A Woman’s Strength: The Backbone of Families in Times of Struggle
منذ 8 أشهر
Just 500 meters from the Cairo area in the southern Yemeni city of Aden, stands Hajja Alawia, a 50-year-old woman determined to provide for her family
Clad in her traditional black abaya and cotton headscarf, she sits on her iron chair outside Idrees Hanbalah School, presenting her homemade “Aden pastries” in front of her, holding a wooden stick wrapped in a piece of feathers, which she uses to swat away flies incessantly
Alawia, hailing from the Mansoura district, spoke to “Almushahid
net” that she embarked on her cake-making journey back in 1974
She regards this craft not merely as a profession but as a cherished inheritance from her mother, reflecting her family’s passion for crafting the esteemed Aden pastries
After 41 years of working in this profession, “Alawia” takes to the streets to face poverty with modest means, after preparing the cakes at home with the help of her daughter; to save herself and her family from hunger in the face of harsh living conditions
“I’ve been standing here for nine years now, and I’m one of dozens of women who support their families with our efforts and fatigue, despite the difficult conditions in this country and the lack of job opportunities for workers,” Alawia added
The situation of “Alawia” is no different from that of many other struggling women, each with her own profession and hobbies, such as making incense, Adeni Oshar and tea, or Khameer bread, and other household chores and handicrafts
The current situation in the country has forced women to struggle and take on many daily tasks or professions, including learning crafts and taking on hard work in the face of unemployment, economic collapse, and the harsh aftermath of conflict-induced living conditions
During the nine years since the onset of the conflict in Yemen, Yemeni women have borne the brunt of its impact, enduring immense suffering
The ravages of war and political strife have transformed thousands of women into widows, burdening them with the responsibility of providing for families grappling with dire needs
They confront overwhelming poverty, depriving them of life’s most fundamental essentials
“Najat” (16 years old) – from Sheikh Othman – is also struggling, despite her young age, to support her disabled mother and younger siblings for the past five years
Her mother previously sustained the family by working as a maid in a nearby household
However, her health took a downturn when she was diagnosed with osteoporosis, ultimately confining her to their home
Najat told “Almushahid
net”: “My father was killed in the war, leaving behind seven children
”“Najat” took over the responsibility of supporting her family; being the eldest, she sells tissues on the street, in addition to working as a maid in one of the houses
Selling tissues and working in homes doesn’t seem to faze Najat
Seeing her family eat with money she earned honestly makes her forget the hardships of work, as she put it
“I just wish I could continue my education,” Najat sighed in her colloquial dialect
“I know there are decent jobs and good job opportunities, but they’re all for the educated
”Rahma (47), a resident of the Al Hasswah area, also struggles to make ends meet
Every morning, she heads to the Jawalah farms north of Aden to help farmers collect their crops and clean the fields
In return, she receives a small share, usually a carton of lemons or fallen vegetables, which she then takes to the market with her son
“Thank God, He is the Provider,” Rahma said, “but my son doesn’t always sell everything
He makes a different amount each day, sometimes 5,000 riyals and sometimes 3,000 riyals
”It’s clear that Rahma is not happy with her strenuous work
She spends 16 hours on her feet, but necessity has forced her hand
She dreams of working in any profession that can provide her with the support to start a project that will help her and her family overcome poverty and high prices
As a divorced mother of three, she bears the burden of their expenses alone
Just like countless other women before her, “Umm Muhammad” shoulders the responsibility of providing for her six daughters after her husband was tragically killed in an airstrike in 2015
She diligently crafts incense to make ends meet and cover her daughters’ education expenses
However, her home-produced fragrance products struggle to gain traction due to her limited resources and lack of support, according to her
“The fragrances I purchase aren’t expensive,” Umm Muhammad explained, “but with the rising prices and the current situation, I barely make any profit
I earn around 15,000 riyals from each batch, but I had to spend 9,000 riyals on accessories
”Umm Muhammad reads and hears about empowerment projects through the media
She wonders why, despite her dire need, she hasn’t been included in these initiatives or targeted by organizational programs
“I yearn for empowerment,” Umm Muhammad declared
“I’m raising my daughters and taking care of them, but thank God, I’ll keep fighting for them until I see them educated and independent, never needing anyone else
”Shouldering the dual roles of mother and father simultaneously places an immense emotional and financial burden on women
As breadwinners for their families, they face immense hardship in navigating the challenges of life
A multitude of formidable challenges hinder their progress, including illiteracy, a lack of essential services, dire health conditions, and the disruption of agricultural production, a sector where women constitute approximately 80% of the workforce
The burden of providing for their families is further aggravated by the responsibility of caring for a growing number of disabled children and spouses, victims of the war’s devastating impact
The scarcity of support and dedicated programs for this highly vulnerable group compounds their struggles
Moreover, a staggering 86% of services tailored to their needs have been suspended
A field study conducted by Oxfam revealed that among 544 families interviewed, 6
7% have disabled individuals
Yemeni women face a stark reality: they are largely excluded from formal employment opportunities, to rely on developing their artisanal skills for meager wages that barely meet their basic needs
Despite the harsh conditions and the prevailing ignorance that surrounds them, they continue to struggle
While local and international organizations have implemented initiatives aimed at empowering women, these efforts remain insufficient and fail to demonstrate tangible progress towards enabling women to confront the dire living conditions they face
In 2021, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided immediate employment opportunities to over 5,900 Yemeni women
Additionally, more than 1,200 women received small grants to establish or expand their small businesses
International organizations have opened up new horizons for Yemeni women, with over 300 women in various governorates receiving opportunities to develop their skills in food processing, textiles, car repair, carpentry, mobile phone and appliance maintenance – professions that were once exclusively held by men
Despite the humanitarian assistance, grants provided to women and children, and small-scale empowerment programs, the vast majority of women remain unempowered and in dire need of support to survive and combat poverty
Commenting on this issue, the Director of the Women’s Development Department in the Aden Governorate Local Authority, Ishtiaq Muhammad Saad, spoke to “Almushahid
net”: “Those women who support their families after being ravaged by wars, conflicts, and the deteriorating economic situation, and upon whom the harsh life has forced them to be the sole breadwinners for their children and young ones, should be viewed with compassion, responsibility, and care
”“It is the state’s duty to care for and support such women and work to ensure their well-being,” Saad added
“There must be a concerted effort from all government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector to address their concerns, especially those who are not covered by economic empowerment opportunities
”Saad called for “a clear mechanism to work on researching and investigating, through all means, that will lead those working in this field to such women and provide them with an opportunity to build capacity, training, and empowerment, and to provide them with livelihoods by granting them small project funding so that she and her family can live in economic and social security in her community, which in turn will lead to family stability and support community peace
”Saad continued, “The failure to empower some women who are the breadwinners of families in the current situation has forced many of them to beg discreetly within the popular alleys
Adeni women have been found begging with humility and silence
”Saad expressed her pain, stating, “Some women have extensive experience, and encouraging them will have a great benefit for the country, on the individual, community, and state levels
”This story was first published in Arabic on 8 January 2024ليصلك كل جديدالإعلاميون في خطرمشاورات السلام كشف التضليل التحقيقات التقارير