Yemen's "Airplanes of the Sick"

Photo of a Yemeni hospital, via http://al-shorfa.com/ar/articles/meii/features/2012/12/07/feature-01

"Airplane of the Sick" is what employees at Cairo Airport call the Yemenia plane that arrives from Yemen. Why? because on that plane, there are often a number of sick people arriving for medical treatment.

Anyone who flew on Yemenia, from Yemen to either Cairo or Jordan will notice the high number of sick patients on the plane, some even laying down in critical condition. On several occasions, patients have died on the plane.

Despite the progress Yemen has made to expand its health care system, it remains severely underdeveloped and therefore many try to seek medical treatment abroad.

Of course the rich can afford to travel to the Gulf, Europe and the U.S. for yearly checkups and medical examinations. In fact, former President Saleh himself had to fly out of the country when the Presidential palace was attacked and he was severely wounded. In the 33 years of his rule, his regime did not even invest in one decent hospital where he could have went for treatment!

The "lucky" ones in Yemen, manage to borrow money or sell what they can to travel to India, Jordan, Egypt or sometimes Lebanon for medical treatment.

However, for the majority of society, clinics and hospitals are rare, overcrowded and expensive. In fact, only 25 percent of rural areas (where majority of population resides) have health services as compared to 80 percent of urban areas.

Even basic cases such as giving birth can be deadly in Yemen. It is unbelievable for example that eight women die giving birth every day.

Most people have to travel quite a distance to get to a clinic or hospital. When they do, it is often extremely expensive. With no health insurance, if a life threatening disease infects someone, or an accident occurs, people have to either borrow money to pay for the expenses, or accept the harsh reality that they can not afford the treatment and therefore must wait to die.

My relative was lucky, she has a large family who helped with her expenses. Six months ago, Ina'am, a young school administrator in her late 20's suddenly became sick. When she went to get a blood test she fell in a coma for a couple of months. When she woke up, she could not speak or move, but she was aware of her surroundings. The doctors could not identify the cause of the problem, and therefore, as is often the case, they recommended that she seek treatment abroad.

After sending her medical file to India and Egypt (where costs are relatively affordable and there are no problems with visas for Yemenis) doctors there did not accept her case. Doctors in Saudi Arabia accepted her case but she could not get a visa. Then finally, a hospital in Jordan accepted her case, and because Yemenis do not need a visa, she was able to go there. Her family borrowed money and sold some things so they could afford to pay for two round-trip tickets, housing rental, and of course medical costs.

When they arrived in Jordan, the doctors examined her and said in front of her (she was conscious and could hear): "why did you bring her here? this is pointless! did you bring her to die in Jordan or what?!"

This careless cruel way of speaking was extremely hurtful, disrespectful and unprofessional. Ina'am returned to Yemen and miraculously got better, she even began speaking. Little did we know that it was the body's way of rejuvenating itself to allow her to say goodbye to the family. She passed away three days ago without a proper diagnosis.

In our efforts to promote change in Yemen, lets not only focus on political rights, but also on basic rights such as demanding our right for affordable and accessible health care.

Reclaiming our public sphere - Enough Harassment!

I recently arrived in Tunis to attend a training course. On the first day, we finished at 7 pm.  I went to my room to finish a paper but I couldn't sit in front of the computer after such an intense day, so  I decided to go out and walk around for a bit.

I was having a nice walk in a main open road, enjoying the refreshing weather.   Then, a young man passed me and was a bit too close to me, so I moved quickly in a panic, and as he passed by I laughed at my paranoid action.  Why was I so jumpy I asked myself?!  Then I wondered if it had something to do with the last time I visited this beautiful city. 

In June, I was here on a very short work trip.  After lunch, I had to go back to the office, located on the fourth floor of a downtown building.  As I stepped out of the elevator I began walking through the double doors, to reach the office.  Before I got to the door, a man happened to be there and asked me where something was, I told him I didn't know.  Then I began walking away, but I felt a hand on my shoulder.  I turned around, and as I did that, he came very close to me, and started yelling at me to shut up, then he pushed me towards the wall, where he cornered me and tried to kiss me.  

