Alia Mohammed – Women in Development and Peace
Yemeni women in the public sector have unique experiences that meet the needs of the community. They are key partners in the process of change and positive transformation within government institutions in Yemen. Their presence in the public sector promotes fair representation of women in decision-making and advances gender equality. Yemeni women working in government institutions have played a crucial role in achieving community development and have made a significant mark in their careers.
A large percentage of Yemeni women in public sector institutions have enjoyed unique experiences and insights that have contributed to meeting community needs, particularly in social, health, and educational issues. They possess a genuine understanding and deep knowledge of societal issues, areas, and challenges. They are also able to prioritize and develop policies and programs that promote comprehensive development and create an environment that fosters innovation and sustainability. This report highlights some women who have achieved tangible success in various Yemeni government institutions.
A Female Role Model in Agricultural Media Management
Nabeeha Ahmad Mahdhoor, Director of Agricultural Media at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation in Dhamar Governorate, is one of the prominent and pioneering Yemeni women in the Ministry of Agriculture in her region. Nabeeha has gone through various career stages, starting as an agricultural advisor, then head of the Rural Women’s Activities Department, and finally Director of Agricultural Media at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
Nabeeha says, “I joined the government sector in 2002 as a contractor with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. Initially, I worked as an agricultural advisor until 2004, when I obtained a permanent position. An administrative decision was issued appointing me as Head of the Rural Women’s Activities Department within the Rural Women’s Development Directorate.”
She adds, “During this period, especially while working on the Rural Development Project, to which I was nominated through the Ministry of Agriculture, I worked as a crop extension specialist in Jahran District. I received intensive training in agriculture, marketing, and training of trainers, which helped shape my personality and understanding in my field of expertise. I also constantly strive to develop my skills and abilities personally by attending training courses in various fields that contribute to my professional and personal development.”
In 2015, Nabeeha was nominated to head the Agricultural Media Department, which was newly established within the Ministry’s administrative structure. In 2016, an administrative decision was issued promoting her to Director of Media at the Ministry of Agriculture. In the same year, she received her Master’s degree in Local Development from the Faculty of Administrative Sciences at Dhamar University. In 2018, she obtained a diploma in Radio and Television Program Preparation and Presentation, and several certificates for training courses in journalism and media locally and regionally.
Nabeeha didn’t limit herself to her professional roles within her institution. She participated in several exhibitions showcasing rural women’s products, both at the Ministry of Agriculture level and within the governorate. She implemented awareness and education programs for rural women in agricultural and family matters, primarily targeting rural women. She trained farmers and farmworkers in agricultural extension, media training, and other areas. She also worked on several development projects in her field of expertise.
The Importance of Having Women in Leadership Positions
The role of women within government institutions cannot be overstated. Nabeeha Mahdhoor believes that women are essential partners in societal and economic development, and this importance extends beyond men alone. Having women in leadership roles is a requirement to enhance their impact in top administrative positions and improve overall administrative performance within government organizations. Furthermore, women contribute to achieving more successful outcomes across various fields.
Balancing the workforce in the workplace represents a genuine transformation in work culture and a successful approach to accessing resources and clients on a broad scale. It is crucial to equip working women in various specialties with the necessary administrative and technical skills. Achieving this involves creating opportunities and training programs that empower women to make informed decisions and strengthen their leadership roles within their organizations.
A Female Model from The Ministry of Industry and Commerce
An inspiring example comes from Samah Al-Khawlani, Director of Commercial Areas and Economic Blocs in the Foreign Trade Sector at the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Sana’a. She realized her dream of reaching an administrative position through passion and determination.
Samah Muhammad Al-Khawlani, who holds a master’s degree in diplomacy and international relations, embarked on her professional journey at an early age during middle and high school. Her first job was as a sales and distribution representative for batteries, where she distributed products to nearby stores.
She adds: “Being self-reliant and taking responsibility has always been my primary motivation to continue working. I had a determination to prove myself to others and to be a productive member of society. At a young age, I secured a job in the private sector, specifically at an electronics company. I can confidently say that my professional journey began there, gradually progressing over time.”
Starting in a receptionist role, Samah’s career took an unexpected turn when the head of accounts in the accounting department offered her a position. Despite her limited experience and initial unfamiliarity with accounting work, her ambition and passion drove her forward.
She continues: “I had a great passion and love for learning, to the point where I accepted any task assigned to me. Eventually, I joined a government institution, where the work was entirely different from the private sector.”
Samah worked in the accounting department at the ministry and later joined the foreign trade department. It was during this time that she realized her dream job, even though it required intense focus, coordination, and involvement in international agreements with governments and organizations.
Throughout her journey, Samah encountered numerous situations that motivated her to participate in training and qualification programs. These experiences helped hone her skills in various scientific fields, contributing to her professional growth.
