Yasmine Abdulhafeez – Women in Development and Peace
Official institutions in all societies play a vital role in confronting social phenomena and problems that negatively impact the development and stability of society. They do this by spreading awareness and education on various social issues and phenomena. They are the most important means by which negative behaviors practiced by individuals or groups within society can be mitigated or combated.
Many countries rely on activating the role of official institutions in spreading awareness and addressing phenomena and problems that threaten societal stability. They do this through ongoing awareness campaigns and effective policies aimed at reducing issues that could lead to the escalation of larger problems posing a threat to the future of the country and its citizens.
Among the most important phenomena and problems that official institutions are working hard to raise awareness about the risks of are illiteracy, ignorance, corruption, harassment, early marriage, spinsterhood, school dropouts, gender inequality, discrimination against segments of society, poverty, unemployment, violence in all its forms, human trafficking, theft, the denial of education to girls, and other problems that, as their intensity increases, become phenomena that destroy the tranquility of societies and threaten their future.
The rise in dowry prices has resulted from the depreciation of the Yemeni rial against the dollar. This represents one of the main factors contributing to the increase in spinsterhood, particularly among young women. Previous official statistics, those from before the conflict, indicated that there were over 2 million unmarried women. This number is expected to have doubled due to the difficult economic circumstances and the lack of marriage opportunities. With Yemen’s population increasing to approximately 30 million, the number of women of marriageable age is also increasing, putting more pressure on the marriage market and reinforcing the phenomenon of spinsterhood.
The Role of Official Sectors
Dr. Salwa Braik, Advisor to the Minister of Justice for Women and Children Affairs, highlights the importance of having specialized departments in government institutions to address social problems related to women and children, such as the Ministry of Justice. This Ministry has a special department for women and children. One of its programs focuses on addressing several social phenomena, including spinsterhood. It works on analyzing the various aspects that lead to the exacerbation of these issues, such as the issue of rising dowries, which is considered one of the factors negatively and directly impacting the increase in spinsterhood rates in society.
Dr. Braik indicates that the Women and Children Sector within the Ministry is a specialized department dedicated to addressing women’s and children’s issues. It works to address various social problems surrounding these groups. This sector is not limited to the Ministry of Justice but extends to other ministries, such as the Ministry of Social Affairs, as well as civil society organizations that focus on women’s and children’s issues, and the education sector, which focuses on girls’ education, including those who have dropped out of school.
Dr. Braik adds, “Awareness of these phenomena is achieved through various methods, such as organizing discussion sessions and dialogue groups that bring together experts and members of the community to discuss these problems. There are also awareness seminars aimed at raising community awareness regarding specific issues and distributing awareness brochures containing real-life stories to illustrate the risks and consequences of the persistence of these phenomena.”
These efforts demonstrate that institutions aim to address issues in depth and seek effective solutions to problems that affect women and children, strengthening societal stability and contributing to its progress.
The Educational Institutions
Spinsterhood in Yemeni society has become more prevalent in recent years due to many economic, cultural, and social factors exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in the country. The decline in the performance of oversight and security institutions has further aggravated this phenomenon. Spinsterhood can be seen as part of a broader impact of the difficult circumstances that Yemen is experiencing.
Educational institutions play a crucial role in addressing social phenomena like spinsterhood, especially in a society like Yemen, which faces complex economic and social challenges. Education, whether at the primary or higher level, is a powerful platform for instilling awareness and promoting concepts that help change societal behavior regarding issues such as delayed marriage.
The role of educational institutions in changing the concept of “spinsterhood” is the key to creating positive social change in Yemen by raising awareness and providing support to individuals and the community. Schools play various roles, like promoting more progressive ideas about marriage and being single in their curriculums, emphasizing that delaying marriage or choosing not to marry is a personal decision and shouldn’t be tied to social stigma or the label of being a spinster.