I panicked, froze, but managed to push him away, while thinking to myself, "maybe this is not the right floor, what if no one is here, who is going to hear me if he rapes me!!"  This made me panic even more. 

I wanted to scream, I wanted to yell, but words wouldn't come out. 

I don't know how long this lasted, probably five minutes, but it felt like a lifetime.  

Eventually, I managed to raise my voice, somehow pushing him away, and he left.  Slowly, I walked towards the door,  and with a shaking hand opened it.  

At the office, people noticed my shocked and pale face.  We wanted to file a police report, but figured it was pointless and I didn't have much time there (in retrospect, I think I still should've).  Instead, we told the guard of the building, and asked him to keep an eye out.

Anyway, it seems that this incident was what caused me to panic as that man passed by me; so realizing that, I  smiled, because I was happy that this story didn't prevent me from going out in a new city alone.

Moments later - only in a coincidence that only seems to happen in the movies- another man passed by in the sidewalk.  This time, I was sure nothing will happen, but from a bit far, I saw that the man was beginning to move closer to my side of the sidewalk; I told myself that I'm imagining, but he kept coming closer until he was close enough to say something, and touched my ass!  

My heart started racing, and I sped off, without turning back until five minutes later when I found him standing far away.  

I was so upset that I didn't yell or slap him.  

Why did I let him make me feel uncomfortable?

why did I let him own this public street?

Florence + the Machine's song popped in my head:

"You hit me once, I hit you back

You gave a kick

I gave a slap"

but, that didn't happen.  I didn't hit, kick or slap.  I just walked away upset with myself.

Logically, I know I shouldn't be harsh on myself, and should only be upset with these men, but a part of me can't help but be upset about my own reaction as well.  

It infuriates me that these incidents happen too often.  We are told to ignore it, and we are encouraged not to talk or write about it, because if we do, then people will ask us what we did, or what we were wearing to merit such actions!

The truth is, sexual harassment happens everywhere, and can happen anywhere. These incidents occur in many countries throughout the world.  At this point, I don't want to theorize or analyze these incidents, I just wrote this to let off steam, and to remind men that they don't own the public sphere.  It's time for us to reclaim it.

Enough is enough!!!

Reading should be a right not a privilege

Yesterday when I was riding Berlin's metro to return home, an old woman was sitting in front of me.  She reminded me so much of my grandmother.  She was the German clone of Mama Sayyida! She had the same kind eyes, with the contradictory upset attitude she was giving the person next to her who was sitting a bit too close.  The woman moved her lips indicating discomfort, the same way my grandmother does.  I almost laughed out loud and wanted to get up and hug her.  She then looked down and continued to read.  Yes READ!

While this is a very normal activity in many countries, in Yemen where 60 percent of women are illiterate, reading is in fact a privilege.

A recent event popped in my mind reminding me of a time when mama Sayyida was ill. She was in the hospital and the family was gathered around her. I went out to buy water for everyone and found a magazine with a nice article. I bought it thinking she would like the topic, and it could give her something to do to pass the time while she's at the hospital.

When I came back I gave it to her, and she said: "thanks, there are many nice pictures in this magazine". It was at THAT moment that I remembered my grandmother can’t read. Of course I knew this all along, but I never really internalized it until then.

I also realized something else: the transformation of my family. Mama Sayyida, can’t read or write, my mother graduated from high school, and I have a masters degree.  This in fact is a testimony of the very small incremental changes in our society, but there are many other women who have not had this chance.

Three generations of Yemeni women (from left to right: me, mama & mama Sayyida)

There are thousands of young woman, who not only can't access facebook or twitter, but in fact have never learned to read or write.  They were either banned because there was no school in their village, or the commute was too long, or because they had to work to help the family, or because they married young, or the fact that the state does not implement a law making education obligatory nor provide the proper services for it.

