Illiteracy: our enemy in Yemen [Archives:2007/1038/Opinion]
By: Abdulwahed Abdullah
We have passed many centuries of male dominance and the result is a backwardness that has negative impacts on ourselves and other people. For now, we bear in mind that women should lead the march toward development since it is impossible for them to behave in a way similar to that of men. I am convinced that it will be women that better Yemen prospects.
Our women progressed from eras of darkness in the second half of the 20th century to outperform men in the area of education. Since the 70s, schools and universities have experienced women occupying top positions in all the applied sciences and humanities.
In the Yemeni cabinet there are two women serving as ministers, in addition to a huge number of them in various government institutions. 5 women are serving as deputy ministers, 15 as assistant deputy ministers, 45 as general managers, 84 as department directors, and 12 as advisors. In addition, there are as many as 65 women judges, thousands of female doctors and lawyers, and 40 women working as chairwomen of female organizations.
The former Human Rights Minister Amatalaleem Al-Soswa was promoted to the post of an assistant of the UN Secretary-General and the UNDP regional coordinator as well. The U.S Washington Post talked about Al-Soswa in an article published two years ago. Speaking about the article, Abdulkarim Al-Eryani, Political Advisor to President Saleh, said it was the best article about Yemen in an international newspaper. The article talked about Al-Soswa's life and struggle for ensuring human rights. The article author described Al-Soswa as a “real woman”, adding that objectivity and independence are two of the reasons behind her success. The article praised the great role which Al-Soswa played in increasing awareness of peoples rights. The former Yemeni human rights activist has a famous saying, which is “In Yemen our enemy is illiteracy.”
Illiteracy delays the development and advancement of women and makes them exploited by men to gratify their lusts; the only solution to this is a women's revolution. Illiteracy rates among the female population run high, and the fact will delay the women's revolt. I know in the future there will be a revolution and I am comforted by that, but I am frustrated that our women are still held back.
Prominent names like Ruqayya Humaidan, Asma'a Al-Basha and Nora Dhaifullah always top the list of career women. Humaidan, who works as a lawyer, was nominated for the Noble Award for Peace. Regretfully, the award went to Mohammed ElBaradie, General Manager of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Humaidan was awarded by the King of Bahrain in recognition of her humanitarian activities.
Al-Basha, who is an activist in the field of civil community organizations, was the first woman to obtain membership in the General People Congress's Permanent Committee while Daifullah played a prominent role in the field of prosecution and public money. The latter contributed hard efforts to fighting corruption.
The nations of the world perceived before us that their deliverance is at the hands of their female population. Two women, for example, managed to overcome all the hurdles and then rule two third world countries. Ms Eline Johnson won the presidential elections in Liberia to become the first African woman to occupy the highest political post in her country. Ms Mechiel Pashileih assumed the throne of Chile, thus becoming the first South American woman leading her nation.
I hope that we elect a woman to lead us because I am convinced that deliverance of nations is at the hands of women. However we have along way to go: In our country, we don't have democratic governance, as the country affairs are entirely controlled by men.
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[archive-e:1038-v:14-y:2007-d:2007-04-02-p:opinion]
