As International Women’s Day passes, we extend our congratulations and words of appreciation to Yemeni women for their resilience in the face of the devastating effects of war, even as they endure tragic conditions across the country—circumstances that carry a particular hardship rarely comparable to those experienced by women in other parts of the world.

The ongoing conflict in Yemen for more than a decade has left profound consequences for the population and cast its shadow over all segments of society, including women, who remain among the most severely affected groups under the current conditions.

For decades, Yemeni women have suffered from marginalization. Despite representing a significant human resource within the country, their presence in public life has remained limited due to political, social, legal, and economic constraints that have effectively excluded them from spheres of productivity and influence.

The war that has engulfed Yemen since 2014 has further exacerbated the already fragile conditions faced by Yemeni women. What was once a struggle against marginalization has evolved into a struggle for basic livelihood. This shift weakens the stability of society as a whole, considering that women constitute a fundamental pillar in the formation of families and communities.

The suffering endured by Yemeni women has reached alarming levels and represents a severe humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, Yemeni women face acute challenges related to food security and health conditions. More than ten million women require life-saving assistance, while nearly 1.5 million pregnant women and new mothers suffer from malnutrition, exposing them to serious health risks and placing their children at risk of disease and long-term developmental problems. Yemen also records the highest maternal mortality rate in the Middle East, representing one of the most tragic outcomes in the region.

From the perspective of psychological well-being and physical safety, more than six million Yemeni women and girls face increasing risks of abuse and exploitation. Nearly one-third of girls are married before the age of 18, depriving them of their childhood, education, and future opportunities. In the education sector, approximately 1.5 million Yemeni girls remain out of school, denying them their right to education and limiting their ability to break cycles of discrimination and violence.

From a rights perspective, a report by the American Center for Justice documented more than 8,400 violations against Yemeni women during 2024, including approximately 1,900 cases of arbitrary detention. Economically, Yemeni women remain largely absent from the labor market due to the scarcity of employment opportunities and the limited number of programs and initiatives aimed at women’s economic empowerment.

The situation faced by Yemeni women is tragic in every sense of the word and requires collective action through coordinated efforts among relevant stakeholders to lift them out of this cycle of suffering.

The internationally recognized Yemeni government must work to contain the steadily increasing hardships faced by women and begin addressing them through structured and systematic measures. This should include the development of long-term strategies that place Yemeni women at their core, supported by the establishment of dedicated committees and administrative bodies tasked specifically with women’s issues and empowered to perform their functions with sufficient governmental support commensurate with the scale of the crisis. These efforts must prioritize humanitarian, livelihood, rights-based, and political dimensions.

The recent steps taken by the Presidential Leadership Council and the Prime Minister to politically empower women by including them in the government are positive developments moving in the right direction. Such measures should continue and expand toward higher levels of representation that more closely reflect the human potential of Yemeni women.

Recognition of the importance of Yemeni women’s role and their rightful place in public life must continue until it is institutionalized through legal measures. This includes repealing legal provisions that restrict women’s participation and enacting laws that guarantee a fixed level of participation in Yemen’s political and administrative life while safeguarding their civil rights through the adoption of women’s quota systems.

We call on international organizations and agencies operating in Yemen to intensify their efforts regarding Yemeni women by developing dedicated policies to address their dire situation. These policies should provide assistance that fully meets women’s needs across different sectors and respond comprehensively—rather than partially—to the scale of these needs, while coordinating closely with governmental institutions to achieve life-saving outcomes for Yemeni women.

Political actors and components within the country also bear a shared responsibility to improve the condition of Yemeni women by prioritizing their issues, involving them in positions of influence at both national and local levels, and ensuring that women’s needs remain a consistent part of their political agendas.

Civil society organizations and influential social figures likewise have a role to play in raising awareness about the importance of Yemeni women’s contributions. This can be achieved through organizing events and promoting discourse that challenges social restrictions that have limited women’s ability to confront the effects of conflict and the fragile conditions in which they live.

Yemeni women are an inseparable part of Yemen’s social and political reality—whether in times of stability or conflict—and they represent a fundamental component of the country’s desired development. In fact, meaningful progress in Yemen cannot be achieved without recognizing the importance of women’s roles, improving their conditions, and investing in their capacities and expertise in pursuit of sustainable development.

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We maintain our position that the inclusion of women in the recently formed government represents a positive step in the right direction. Their participation in policymaking is an urgent necessity, not merely a procedural gesture aimed at gaining sympathy or praise.

We firmly believe that Yemen’s future progress is closely tied to acknowledging the central role of women and embracing their participation in policymaking, productive sectors, and the labor market. Their role must be approached from the perspective of “investing in women’s contribution” as a national asset that strengthens the country’s achievements—not merely “symbolic inclusion.”

Accordingly, we call on all actors in Yemen—both official and non-official—to assume this shared responsibility.