Status of Yemeni Women Reviewed at the UN [Archives:2005/822/Front Page]

Nadia Al-Saqqaf
With the objective of reviewing and appraising of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action and appraisal of women's status in 2005 the 49th session of the commission on status of women (28th Feb-11 March) is taking place currently. This session comes in line with the agreement in the Political Declaration adopted in by the United Nations General Assembly at its twenty-third special session in June 2000, where the member states agreed to “assess regularly further implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action with a view to bringing together all parties involved in 2005 to assess progress and consider new initiatives, as appropriate, ten years after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action”. The Commission on the Status of Women wrapped up yesterday 3rd of March, the first of two weeks of a review of progress towards gender equality with the consensus adoption of a declaration, by which governments emphasized that the full implementation of the Beijing agenda for women was essential for achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including those of the Millennium Declaration.

Heading the Yemeni delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations was Mrs. Rashida al-Hamadani Chairperson of the Women's National Committee. In her statement at the session she explained Yemen's achievements in promoting gender issues in the various sectors in Yemen since the last session Beijing +10. Advocacy against some of the discriminative laws have paid off and some of these were amended such as the nationality law and practices against women in prison. The Yemeni delegation that consists of government officials as well as non-governmental organizations discussed also the challenges Yemeni Women keep facing in terms of education, health, infrastructure, economy and political participation.

Simultaneous with this event the WNC is organizing a event on 8th of March for Women's International Day where many delegates and prominent guests and organizations will be attended.

“We want this occasion to be a chance for us to celebrate our achievements in the past and to push further for more demands in order to enhance women's status in Yemen. The ruling party has come forward with a positive initiative regarding the quota system where 10% of the Parliament seats would be reserved for women as well as 15 to 20% in the local councils, as we duly appreciate this initiative we are actually aspiring for a 30% quota system in all elected and non elected decision making positions and it is only fair considering that half of the population are women and need to be represented in a better way.” Said Mrs. Hooria Mashoor in a statement for the Yemen Times.
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