolutions supporting women, most notably the historic resolution 1325, and activate one of the most important outcomes of the National Dialogue, namely the quota system.

Counselor Bilqis Al-Zawm says: “Supporting women’s access to decision-making positions will only be achieved through sitting down and negotiating seriously with those who are currently at the helm of political decision-making in Yemen, and trying to convince them that Yemen is not the private property of men only, but also belongs to women; considering them partners in the homeland. If women do not have an actual presence in decision-making, those policies become illegal.”

She also emphasizes the importance of working to convince leaders that Yemeni women have moved beyond playing the role of victims for years and that they have the right today to decide, plan, coordinate, communicate, and represent Yemen in all international forums, in pursuit of achieving lasting peace.