Women in Development and Peace – Alia Mohammed
The world has witnessed a noticeable increase in the number of women working in the diplomatic field, confirming the importance of women’s participation in international decision-making. Studies and global indicators indicate that women’s involvement in ministries and parliaments enhances their role and allows them to make decisions and policies that bring about positive change in society.
The participation of Yemeni women in diplomatic work has sparked a significant transformation in both the political and economic realms, elevating their diplomatic capabilities and effective contributions to the country’s actual development, despite their relatively small numbers. In previous decades, the diplomatic field was predominantly male-dominated, with minimal or nonexistent female involvement. However, with the evolving roles of women in politics, economics, and society in recent times, they have demonstrated their competence in engaging in the political and diplomatic arena, which plays a vital role in achieving sustainable development and fostering economic opportunities within society.
The significance of women diplomats in the national economy lies in their ability to enhance international relations through the creation of fresh opportunities for economic cooperation across various sectors. Women diplomats offer a unique perspective on international relations, enabling them to identify solutions that open new channels for economic collaboration, build trust and understanding between nations. Additionally, women diplomats have the power to portray a positive image of their country in international forums, thereby encouraging investors to contribute their resources and supporting the exportation of national goods. This can be accomplished by accessing new markets for local products and establishing relationships with foreign companies, thus facilitating an increase in exports.
The work of Yemeni women in the diplomatic field helps open doors to new economic opportunities with countries around the world and achieves diversity in strategic economic decisions that enhance the national economy in various sectors. Many experiences have shown the positive impact left by women working in the diplomatic field in the realm of the economy.
Expanding Avenues to Bolster Economic Development
Diplomatic work relies on the concept of shared interests and is built upon the foundation of international relations and trust between countries. Women excel in dealing with these concepts in a unique way, contributing to a qualitative leap in supporting the country’s economic development, despite their small numbers. In previous decades, women’s participation in diplomatic work may have been minimal or nonexistent, as the field was predominantly dominated by men. However, with the evolving roles of women in politics, economics, and society, they have proven their worth in engaging in the political and diplomatic arena, which is crucial for achieving sustainable development and promoting economic opportunities within society.
Sami Mohammed Qasim, an economics professor at Aden University, explained that women’s nature focuses more on agreement and convergence than on division and differences. Their inclination to avoid conflicts and disputes makes them more suited to lead negotiations related to social and economic aspects, while men are generally closer to military and political matters. Hence, it is not surprising to find that most developmental and economic negotiations in advanced countries are led by women. In fact, the majority of international humanitarian and economic organizations are led by women.
He further added that women’s work in the diplomatic field is a legal right guaranteed by the law as long as they are academically qualified and possess the necessary expertise to contribute to economic development. The process of integrating women into the diplomatic field has a strong and significant societal impact by leveraging their capabilities in economic, social, and developmental domains, making them an important and influential part of society.
Qasim emphasized the importance of the role of women diplomats in the economic empowerment process with the countries they represent, by presenting a positive image to investors about Yemen’s significant and distinct economic potential. It instills confidence in the external community that Yemen’s economy is open to all investors in various fields.
He also highlighted the relationship between women’s participation in diplomatic work and the achievement of sustainable economic opportunities, which lies in building bridges and relationships with other countries and institutions to enhance development prospects. This can be accomplished by attracting foreign investments and opening new markets for local products.
Attaining Long-lasting Economic Opportunities
The participation of women in diplomatic work contributes to facilitating effective participation for women in the diplomatic and political fields. It also encourages other women to participate in various fields, especially in the current circumstances, which leads to promoting gender equality.
Yemeni women play a significant role in shedding light on opportunities to improve the business environment. They possess diverse experiences in various fields such as law, economics, and history, which positively impact the economic situation. Their participation encourages investment and creates new job opportunities.
Mohammed Qahtan, an economic expert, emphasized that women possess different and effective skills in the field of diplomacy. Many Yemeni women have expertise and knowledge in economics and politics, making them more qualified to shoulder responsibilities, make sensitive economic decisions, and find innovative solutions that achieve economic development for the country. This has a tangible impact on diplomacy in Yemen and empowers women to make economic decisions and directions that benefit the country.
He further states that women’s work in diplomatic positions abroad has a positive impact on economic development and enables women to participate more effectively and influentially compared to their participation in domestic government positions. This impact is primarily felt at the economic and social levels, benefiting women first and foremost, as well as the society at large.
The economic costs of Yemen’s diplomatic work abroad are significant, which burdens the state’s budget. However, reducing the number of employees in the diplomatic field and replacing them with qualified female staff could save the state significant amounts of foreign expenditure. Additionally, the presence of qualified Yemeni women in embassies, consulates, and diplomatic units by a certain percentage would reduce the number of employees dependent on foreign currency expenditure, positively impacting Yemen’s payment balance.
Women’s work in the diplomatic corps is essential for contributing to enhancing economic relations between countries and supporting international trade. The presence of women in the diplomatic field will positively contribute to opening important economic opportunities in investment and developmental economic programs, as stated by global economic reports.
Furthermore, women’s involvement will assist in making economic decisions within a strategic development vision in various fields. This, in turn, will reflect on a more just and sustainable society, create an equal and diverse working environment by providing job opportunities for women, encourage their economic participation, ensure equality, and address economic challenges. Moreover, it will enhance women’s participation in peacebuilding processes and negotiations.
Crucial Measures to Amplify Economic Opportunities
“The launch of political reforms, the establishment of security and stability, and the consolidation of the system and the rule of law are important prerequisites for achieving any sustainable improvement regarding women’s outcomes.” This was confirmed by a study published in 2014 titled “The Status of Yemeni Women: From Aspiration to Opportunity”. The study also pointed out that political transition and women’s free participation in constitutional reforms and elections are important steps to enhance comprehensive development opportunities. Continuous efforts are necessary to promote women’s participation in civil and political life, through equal activation of quotas, guidance and counseling, capacity building, and mobilization of support.
Regarding the status of Yemeni women in the diplomatic field, Mohammed Qahtan believes that diplomatic work is currently very inflated, as most of its staff are not qualified for diplomatic work. This calls for comprehensive reforms for all diplomatic personnel, and women are not influential enough in this field due to this inflation.
He also affirmed that the reform process should coincide with the empowerment of women in diplomatic participation, at the level of embassies, consulates, and diplomatic units worldwide, by at least 30%, in line with the outputs of the National Dialogue Conference agreed upon by all political and social forces. He added that the document stipulates that women should have the right to participate in leadership positions in the state by 30%. It is worth noting that the Yemeni diplomatic corps needs the presence of qualified female personnel to assume leadership positions due to their importance in various Yemeni embassies and consulates abroad, and to achieve a positive impact on the Yemeni economy.
Several stakeholders in the economic field emphasize the importance of supporting the participation of Yemeni women in diplomatic work, providing equal opportunities for men and women to reach senior positions, believing in the capabilities and potential of women. This can be achieved through joint efforts from all relevant parties to enhance economic opportunities for women in the diplomatic field, remove obstacles hindering their participation, and encourage them to develop their economic and diplomatic skills according to modern standards. It is important to work within plans and programs to enhance women’s role in various diplomatic areas, in order to achieve gender justice in the diplomatic field and promote economic opportunities for women.