Rania Abdullah

Yemen — The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an important annual opportunity to shed light on women’s suffering amid more than ten years of ongoing war in Yemen. According to the UNFPA, 6.2 million Yemeni women and girls are in need of services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

Displaced women, female-headed households, and persons with disabilities remain at heightened risk. Around 1.5 million girls in Yemen are still deprived of education, stripping them of their fundamental right to schooling and further exposing them to violence. Additionally, nearly one-third of Yemeni girls are married before the age of eighteen.

These figures highlight the importance of organizing activities and events during the 16 Days campaign to expose violations against women, raise community awareness, and empower survivors to express their experiences.

 

Digital Threats

Despite limited opportunities and difficult circumstances, activities in Yemen joined the global 16 Days campaign. Several events and discussions were held across various Yemeni cities, providing space—at least in part—for the voices of abused women and allowing conversations on key issues affecting them.

Cybercrimes emerged as one of the main issues addressed during the campaign. Numerous awareness activities focused on online crimes targeting women and girls, particularly sextortion (online blackmail), digital threats, and online incitement—affecting all women, especially activists, journalists, and women engaged in public life.

Activist Zainab Al-Makhlafi said:

“To some extent, the 16 Days campaign has succeeded in being a voice for women. It has created a space of awareness through seminars and workshops that increase understanding of discrimination against women in all its forms.”

She added:

“I consider the 16 Days campaign a platform for expressing women’s suffering from violence. It is an annual breathing space to raise all issues they face, propose innovative solutions, and submit recommendations for programs throughout the year.”

She explained that activities during the campaign focused on gender-based violence and digital violence in all its forms.

"Human rights activists play a major role in highlighting women’s issues, discussing them, proposing solutions, and addressing them. They bear a great responsibility because they are close to abused women or those facing psychological and social pressures."

 

Overlooking Key Aspects

Family counselor Altaf Al-Ahdal stated that:

“The campaign’s activities focused on certain aspects, such as racial discrimination and gender-based violence,”

noting that important issues were overlooked, including workplace violence, intellectual violence, violence against women working in media, and violence against educated women.

She added:

“The campaign mainly focused on traditional forms of violence, and recently, digital violence. Some civil society organizations focused on women working in media and human rights sectors.”

Al-Ahdal emphasized that activists play a pivotal role in protecting abused women:

“They are the hidden support that gives women strength and freedom to express—clearly and boldly—what they face in society.”

 

Activities and Efforts

Sawsan Al-Hadhrami, professor of civil law and labor law at the Faculty of Law, University of Taiz, explained that the 16 Days campaign succeeded in organizing numerous activities, including panel discussions, artistic events, and more—reflecting its tangible impact.

She believes the campaign delivered a clear message to the world:
Women urgently need legal protection from violence in general and digital violence in particular, along with awareness initiatives to stop abuses and advocate for women’s rights.

Al-Hadhrami stressed that digital violence has become a real and visible issue, highlighting both the lack of awareness among many women and the absence of sufficient legal frameworks. Current laws are inadequate to combat digital violence, including cyber extortion. Although some legal articles exist, they do not directly address online crimes.

From a legal perspective, she emphasized the need to adapt existing laws:

“Article 257 is the closest to addressing some violations, as it covers publishing without consent and threats, but it does not fully cover digital crimes. We urgently need strict legislation on cybercrimes and violence against women.”

She noted that civil society efforts have expanded, with many organizations establishing legal and counseling centers to support affected women. These efforts have amplified calls to protect women and raise awareness about the dangers of digital violence.