Civil Socity: Rural Yemen Deserves Attention [Archives:2007/1043/Local News]

By: Moneer Al-Omari
SANA'A, April 17 ) Timed with the Global Call for Action against Poverty (sub-themed Together for Equality), Civil Society Organizations Coalition (CSOC) held a discussion meeting on April 16 at the Armed Forces Officers' Club to review and set the priorities of 2007.

The meeting, chaired over by Yemeni Women's Union and Coalition chairman Ramzia Al-Eryani, was attended by deputy minister of Social Affairs and Labor Ali Saleh Abdullah and civil society representatives from across Yemen. It comes within the activities of the Global Call that aims at adopting wise governance and wise management of loans as well as strengthening the partnership with local authorities and decentralization.

It aims at reinforcing the efforts meant for alleviating poverty, enhancing partnership with the authorities and helping the development of rural areas together with urging the government to proceed in combating corruption and poverty.

Launching the meeting, Al-Eryani spoke bitterly about the distress of poor people especially in Lahj's 22 villages, which she visited one day before the meeting. Also, she recounted many stories in evidence of their sufferings.” I passed by 22 villages in Lahj and each village has more sufferings than the one before