Today, many are speaking about the importance of women's political participation, and while this is in fact important, we should not neglect the urgent need for women's access to health care and education.  Unfortunately, many gender rights group focus only on the political rights ignoring the other basic rights, and by doing so, they alienate a big chunk of the population.

I remember when I was visiting a village near the capital.  I was walking around, and met an extremely brilliant six-year old boy.  We talked and he invited me to meet his mother.  He took me to their house, and when I entered, I noticed that the mother had a sick child laying next to her.

When she saw me, she asked me, "can you read?" I said yes.  She said: "my husband bought this medicine, but I don't know how to give it to my child, and he's not home."  I took the bottle and read the instructions out loud to her.  I coincidentally happened to be there, but what about the many times, when no one is around to help?

During the time we were camped in Change Square, some women began a literacy course in one of the tents precisely highlighting this as a major priority for women.  This was an amazing opportunity for women to engage, learn and become active in their societies.

Let us all work together to demand concrete changes, and demand from the government to bring back the literacy program that it used to implement in the past.  We also must make the rights to education and health care as top political priorities in the national dialogue conference (which began on March 2013 and is scheduled to end in August 2013).

Women of Yemen March for Peace

On International Women's Day, a group of female and male activists marched in the old city of Sana'a.  It was a stand against armed conflict, emphasizing the role of women in peacekeeping.

Women switched the traditional Zamil poetry of war, to recite zamil poetry of peace, which included the following verse:

"We are the girls and women of peace.. if war approaches we close its' doors."

Arab women do not need "saving", just solidarity

Last week in Cairo, an Egyptian organization held a conference entitled "Women's Empowerment" tackling a variety of topics including corruption, trafficking, gender based violence, gender wage gaps, and sexual violence. The case studies and speakers focused mostly on Western countries and the problems women face there, highlighting Christianity as the impediment to gender equality. The surprising aspect of this conference is that none of the similar violations in the Middle East or Muslim countries were discussed. This shocked one of the attendees who said that these issues are not strictly "Western" they are found all over the globe.

Indeed they are.

Now, I ask you to look at the previous paragraph and substitute the word "Egyptian" with "International", the word "Western" with "Arab or Muslim" and "Christianity" with "Islam". Would you still be shocked by such a conference? Majority of people would not, because that kind of tone has become the norm today. [The first conference I mention above in Cairo did not really take place, I was just flipping the situation around to make a point].

I'm not against addressing religious or cultural barriers to gender equality, I think it is necessary, I merely find it counter-productive when the focus is mainly on these aspects because people become reactionary and do not engage honestly in such discussions.  It also voids the discussion from important political/economic/class dimensions of the struggle.

Since the start of the Yemeni uprising many activists have been invited to a number of conferences to discuss the revolution, women's rights or the Arab spring. Many have taken this as an opportunity to highlight issues often neglected in main stream media, and to correct some of the misunderstandings. Lately however, some international conferences on women's rights made these female activists feel uncomfortable during the discussions, as the focus was on "saving" women in Arab or Muslim majority countries, as if they are the only women suffering from gender inequality.

Activists are not denying that there are a number of obstacles facing women in many of the Arab countries, but that does not mean that women in other places do not have to struggle as well.

The way women's situation is sometimes discussed today is reminiscent of colonial rhetoric about "saving" women from oppression and the need to "educate" these women (with the superiority it implies). While in the past it was based on religious superiority, today it's from a secular perspective but with similar undertones.

In many international conferences, photographs of Muslim women are often the icon for oppression and the focus is on religious interpretations and cultural traditions only, without a look into the history of oppressive regimes that have long neglected gender equality.

Too often conferences only highlight cultural and religious reasons for women's oppression forgetting to also indulge in discussion on history and political developments. As Professor Lila Abu-Lughod wrote "the question is why knowing about the "culture" of the region, and particularly its religious beliefs and treatment of women, was more urgent than exploring the history of the development of repressive regimes in the region."

