Yemen reforms boost [Archives:2005/822/Local News]

By Rebecca Torr
Manama
Yemen may still be facing problems of illiteracy and poverty but its strides in political and economic reform are slowly but surely helping to change all of this, says Yemen Human Rights Minister Amat Al-Aleem Alsoswa.

Ms Alsoswa, who was visiting Bahrain for the first time, was speaking at a Press conference held Tuesday at the Abdulla Al Zayed House for Bahrain Press Heritage, in Muharraq.

“Yemen's unification took place in 1990 and this step has been the most significant one taken in the history of the country,” said Yemen's first woman minister.

“Yemen decided in 1990 that the only way out of Yemen's problems was to go down a democratic path and accept each others differences. Yemen is tribal, poor and different in regional places.

“The economic situation is the problem. Yemen has a high population (22 million) and there are not enough jobs for everyone.

“The only way out is to give people rights. The main thing is development, fighting for new supplies of water and power. We still struggle to get this to all places.”

The former journalist and ambassador said despite the challenges, Yemen had come a long way since unification, especially in terms of women's rights. Challenges

Ms Alsoswa said women now enjoyed almost the same rights as men and that they were being represented, where they had never been before, especially politically.

“There are now women judges and women have full rights to vote and to be elected in local councils and we are hoping that they will soon be able to hold 10 per cent of all decisions at higher councils,” said Ms Alsoswa, who has been a Yemen's Human Rights Minister since 2003.

“But senior women have to be trained. We don't just want women. We want women who are good role models.”

Ms Alsoswa, who will leave Bahrain tonight, is here at the invitation of Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research chair, writer and researcher Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa.

She expressed her gratitude to Shaikha Mai and said she hoped that the visit would be one of many and it would open up new venues for work and joint cultural activities.

Ms Alsoswa also spoke about the challenges facing human rights in Yemen at a lecture held last night at the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research in Muharraq.

She said the main problem facing human rights in Yemen was poverty and that more than 30% of the population were living below the bread line.

However, she said the future looked bright and that she was glad to be able to be given the opportunity to handle the relations of civil society in a quiet and healthy way.

“It's not easy and can be difficult at times, but I've been raised to face difficulties and challenges like all Yemeni women. I'm not the only one. There are growing numbers of us and many deserve to be in higher positions.”
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