Citizens, voters, or subjects? [Archives:2007/1069/Opinion]
By: Abdullah Al-faqih
It is possible for an individual, living permanently in a territory of a state, to be characterized as a citizen, voter, or just a subject. A “citizen” is an individual who enjoys in theory and practice full political, civil, and social citizenship rights. A “voter” is an individual, whose participation in society, usually due to some constraining social conditions, is limited to voting. A “subject” by contrast is an individual deprived in theory and practice from citizenship rights, and his or her role is reduced to obeying orders given by others)whether those others are government officials or other society members.
Based on this classification, which has nothing to do with whether an individual carries a citizenship card, passport, or any other form of identification documents, one may reasonably asks: Are Yemenis citizens, voters, or subject?
For one to be a citizen, he or she must enjoy, on equal bases with others, who permanently live in the same society, full political, civil, and social rights. The attainment of full citizenship rights requires the presence of several key conditions. First, constitution and laws must establish and protect political, civil, and social rights. Second, the state must adopt a political system that allows citizens not only to exercise but also expand those rights. Third, individuals must be able to take advantage of constitutional, legal, and institutional opportunities.
The attainment of full citizenship rights, however, is not always possible. Even in countries, where full citizenship rights are constitutionally and legally granted and protected, individuals may face many hurdles that prevent them from enjoying full citizenship rights. Illiteracy, unemployment, poverty, poor health system and lack of other social services can all serve as insurmountable obstacles to the enjoyment of full citizenship rights.
It is therefore acknowledged that in countries with high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and poverty, full citizenship rights are significantly undermined, and those affected by harsh social conditions can only act as “voters” but not as full participants in political, social, and economic life.
When one applies this framework to examine the status of Yemenis in their own homeland, it becomes evident that Yemenis, at the beginning of the third millennium, can not be viewed as “citizens.” They are not so because of the pervasiveness of harsh social conditions. In social terms, the unemployment rate among Yemenis, according to some estimates, is as high as 40 percent of labor force. The rate is even higher among the youth where it reaches a 50 percent threshold.
In addition, and as a result of high unemployment rate, low per capita income, and regional and social disparities in the distribution of wealth, at least half of Yemenis lives in poverty. The illiteracy rate among adult Yemenis, in the age of 15 or older, is above the 50 percent threshold. The rate for rural women is close to 80 percent.
Likewise, Yemenis can not be viewed as “voters” because the status of “voters” requires that the Yemeni constitution, various laws, and rules grant and protect a wide-range of political and civil rights. Universal suffrage for all, the right to run for office and to compete with others, and periodic, fair, and free elections are just examples of political rights. Equality before the law and protection from discrimination, freedoms of expression and association, freedom to obtain and disseminate information are in turn some examples of civil liberties.
The status of “voters” also involves a full functioning democratic system that allows Yemenis to exercise political rights and civil liberties and to expand those rights and liberties over time. In particular, such a system must be characterized by a balance of power among the executive, legislative and the judiciary, checks and balances, and control and accountability.
In the case of Yemen, neither the legal, nor the institutional framework is conducive to full exercise of full citizenship rights or of full political rights. The constitution and laws stop short of establishing full rights on equal footing. In cases where rights are granted, protection of rights against intruders is missing, lacking, or not enforced. In turn, the political system lacks the needed balance of power, checks and balances, and mutual accountability and control.
It is true that Yemenis live in the age of equal citizenship, political rights, and freedoms. It is truer; however, that many Yemenis are just side lookers. They are largely deprived of rights and freedoms by biased legal and institutional framework, and trapped in a never-ending cycle of illiteracy, unemployment and poverty.
Abdullah Al-faqih is an activist, analyst, and professor of politics at Sana'a University. The article is inspired by a study he carried out for the Women Forum for Research and Training)WFRT on political citizenship in the Republic of Yemen. The author encourages comments and he can be reached by email at: [email protected].
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[archive-e:1069-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-07-19-p:opinion]
