Yemen: Over 2800 Yemeni girls join security forces

Recently published statistics have revealed that over 2,800 Yemeni girls have joined the country’s security forces, and the Ministry of the Interior has stated that the entry of women represents a massive gain for security forces.

During the opening of the Yemeni Women’s Conference, the Prime Minister said that the government is determined to ensure the empowerment of women in the political, economic, social and cultural fields because the government is aware of its humanitarian role and responsibilities. He called for increasing female political empowerment by increasing the number of female ministers, deputy-ministers, assistant-deputy ministers, executive general-directors and increasing their enrolment in the police forces. Mujawar also pointed to the governments’ advocacy of women’s issues, adding that there are also 76 female judges, and 414 female managers and technicians.

In a related issue, General Hussein al-Zozai, the Vice-Minister of the Interior, described the admission of woman to the country’s police forces as a massive gain in the ongoing communal security process.

The statement came on the occasion of the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, in which Zozai indicated that the skills of Yemeni police women are equal to those of men, adding that women are now found in all security fields, including counter-terrorism.

PM Mujawar also revealed the governments’ latest literacy figures which have seen a decrease in the number of illiterate women, from 76.3 percent in 1994 to 60 percent presently, in addition to the increase in the number of girls entering basic education. The percentage of girls in primary education now represents one third of the total number of children in school, while the proportion of girls in universities has increased to 28 percent.

Mujawar stated that the government has approved the implementation of the recommendations made by the International Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in addition to approving a number of amendments supporting women’s rights.

He confirmed the government’s obligation towards recommendations made by the “Saido” Committee and expressed his hope that international technical support groups and organizations working in Yemen would donate money for the implementation of these recommendations. There is a need for joint efforts to achieve progress in these areas as part of the Millennium Development Goals.