Men are the foes of women: Abdulhameed [Archives:2002/24/Reportage]

There are many barriers that impede the integration of women into development. For example, culture and a lack of understanding about womens roles in society. Though our religion asserts womens rights, we find that they are being deprived.
Aeda Abdulhameed is a journalist from Sudan. In 1995, she visited Yemen to cover a Yemeni-Sudanese meeting held by the Ministerial Committee, chaired by the Staff General, Mohammed Saleh.
Ms. Abdulhameed has returned to Yemen to work as a corespondent for the Syydati Magazine. She has been involved with journalism since the 1980s and has concentrated on the Arab world and womens affairs.
She produced an extensive documentary file on women issues for Syydati Magazine. This file contains more than 500 reports about dowries, violence against women, the female prisoners, discoveries on childrens talent and womens toil.
Aeda also writes about tourism in Yemen. Yemen is her home and she has visited much of the country. She mixes with all the citizens of Yemen, starting with the street peddlers up. The people on the streets are much loved by Aeda, she appreciates their nature and gestures.
Actions speak louder than words
Aeda is pessimistic about the conditions of women in Yemen. Yemenis really lack respect for women. My experience is that women arent given attention. People say they are in favor of liberating women yet they are far away from applying such a criteria, she said.
Women seem to have been put to the side. Men are the foes of women. Women may be well-treated in front of others, but maltreated in private. When I started my job as a journalist at Syydati Magazine, things seemed difficult. Though now I find there are prominent female figures such as, Nageeba Haddad, the deputy minister of culture. She has become an exemplary figure among the Yemeni women. She has devoted her life in support of the Yemeni children.
Aedas says that her stay in Yemen has been totally enriching. In the beginning as a female Sudanese journalist she had her doubts but with some experience she found reporting in Yemen fulfilling.
Reaching officials is not difficult in comparison with other countries where a journalist can not contact a minister at all.
Unforgettable moments will not be erased from my memory. As a female journalist, I highly appreciated the Yemen Times newspaper, the Yemen Journalist Syndicate and others who support me in my job as a journalist. I also want to thank the Editor-in-chief of Athowra newspaper, Mr. Ali Nagi Araawi.



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