NOUR SAREEB

Yemen - There are many women looking for help in Yemen, so Yemeni Women's Union branch in Abyanis trying support women with limited resources.

Yemeni Women’s Union branch in Abyan is a non-governmental organization founded in 1990, to the promoting and empowering women's civil rights.

The Union provides services in various fields such as economic, cultural, social and political fields. It offers women microcredit projects, literacy, health care and vocational training programs. It has also conducted legal workshops for women on commercial and tax laws. 

Adila Al-Khader is the Secretary General of the Yemeni Women's Union, and she told our news agency, "We have offered women free and psychological treatment services, and we also provide legal services to advocate on behalf of women, who will appear before judges to support them. Now, we have conducted an economic empowerment project for women in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund to conductand legal protection projects for children in cooperation with UNICEF. Despite all difficulties, we have offered many services to about 1514 women in Abyan city.

According to the annual report published in 2020, the Yemeni Women's Union has provided services to 1514 women; 827 women received psychological support, 151 women received psychological sessions service, 427 women received health support service, 455 women received cash assistance, 42 women received emergency cash assistance, 99 women received legal support service, 10 women weresupportedby the economic empowerment program andthe branch provided shelter for two women.

“The union’s relationship with the local authorities is good, and all services are provided through the authorities, its relationship with the security authorities is also good, they have helped us in many cases and protected women from people trying to abuse women," said Adila Al-Khader

The Yemeni Women’s Union branch in Abyan doesn’t have a women’s shelter for victims, so the unionsupports victims to go to Aden. Adila said that they need time, more effort and money to help victims to go to Aden. So the branch submitted a proposal to Executive Office in Sanaa to build a women’s shelter in the city but they had a negative response.

Adila talked about the obstacles the union faces and she said, “One of the most important obstacles is the absence of an annual budget for the Union, lack of furniture and there isn't a women’s shelter. We try to provide services for women although all these obstacles.”