This unfortunately turns the discussion into a polarized East v. West, rather than a worldwide struggle for women. I am not someone who believes in the dichotomy between "East" and "West" because I believe in the human spirit, in the fact that we all share common beliefs, goals and aspirations clothed in different cultural traditions. I do not like when things are reduced to such measures, and I find it to be counterproductive as many people respond with reactionary views simply to hide their wounded pride.

When conducting such events, organizers should pay attention to the tone of the discussion and it is imperative for women leaders around the world to emphasize Solidarity - as some international groups already do -  through partnerships and exchange of ideas, stories of struggles and lessons learned from all over the globe.

A long road ahead for Yemeni women

First published in Open Democracy
  
Three months before the start of the revolution, Southern Movement activist Zahra Salih, was arrested in the city of Aden on 8 November 2010 and held incommunicado for months without access to a lawyer. Zahra told Amnesty International that, “prior to her release, she was ordered to sign a declaration pledging to cease her activities in the Southern Movement and to get married, which she refused to do.”

Zahra was an anomaly in a society where street and public activism was male dominated. Yet, the Yemeni revolution in January 2011 changed that perception as thousands of single and married women went out to the street. The visibility of these women in the public arena became an iconic symbol of women’s empowerment. In comparison to other Arab spring states, the sheer number of Yemeni women in the streets for a period of 12 months became a point of pride for Yemeni citizens.
These women came from various backgrounds. It was not just women from elite educated urban circles. On  the contrary, it was women from urban and rural areas, educated and illiterate, rich and poor who came together in solidarity with the Yemeni men to call for freedom. The squares of change became the epicentre of networking, learning and awareness raising.

Women in the public sphere
Women participated by being in the front lines, volunteering at the various committees in the squares, nursing the wounded, making food for the revolutionaries, documenting the uprising, and by encouraging their family members to hold steadfast. Many mothers camped in Change Square with their husbands, and children. The gathering of the family in this public arena, day and night, was a transformation for some who are not accustomed to mixing in public as this cartoon illustration by Kamal Sharaf shows.

Man: “God help us, I hope no one we know see us.” Mouse: “see how wide the street is, this is how much I love you"

 
During the beginning of the revolution this mixing was common (with time this changed). In fact many fathers, brothers, and husbands encouraged their female relatives to participate. Some female medical volunteers and other protesters even slept in the squares without their male guardians, challenging cultural taboos. In a society where women’s portraits are not commonly seen on large billboards, Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkul Karman’s photo has spread throughout the squares and men proudly hung her photo in their tents.

By being openly active in the streets, women leaders uttered their names publicly, and became figures on their own merit - not necessarily through family lineage. Their male relatives proudly accepted this, despite the fact that it is customary for some traditional men in Yemen not to reveal the names of their female relatives, and instead refer to them as “the family”.

Shayma al-Ahdal, contributed to the facebook group the uprising of women in the Arab world with a photo of herself and the words: “my name is Shaymaa al-Ahadal and I am with the uprising of women in the Arab world... my brother is too embarrassed to declare my name and my mother’s name”. The facebook group received a significant number of contributions from Yemeni women stating their own personal demands. Many focused on health reform because of the extremely high maternal mortality rate, the gender gap in literacy rates, the low number of political participation (only one woman in parliament), and social norms.

Articulating gender-specific demands was not a top priority for many female revolutionaries in 2011 who placed them in the broader framework of revolutionary discourse of equality and justice. Even after women were beaten by Islamist hardliners in the square, and even after a gender-segregation policy began by building a dividing wall in the square after months of mixing, the discourse remained in the broader framework of equal citizenship. Authors of the “Strong voice” report noted that the Charter of the peaceful Youth Revolution - which was the document formulated by the independent youth with the objectives and an action plan for the future – “contained none of the specific demands that women had called for”, and expressed women’s rights under the umbrella of equal citizenship.

