Empirical Research and Women’s  Studies Center closed down [Archives:1999/49/Front Page]

SANAA: In its third extraordinary session held on Nov. 19, the Board of Sana’a University decided to close down the Empirical Researches and Women’s Studies Center, suspend its account and establish a national center bearing the name of ‘Women Studies Center’ in its place. 
The new board constituted for the management of the newly established center does not contain any female members and will offer diploma courses only. 
The Empirical Researches and Women’s Studies Center came under severe criticism by some eminent Islamic personalities, right after it hosted the international conference on ‘Challenges for Women’s Studies in the 21st Century,’ two months ago. They regarded the conference as a prelude to degeneration of women under decorated slogans such us ’emancipation of women,’ etc. The big part of criticism was directed at the sacked chairman of the center, Dr. Raowfah Hassan. 
The present chairman of the center, Dr. Khadijah Al-Heisami assured Yemen Times that the center would continue and that what happened was only changing the name of the center. ” I am still carrying out my duty and there have been no instructions to close the center down,” she added. 
Students of the center have issued a statement in which they expressed their disappointment at the closure of the center. They assert that the center was established by Sana’a University in 1996 and that its closure was against a retragrade step. “The decision,” they said, “did not take into consideration the future of more than 150 students who have done their best in order to get higher degrees.” 
The statement urges upon all people, organizations, parties and students concerned to uphold freedom of thought and stand by them to save their future.
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