Hebah Mohammed – Women in Development and Peace
In the world of sports, women continue to face challenges and obstacles that hinder their full and equal representation in domestic and international competitions. However, over the years, we have witnessed a significant shift in this field, as Yemeni women have begun to achieve exceptional athletic feats and compete strongly in Arab and international arenas.
In this report, we discover the journey of women’s representation in the sports sector, and the rate of Arab and international participation, and we will take a look at the inspiring models of female participants. We will also learn about the types of sports they participate in at Arab and international events.
Women’s Representation in International Competitions
In the world of sports, international events are a leading platform for competition and excellence. In this context, we find Yemeni athletes taking on these big challenges and striving to represent their country with pride and honor. International sporting events play an important role in promoting gender equality, empowering women, and achieving progress and development in the field of sports.
Yemeni champion in the international women’s kickboxing championship, Captain Siham Aamir, says: “Women’s participation in international sporting events is very important. In every competition, there is a competition for men and another for women, with justice and equality. Women’s chances in the tournament far exceed those available to men, especially if women train correctly based on foundations and rules.”
Regarding the rate of Yemeni women’s participation in international tournaments, Aamir explains that the rate of participation in sports was high before the Yemeni crisis. The Women’s Union in Sana’a used to take care of women’s sports and we participated in a large number of tournaments. However, this rate has declined in recent times due to the closure of many women’s unions. There are very few unions and clubs operating, with an increase in male participation compared to females.
Aamir pointed out that despite these challenges, she continues to train at the private International Academy. She works to qualify, train, and prepare several women to participate in foreign tournaments. She continues with her ambitions by seeking to organize internal and external tournaments to enhance women’s participation in sports.
Regarding the rate of Yemeni women’s participation in international competitions, Yasmeen Al-Reemi, a shooting athlete and candidate to participate in the Paris Olympics in July 2024, says: “The rate of women’s participation in international events for Yemen is very low. If there is any, it is little. These low rates can be attributed to the security and political reasons that have affected the general situation in Yemen.”
Achievements and Successes
Siham Aamir is the first Yemeni female combat sports trainer, embodying the spirit of Yemeni athletic women. She has represented Yemen in numerous Arab and international tournaments, earning many gold and silver medals both locally and internationally.
Siham outlined some of her successes and accomplishments in her athletic career, challenging all social and material obstacles, saying: “From 2006 to 2010, I participated in local competitions and managed to win a black belt and more than thirteen medals. In addition, I participated in the Morocco Championship and won a silver medal, and in the Qatar Championship I won a silver and bronze medal.”
She continues: “In 2010, I participated in the Kung Fu Championship and managed to win the gold medal in an Arab Championship. I also participated in the first Kickboxing Championship in 2017 and won the gold medal, earning the title of ‘Golden Girl.’ I also participated in the World Championship in Belarus that same year and won four medals: three silver and one bronze in several fighting styles.”
She also mentioned that in 2018, she participated in the Muay Thai Championship and won the gold medal. In 2019, she participated in the Jordan Championship in Amman and won the gold and silver medals in several fighting styles in kickboxing. In 2023, she won the gold medal in an international competition.
The successes didn’t stop with Captain Siham Aamir. They extended to many Yemeni women, including Yasmeen Nabil Al-Reemi, a national shooting team player and champion of the republic over the past years.
Al-Reemi tells us about her most important participations and successes, saying: “I participated in the Asian Games in China, where I faced the best players and showed my true capabilities. Additionally, I competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was my first opportunity to compete at the highest global level. It was a journey filled with challenges and fierce competition, but I enjoyed every moment representing my country to the best of my ability.”
She continues: “I won an Arab Championship in Sudan and placed third, which was a special experience and a great honor for me. I also placed second in another championship in Cairo, winning the silver medal, which proves my ability to compete and excel even under conditions of limited resources and capabilities, especially in shooting.”
From shooting to fencing, player Nada Ahmad says: “I started my fencing journey in 2009. Since then, I have entered the world of sports and started developing my personality and growing my talents. I learned a lot of positive habits from this sport.”
She continues: “The most prominent highlights of my sporting journey, in which I achieved important accomplishments in my sporting career, include the Republic Championship, where I won the silver medal, and I placed sixth in the Islamic Olympics in Konya. I also participated in the Asian Games.”