Samah Muhammad Al-Khawlani’s journey has been marked by various stages and impactful moments. Her first salary was 9,000 Yemeni rials, and when she requested an increase, she faced rejection due to not having completed her academic studies like her colleagues. However, this only fueled her determination to continue learning. She participated in various internal and external training programs.
Working in the government sector was vastly different from the private sector, opening up diverse opportunities for Samah. With the support of those around her, she engaged in numerous activities and small projects. She became an entrepreneur, an advocate for children and women’s issues, and joined several associations. Notably among these are the Arab Union, specializing in economics and investment; membership in the World Trade Organization, with a liaison and coordination office; and membership in the BRICS group.
In her interview, Al-Khawlani highlighted the significant role her family played in supporting her throughout her professional journey.
A Female Leader in the Ministry of Education
“I always wanted to be part of the solution for various educational issues, whether it’s in the field of education or at the Ministry of Education headquarters,” begins Nahid Omar Salim, Director General of the General Directorate of E-Learning and consultant for the “ISO” 21001 standards for educational institution management system. This is how she starts her story with us about her success and assuming a leadership and administrative position in the Ministry of Education in Aden.
She explains: “I went through all the stages that shaped my personality. I started volunteering in the teaching process while I was an undergraduate student, and then I was hired as a teacher in 2008. I taught for several years. After that, I moved to the Ministry’s general headquarters in Sana’a and worked in the education sector, then in the curriculum and guidance sector. Meanwhile, I did not neglect training myself and qualifying myself in administration, the English language, and several modern skills. This gave me a big push to advance professionally in my work at the Ministry of Education headquarters.”
Nahid is the first woman to be appointed to the e-learning administration in a government ministry. She currently holds the position of Director General of E-Learning and is also a PhD candidate in the field of curriculum and teaching methods for artificial intelligence in education.
Regarding the importance of women in leadership positions in government institutions, Nahid Omar believes, based on her experience, that having women in leadership roles encourages all women to continue their education and work on developing themselves in various fields. This also provides great motivation for women and makes them feel like they are part of society and have an influential role. This gives them a sense of job security and responsibility toward their work and colleagues, provided there are competence, professional, personal, and institutional qualifications.
She affirmed to Women in Development and Peace newspaper that the presence of women in government work enhances the ability to respond positively to the needs of society. In addition, achieving gender balance in government work will contribute to building more progressive and sustainable societies for all. This ultimately leads to achieving sustainable development for the country in various fields and specializations.
Obstacles and Challenges
Many women working in government institutions have faced various obstacles and challenges, which vary according to cultural, legislative, social, and other factors.
Nabeeha Mahdhoor believes that societal bias is one of the biggest challenges facing women working in government institutions. Women face social pressure and societal bias towards their role in the institution, as they are considered unsuitable for some jobs or leadership positions related to decision-making. Furthermore, women may face salary-related challenges.
She states, “At the beginning of my work in the government, I was employed for two years without a salary. Despite the distance, I would attend work during official hours without interruption until I obtained a job title in 2004.”
Describing her experience working in a patriarchal agricultural society in a region governed by customs and traditions, she calls it a difficult experience. This required her to put in a great effort on a personal, cognitive, and professional level to firmly establish her presence in society and create a language of communication between herself and all individuals, especially those she interacts with.
She emphasized that her determination to pursue higher education was a strong motivator for achieving her dream and success in her field of work. She did not stop at just completing high school, but she was keen on completing her university education, earning a bachelor’s degree, and then a master’s degree in Local Development from the College of Administrative Sciences, University of Dhamar, in 2016.
She also pointed out one of the main difficulties she faced in her government work: family obligations, and being a wife and mother at a young age. This caused her a lot of psychological stress. Balancing family, education, and work is not easy and requires a lot of effort and fatigue. However, with the cooperation of her family, organizing and managing her time, she reached the position she deserved. She was able to balance family, education, and personal academic and cognitive development with administrative and professional work.
She continues by saying, “Success in a professional career and obtaining leadership positions depends primarily on multiple qualifications and experiences in various fields. This has enabled me to hold my position with merit and achieve a high level of positive competition in my work environment.”
She directed a message to government employers emphasizing the need for them to believe in the capabilities of Yemeni women and allow them to reach leadership positions without bias towards men. They also need to work on distributing training and qualification opportunities equally among men and women working in government jobs.
On the other hand, Nahid Omar explained that one of the most important challenges she faced in her work as a woman holding a leadership position in a government institution is the absence of a culture among top decision-makers regarding the importance of enhancing the participation of working women, their role, and their integration with their male colleagues in development programs and projects. This challenge is compounded by political patronage.
She emphasized the importance of setting goals and aspirations for every woman who wants to participate in decision-making within her government institutions. She also stressed the need to increase their administrative and technical efficiency and develop their work through learning new skills that keep pace with the requirements of the job market, such as negotiation, persuasion, and networking. She also emphasized the need to adopt policies and procedures that promote equality and provide equal opportunities for women to advance and develop professionally, as well as provide a safe work environment.