In territories controlled by pro-Iranian rebels, women working in agencies or NGOs must be accompanied by a “mahram”, the guardian. The imposition hinders their movements and paralyzes their activity. The price is paid by a hungry population, scarred by conflict and in need of help.
Sana’a () – Due to the tightening of the rules on male guardianship, humanitarian workers in northern Yemen, a territory controlled by pro-Iranian Houthi rebels, cannot carry out their activities in a region where one of the worst world humanitarian crises. In effect, the militiamen further restricted freedom of movement, according to information from Reuters some people who work in the field and representatives of NGOs, especially when women refuse to be approached by the so-called “tutor” to be able to work. The limitations include the impediment or severe restriction of their movements to supervise aid projects, collect data and carry out health or basic necessities services. And if, under pressure, one accepts guardianship, there are still obstacles, in addition to the extra expenses that further squeeze budgets.
In Yemen, a catastrophic conflict has been raging for years between pro-Iranian Houthis and the government army backed by an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, a situation that is the cause of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis along with Syria’s. The recent agreement between Riyadh and Tehran, which are preparing to reestablish diplomatic relations and study the reopening of embassies, could mean a change of course, but for the moment, in practice there have been no benefits and in recent days there has even been a armed escalation in some areas.
A female collaborator says that she normally carries out between 15 and 20 missions a year to continue the humanitarian project for which she is responsible, but that she has not been able to carry out any since the Houthi authorities introduced the mandatory male escort (mahram) last year. “There are not many men in my family,” she explained, and in many cases the guardians themselves are against women’s work and do not guarantee guardianship. So much so that in some cases, “a woman works without even informing her relatives,” she added.
Without female staff in the field, aid groups and international NGOs face many difficulties even for very simple operations such as identity checks, which in some cases require removing the veil and showing a visa, or distributing humanitarian aid. . Last year, aid workers needed a “mahram” even just to cross the borders between Houthi-controlled provinces and in four of them they needed a guardian even to move within the territory’s borders. As a consequence, many NGOs speak of “severely damaged” activities and operations and of entire sectors of the population left without help.
Although women in the Arabian peninsula, beginning with the Saudi kingdom, have often been subjected to severe gender inequalities due to social, cultural and religious traditions, Yemen never really enforced male guardianship and even today the southern authority does not demands it. Asked about it, a Houthi spokesman for the aid coordination body Scmcha said that, even in humanitarian and volunteer issues, traditions must be respected. “The mahram,” a source explained, “is an Islamic religious obligation and a matter of culture and belief… Why do organizations put obstacles in the way of Yemeni teachings and culture?”
Women, as a result, are forced to take their children out of school early, bring sick family members on a trip, or cancel appointments or meetings at the last minute.