Transitional period
Articulating women-specific demands began more clearly with the transitional period, as women felt neglected after the reduced reliance on their participation in the political process, and the lack of inclusion in the closed-door meetings. In addition, women have not felt any direct changes in their daily life particularly in the security sector. The last year witnessed a large number of internally displaced people, and a number of armed conflicts which had  a severe negative impact on women. The majority of women interviewed by Oxfam in a recent report entitled “Still Waiting for Change in Yemen” said that despite the handover of power, there has been deterioration in their lives in the areas of access to food, jobs and improved security.

This handover began one year ago, when former president Ali Abdullah Saleh signed the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) power transfer deal after months of negotiations. The deal involved the transfer of power to Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi, who was his vice president for 18 years, in return for immunity from prosecution. A national unity government has since been created for a two-year period, evenly divided between the traditional opposition, the Joint Meeting Party (JMP) and the former ruling party the General people’s Congress (GPC). Phase two of this transitional period is now under way and preparations for the national dialogue are taking place followed by the constitutional reform process.

Women’s political participation in these processes is seen as a top priority for educated women in urban areas. While the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2014 calls “upon all concerned parties to ensure the protection of women and children, to improve women’s participation in conflict resolution and encourages all parties to facilitate the equal and full participation of women at decision-making levels”, and while the GCC emphasizes women’s participation in the transitional period, a majority of women feel that this has been neglected and fear, due to their mistrust of traditional parties, that the disputing political parties will unite around only one issue: excluding women.

The GCC initiative, while highlighting the importance of women, only states that women should be represented “appropriately” in the national unity government, and does not dictate a 30 percent quota which was a demand agreed upon by the women’s movement, and later articulated at a national conference on women in March 2012 which was intended to unite women’s demands for inclusion in the dialogue process.

Hence, appointing three female ministers was considered “appropriate” representation for some, and even hailed as a success by others. The important technical committee, set up by President Hadi to define the scope of the upcoming National Dialogue, included individuals with high caliber and street credibility, but women initially represented only 20 per cent. Then in September 2012, President Hadi issued another decree adding six new male members to the technical committee, which shifted the gender balance even further and decreased the percentage of women to 16 percent.

National Dialogue
Given these negative indicators, women are naturally frustrated about their marginalization and worry about the upcoming national dialogue. To alleviate some of these fears the technical committee recently published a detailed document on the Rules and procedures of the six-month National Dialogue conference which emphasizes that women will be present in all committees.

On 28 November 2012 Jamal Benomar, the United Nations’ special advisor on Yemen said that an agreement has been reached to resolve the allocation of seats for the national dialogue. According to media reports, 40 seats (representing 7 percent of the 565 seats) are allocated for “women” but another media reported that women will have 30 percent representation. That could mean that women will be included in other groups such as political parties, youth etc. 

The National Dialogue conference will be divided into 12 working groups based on different topics with a minimum of 30 participants in each. Women’s rights are not one of these 12 points and were only specifically mentioned once under the topic: rights and duties along with youth, children, the marginalized and others. This is because gender issues were placed in the broader context of equal citizenship. It will be up to individual participants to bring up the specific gender issues in each group. This will mean that the selection process, which remains vague, is of utmost importance in order to make sure that these issues will be a top political priority, and especially in the constitutional reform committee, which will be the basis for protecting women’s rights for years to come.

The question that arises for women is who represents them in this conference? Being a woman should not be the only criteria for representing women, as not all women would prioritize women’s issues. The lack of clarity over the criteria for participation means that women are unable to prepare ahead of time and to select candidates. Will they be selected from the women’s movement? Based on geographic or political affiliations? If so, what will happen to the independent women? And how would one deal with multiple identities? For example, would a woman from Aden who is a member of the Islah or Socialist party be chosen to represent women, her party, or the South? All these questions remain a challenge for women today. 