They also help empower women economically through professional and academic opportunities, reducing their dependence on marriage for financial security. Plus, they open discussions with students and community members, challenging traditional views that see marriage as the ultimate goal for women. Schools work on educating younger generations about women’s rights, including their right to make life choices without social or family pressure. They aim to change the stereotype that delaying marriage is a flaw in a woman’s worth; instead, it can be part of an individual’s freedom to chart their life path.
Teacher Rashid Al-Bakali, from Raima Governorate, highlights education’s role in tackling the issue of spinsterhood in Yemen through various factors that make educated women more attractive for marriage, leading to a decrease in spinsterhood rates.
He explains that educated women are better equipped to handle the challenges of married life and finances, making them more desirable partners, and that they have a deeper understanding of the essentials of a marriage built on love and respect, which helps ensure a healthy and stable marital life.
He added, “Education gives women the ability to raise their children properly and support their education, positively impacting the family and society. They become more knowledgeable about how to achieve marital happiness and maintain a harmonious relationship with their partner. Plus, education opens up job opportunities for women, allowing them to help their husbands ease the financial burdens facing the family.”
He emphasized that educated women are better at resolving marital disputes and overcoming challenges, thanks to their knowledge and awareness of the importance of understanding and forgiveness. Education also enables women to attain a respected social status, making them even more appealing for marriage and helping reduce spinsterhood rates.
One teacher, who chose to remain anonymous, raises a question: “How can we educate our students to combat the issue of spinsterhood when the educational process is itself facing several challenges?”
She points out that Yemen’s educational system is facing many difficulties that directly affect its ability to fulfill its role in social awareness, including raising awareness of issues like spinsterhood. These challenges include overcrowded classrooms, with over a hundred students in each, making it tough for teachers to effectively convey information. There’s also a lack of furniture, textbooks, and essential teaching tools, which hinders the educational process significantly, along with shortages of teaching staff and a tough economic situation.
Another teacher at a primary school speaks about the role of education in building communities and developing nations, explaining how education can be the key to overcoming various issues, like unemployment and spinsterhood. However, she points out that the situation in Yemen faces significant challenges that make it hard to achieve these benefits.
She continues, “The challenges faced by youth in Yemen represent a painful reality. Many graduates obtain degrees only to find themselves unemployed, which forces some to put their degrees away, never to be seen again. Young people get lost in life’s problems, and without jobs, they struggle to navigate through life, which affects their ability to marry and start a family.” She wonders, “How can we eliminate spinsterhood when our youth lack the means to get married?”
The Role of Higher Education
Najiba Farhan, a university student from Al-Hodeidah, sees higher education as a crucial part of society. She believes it plays a key role in raising awareness on several social issues, especially since it provides young people equipped with knowledge and education who can change societal behaviors and ideas, leading their country towards a more developed and prosperous reality.
Farhan says, “We need to establish awareness programs in all universities, colleges, and institutes across various specializations, addressing all the phenomena and problems that are plaguing people in Yemen and threatening their generations and future, including the phenomenon of spinsterhood, which is increasing every year.”
She adds, “Developing educational curricula to include topics related to the importance of marriage and the dangers of avoiding it could be an effective step in combating spinsterhood in Yemeni society. This also includes raising awareness about how to facilitate marriage for young people, the consequences of high dowries, and combating customs, traditions, and social pressures that contribute to the spread of spinsterhood in Yemeni society. This should be accompanied by organizing awareness workshops and discussion sessions about the need to combat this phenomenon.”
For her part, university student Khulood Salim, from Taiz, points to the importance of having a university course that covers all university majors, including awareness of all social problems and phenomena present in Yemeni society, and the ways and means to combat and eliminate them.
Salim emphasizes that having such courses and teaching them across all qualifications would strengthen awareness among individuals and ensure a brighter future for countries free of social problems and phenomena, including the phenomenon of spinsterhood.
Combating spinsterhood in Yemen is a significant challenge. Education can play a pivotal role in mitigating this phenomenon by raising awareness among young people about the importance of education as a means of improving economic and social opportunities. This enables young people to make more informed decisions about marriage. Curricula can also help change negative perceptions associated with marriage and promote gender equality.