Jamalah Al-Qadi is the manager of the Yemen Women Union’s Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS) in Sana’a, a place where women and girls can safely receive information and access services that promote economic rehabilitation and empowerment.

“The situation is becoming increasingly desperate for women and girls across most aspects of life in Yemen. This is further compounded by gaps in the response to their needs,” says Jamalah.

While the conflict has affected the entire population, it is important to recognize the unique impact it is having on women and girls. Gender inequality and the specific barriers faced by Yemeni women and girls in achieving their full potential have long been recognized as both underlying and direct causes of food insecurity, undernutrition, and poverty. Since 2006, Yemen has continuously ranked poorly in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap (145 of 145 countries in 2015). 

An estimated 6.1 million women in Yemen are in urgent need of aid services. Jamalah helps women and girls access a range of services including medical care, livelihood assistance and economic empowerment.

"One of the major challenges facing Yemeni women is the deteriorating economic situation, under which they struggle to provide the minimum needs for their families, including health and education, especially in the absence of a head of the family,” Jamalah remarks. With historically limited access to education and schooling, women struggle to find well-paid jobs to earn whatever they can.

Jamalah strongly expresses her support for women’s empowerment by expanding access to vocational training, fostering community leadership, and improving access to education, health, water, and sanitation services, enabling them to contribute to concrete and sustainable change within their communities.

Learn more about Yemen Women Union’s work here.