Alia Muhammad – Women in Development and Peace
Amid the ongoing conflict in Yemen, the struggles of Yemeni women seeking their right to education are exacerbated. The ongoing conflicts, social customs and traditions, and the deteriorating economic situation have all combined to create formidable obstacles to the ambitions of Yemeni women to reach higher and academic education in various disciplines.
Education is undoubtedly the cornerstone of empowering women and enabling them to obtain their rights and freedoms. It provides them with the necessary tools and knowledge to actively participate in all aspects of life. Issues related to women’s education in Yemen are a critical and highly contentious topic in Yemeni society. Several social, economic, and cultural factors can hinder their academic and professional progress, which are explored in the report below.
Professor Qasim Al-Mahbashi believes that women are the source of all possible social and cultural development in the country and its core. Sustainable development is not possible without empowering women and engaging them actively in various social, economic, political, and cultural spheres. Investing in empowering women is an investment in a better future for generations to come.
He added that education is the area that has given women their rightful place in modern times. Nothing significant can change in society, the economy, administration, politics, culture, or morals unless there is a profound educational, pedagogical, and psychological transformation in the structure of the human personality. In addition, there is the desire and ability to think and work in a new way with a clear vision. This is what educated women have done – and continue to do – as their education will have a positive impact on their children.
He explained in his speech that women have faced many challenges to make their way into existence and highlight their role in all fields, after being suppressed by male dominance for thousands of years. Women were not mentioned or considered worthy of value and consideration in their own right.
Prevailing Culture and Social Heritage
The traditional social view in Yemeni society, especially in rural, remote, and marginalized areas, has had a negative impact on the reality of women’s education and their enrollment in higher education. This is due to the prevailing stereotypical image that has confined women’s roles to childbearing, raising children, and taking sole responsibility for household chores.
(A. Y. A.) is a Yemeni girl who was unable to complete her higher education due to her father’s refusal to let her enroll in university. He explains his rejection of the idea of university education for girls as being due to the mixing of genders and deviation from customs and traditions.
(A. Y. A.) tells the story of being deprived of university education, saying: “I completed high school with very good marks, and my ambition was to enroll in the College of Commerce, but my father refused because of the social customs and traditions that prevent girls from enrolling in university and interacting with men.”
She added: “I tried to persuade my father but to no avail. I was surprised by his decision and his agreement to my marriage, and I realized that my dream of completing my education was over, and indeed it ended with my marriage to a man much older than me.”
She added: “There are many girls who have not completed their education due to the prevailing societal culture, which some families still adhere to despite the progress and openness we have reached.”
Nasir Muhammad, a deputy in one of the rural schools, confirms that most families in the countryside encourage their sons to pursue education and exclude their daughters. They are content with teaching them to read and write in the early stages of education and up to high school.
Nasir points out that the deprivation of girls from education stems from ignorance about the importance of educating girls and the adherence to tribal customs that don’t encourage girls to pursue education, especially higher education. Additionally, negative stereotypes and gender-based discrimination have contributed to preventing girls from accessing quality educational opportunities.
Gender Discrimination and the Lack of Equal Opportunities
Gender discrimination and the lack of equal opportunities in education are among the biggest challenges facing Yemeni women in completing their education. Even though the enrollment of girls in schools has increased in some Yemeni areas, societal attitudes and biased standards favoring men have continued to be a major obstacle for most women in reaching higher education levels, as their roles are often limited to the social sphere only.
Qasim Al-Muhbashi believes that societies that belittle or diminish the importance of women remain violent, failing to recognize their positive role in promoting sustainable development at both local and global levels.
He states, “Positive traits associated with strength, activity, productivity, and achievement have long been linked to men, and male dominance has been entrenched against women in many cultures and societies. The continued discrimination and inequality between men and women in our modern era is a negative and regrettable phenomenon that evokes astonishment.”
He emphasizes that these practices stem from beliefs, perceptions, opinions, and customs that are deeply rooted in people’s lives, and passed down from generation to generation as patterns and behaviors. Regarding understanding the reasons behind discrimination and violence against women, Al-Muhbashi noted that violence against women in our society and their deprivation of education are connected to gender discrimination, which widens the societal gap between males and females.
He further explained that women face their first violent shock at birth, represented by society’s rejection of their existence as unwelcome beings; if there is any acceptance, it is often reluctant, unlike the birth of a boy, which is celebrated by most families.
When it comes to the types of violence and discrimination against women in our community, Al-Muhbashi stated that “the patterns of violence and discrimination in various aspects of life—social, political, economic, and legal—are multifaceted. They begin by depriving women of the freedom to choose the simplest aspects of their lives, such as speech, clothing, toys, education, marriage, work, participation in public affairs, travel, and tourism, in addition to forms of symbolic violence and economic violence by preventing them from working.”
Economic and Academic Challenges
The deteriorating economic situation in Yemen is one of the biggest barriers preventing women from pursuing higher education and advanced studies. Many Yemeni families live at a low standard of living, making it hard for them to afford the costs of their daughters’ university education. This often forces families to make their daughters drop out of school to help support the household financially. Additionally, the high costs of graduate studies place a heavy financial burden on families, especially given the tough economic conditions in the country.
Moreover, Yemeni women face various academic challenges, including a lack of educational facilities and an unsupportive learning environment that discourages them from continuing their education due to weak institutional and governmental support. Many educational institutions lack targeted programs and initiatives that encourage women to pursue higher education and continue their advanced studies, along with limited available educational programs. Restrictions on movement imposed by certain customs and traditions have also hindered women’s access to universities and educational institutes.
Solutions and Interventions
Activists and specialists in women’s rights call for urgent measures to ensure equal educational opportunities for both genders. They highlight the importance of adopting integrated solutions to empower Yemeni women and enhance their chances of completing their higher education and achieving their aspirations in various fields and disciplines.
They also emphasize the crucial role of both government and private sectors in providing the necessary support for women’s education, such as allocating a dedicated budget for higher education, offering scholarships for various academic specialties distributed equally among males and females, building more universities and higher institutes, and providing essential educational facilities like libraries and laboratories. Additionally, offering training programs for Yemeni women in various fields, including leadership and management skills, is important.
Community awareness about the significance of educating girls, through awareness and educational programs that engage the local community in supporting girls’ education, can help change the prevailing concepts regarding women’s education and encourage families to support their daughters’ education. This way, Yemeni women will be able to complete their higher education and fully realize their potential in various fields.