There are also many prominent models in this aspect, who have been nominated internationally. Among them is the archery player Hind Abdullah, who has been nominated to participate in the Paris Olympics. Hind says: “I am truly proud of what I have achieved, even though I have not reached what I aspired to, I will continue and I will reach my goal, and I will return to my country with a gold medal from an international competition, when I will have raised the flag of Yemen and heard the national anthem chanted in my name and by my achievement.”
She continues: “I joined the archery sport in 2014, ten years ago, when I was just a university student. I loved discovering this sport, and I suddenly found myself completely attached to it. I won several gold and silver medals nationally, specifically 4 gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze.”
For her part, player Arwa Tariq also shared her experience in judo with us, saying: “I have been playing judo since I was a child, and I have achieved 13 diverse medals in international competitions so far, including gold, silver, and bronze medals. In the past, most sports that women participated in included individual and team combat sports and others.”
She continues: “Currently, the prominent competitions that I participate in are sports events, whether they are Arab, continental, or Olympic. Credit goes to the Yemeni and International Olympic Committee for their efforts to enhance Yemeni participation and promote the role of women in this field.”
Procedures and Conditions
Captain Siham Aamir pointed out that there are fair and equal conditions set by the Olympic or Arab Federation, by inviting to participate to both genders fairly. The weights of women and men are sent appropriately, and the player must be distinctive, creative, and the strongest among his team.
She confirmed that the Yemeni Federation raises concerns among them when it ignores the presence of women in sports and refrains from inviting them to participate in international competitions. This is because there are no women with the necessary qualifications and experience. We assert that we are committed to facing this challenge and are capable of preparing and competing seriously and efficiently.
Meanwhile, the archery player Hind Abdullah mentioned some sports in which Yemeni women participate. She says: “Yemeni players participate in several sports, including table tennis, fencing, archery, air pistol shooting, and judo. Our players excel in many competitions, such as Arab competitions, Asian competitions, and club competitions after national competitions.”
Challenges and Difficulties
In Yemeni society, we face challenges related to social customs and traditions, as well as the family’s view of girls regarding sports. Some families consider sports haram (forbidden) and prohibited for women, and they see it as an activity that women should avoid, according to Captain Aamir.
She continues, “One of the most prominent challenges we face is the lack of awareness about the importance of sports and its health and psychological benefits. Families and society in general lack awareness of the importance of empowering women and opening up opportunities for them to participate in sports. This can be partially attributed to a lack of education and guidance in this regard.”
She also laments the situation in the country, saying, “It is unfortunate that we also see gender discrimination due to the conflict and excessive political divisions. Some individuals may believe that giving women sports opportunities is a challenge to their cultural values and beliefs, leading to restrictions on women’s participation in sports.
Captain Yasmin Al-Reemi stated that women face many challenges in participating in sports comfortably and effectively. One of the most significant challenges is the significant lack of sports fields and facilities dedicated to them. This lack is a major obstacle that prevents women from enjoying the health and spiritual benefits of sports and restricts them from reaching their full athletic potential.
She also points out that the absence of dedicated sports fields for women reflects the prevalence of gender discrimination in society and limits women’s freedom of choice and participation in sports. Women need safe and suitable spaces that enable them to engage in sports without restrictions or problems.
Plans to Improve Women’s Participation
“We see the need to establish a women’s team selected from schools, including girls and young women from all age groups, and make sports a core subject in the same way that other academic subjects are,” says Captain Aamir. “We believe there are rare and strong talents that can be utilized, but they lack excellent management.”
She pointed out, “In our academy, we have directed our efforts towards targeting this group, training them, and preparing them to participate in international tournaments. However, leaders at the Ministry of Youth and Sports and federations should be fully aware of the importance of sports.”
Yasmin Al-Reemi also emphasized the need to increase the number of Yemeni women participating in local and international competitions by working to increase the number of available sports fields and facilities and equipping them with the necessary sports tools.
She concludes, “There should be continuous follow-up and support for female athletes from clubs, coaches, and sports officials to ensure their development and the realization of their full potential. Achieving female participation rates in international events is important and necessary to enhance women’s presence in these tournaments. The International Olympic Committee is a living example of its commitment to promoting women’s participation, as it has imposed a condition requiring 50% female participation.”