Other challenges include the fact that Yemeni women continue to face threats, slander, and harassments by religious or political forces in attempts to silence them. The lack of independent media means that groups in conflict use media to settle their disputes, and independent activists, men and women are caught in between. Just as slander was a method used by the former regime to prevent women from protesting, today, media smear campaigns and slander have been used against independent female and male activists in an attempt to tarnish their reputation. Imams resorted to the use of takfir calling the novelist and activist Boushra al-Maktary, an infidel after an article she published, making her fear, as she told journalist Judith Spiegel, that “Killing me is a ticket to heaven.”

What we know is that without the real inclusion of women, the process for change is doomed to fail. As Dr. Sheila Carapico said at the Yemen in Transition conference “no matter how marvelous a social movement is, it does not mean the outcome is social justice or a democracy.”
Nevertheless, despite the obstacles ahead, one must not lose hope. The revolution gave women a voice, boosted their self-confidence and made them believe that the impossible is possible. “Something historic and remarkable has happened that is socially and culturally important and should be recognized as such” added Dr. Carapico.

Saleh's speech on "mixing of men & women" & its implications

Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh recently used another political tool to try and suppress the pro-change protests. Like many leaders worldwide, he used "women" as a tool against his opponents. His brief statement on the prohibition of mixing between women and men (English text of President's speech) along with the smear campaigns on national TV against women implies that women in pro-change square are "loose" women. This is a great insult to all women activists. It is a dishonor to all women, their families and tribes.

His speech has numerous implications. He is clearly trying to appeal to the Salafis as he has done in the past, either to gain their support or potentially turn them against protesters. As a political analyst said: "this could give space for the formation of a future lobby led by Salafis to limit women’s participation in society". A worrisome example, is that some protesters were upset by the "accusation of mixing" and in response demanded separation of men and women "to prove him wrong." This is what caused the clashes between some members of the 1st brigade along with members of organizational committee; and a number of women activists yesterday. This is a dangerous precedent especially in light of the fact that men and women worked side by side as partners from the beginning.

The speech is also an effort to divide protesters. By trying to expose the hypocrisy of some Salafis who previously spoke out against mixing on numerous occasions, but have recently "allowed" it for the sake of the revolution; Saleh hopes to turn liberals against conservatives within the pro-change movement.

His attempt however backfired, at least for now, as more women joined the movement. In response to his speech, thousands of women took to the street on April 16, 2011. We must deal with the potential impact of this by raising awareness on women's rights and having an open honest discussion. At the same time, we must not give up just yet. The second phase of the revolution has just begun.

The following are some videos of the march, two short clips of women's reaction, and videos of slogans and chants.

Interviews:





Chants Used:

النساء مع الرجال.. ثورتنا ثورة نضال
women with men..our revolution is a revolution of struggle



اعتراض اعتراض..يا علي إلا الأعراض
objection, objection..O Ali anything but our honor



يا حكومة يا سخيفة.. بنت اليمن هي شريفة
O silly government..Yemen's daughter is honorable



ارحل.. ارحل..ارحل
Out..Out..Out



اعتصام اعتصام.. حتى يسقط النظام
Sit-in sit-in.. until end of the regime

Relationship Status: It's Complicated

For the past two months, my husband has been quite upset/jealous about my deep relationship with Mr. Revolution. My mind and heart have been preoccupied with anything revolution related. In the few hours I am home, I am usually watching the news, blasting revolutionary music, on twitter or facebook, or writing something related to the revolution.

When I first met Mr. Revolution back in late January 2011, it was love at first sight. It was a dream come true to see my fellow Yemenis finally breaking the barrier of fear and speaking out. The square represents a new Yemen; a Yemen where everyone, despite our differences, is working together for a greater cause. Daily seminars on equality, future expectations, human rights, etc, fill the square. Music, art and poetry illuminate the area. When I am there I am filled with hope and excitement. It is truly a dream come true.

For these reasons and many more, I felt a deep love towards Mr. Revolution. For a long time, I was in a euphoric state. When you meet someone new, you have many high expectations. When these expectations are not met, we become very disappointed. With time, as in most relationships, I began to see some troubling signs. I took them seriously, because I am afraid of having my heart broken in the future.

It first started when General Ali Mohsen, a man known for his corruption and bloody history, befriended Mr. Revolution. Hand in hand they marched. The General was hailed as a hero and as a protector. I was shocked, disappointed but decided to overlook this for the general good of the relationship. Then other troubling events occurred, including the time when women were “barred” from marching (see this blog post). More worrisome, is the common accusations directed at people who criticize Mr. Revolution. If you criticize anything you are quickly labeled one of two things: a spy for the government or someone who wants to divide the revolution.
Of course, some of our mutual friends will be upset that I am discussing this publically. However, I am a firm believer in the following:
• Disagreements are very NATURAL and in fact healthy. If we all agreed on everything, it means we are not honest and are not engaging in real dialogue.
• It is important to document reality and to have an honest assessment of the situation in order to better predict future possibilities, potentials, and scenarios.
• I believe that honesty promotes credibility.

Regardless of all the negatives, I am still very proud of Mr. Revolution. All I need to do is remember the amazing and unimaginable things that have happened in the past two months. The unity amongst people divided for 33 years, the peaceful resistance of an armed population, and the aspirations for justice, freedom, and equality.

If you love someone, you have to work hard to maintain that relationship, and not leave as soon as you see alarm bells. I will try my best, work on this relationship to preserve its essence. Some may call me an idealist (you know who you are); others might be upset that I invoked these negative aspects of the revolution in public. Reality is, I am neither. I do not want to be too naïve, but I also do not want to give up too easily. That way, at least, I will not have any regrets. I encourage everyone to be honest and keep an open eye, but not give up at the same time.

No matter the ups and downs. I will always love you Mr. Revolution. You have given me so much, in such a short time. While my husband is still jealous about my relationship, he is happy that I will not give up just yet (yes he’s a very understanding man).

Note: this post has NOTHING to do with Saleh’s fatwa/speech on women and mixing. I am not giving his speech any importance and it will not divide us.

Dear brothers, don't forget, we are PARTNERS in this struggle

Today was another bloody day in Yemen. Pro-democracy peaceful protesters in Taiz, Hodaida and Sana'a were attacked with live ammunition and tear gas.

After the first attack in Sana'a, a march was planned to protest against the violence. Men on the stage at the university called on their brothers to join the march, and told women they are "forbidden" from joining. Yes that was the exact word used: ممنوع خروج النساء.

I understand that given the circumstances, they are concerned about our safety, but it should be stated as an advice, not an order. We are adults, and we can decide for ourselves whether we would like to march or not. We do not need someone to tell us what to do, or not to do.

In defiance, women decided to march regardless. This video shows the number of women who joined.




Then, at the intersection, the security committee blocked us from continuing saying that women are not allowed to march. Arguments emerged between women and the security. Some women asked us why we are arguing and said that the men are only doing it for « our protection ». I responded by telling her that if we let them tell us what we can or cannot do now, we will be dishonoring the essence of change and reform. Today, they say you can not march, tomorrow they will say, you can not work etc.

Today, we were full of sadness and sorrow for what happened to our brothers around the nation. We wanted to express that feeling with our brothers. Unfortunately we were denied that right.

Women of Yemen, we need to stand up for our rights now more than ever. We were at the square of change from the first day as equal partners in the struggle for reform, and we will continue as partners until the end.

** Note **

For those that worry that any negative criticism about what is happening in the square may cause rifts, I tell them this: What is happening in the squares is absolutely amazing, but of course we are human beings and mistakes may happen, it is not a utopia. In addition, differences of opinion are normal and very healthy.

When people criticize, do not fear for the revolution, our goals are too honorable and too big for it to be affected by differences of opinion. These differences are normal, and expressing them only enriches the diversity at the square, it does not cause rifts.