Oxfam's work in Yemen in depth

In Yemen, Oxfam's focus is on women's rights, health care, disaster preparedness, and helping people have a say in the decisions that affect them.

The context

Oxfam has been working in Yemen for 25 years, co-operating with government authorities at all levels to improve the health care and livelihoods of thousands of people living in poverty. Yemen is one of the least developed countries in the world with an estimated 35% of the population are living under poverty line.  In remote rural areas especially, poor people’s access to  basic services is very limited, and  they have little say in decisions that affect them. Oxfam is supporting people to gain their basic rights.

How is Oxfam helping?

At the heart of our work, we advocate greater justice for women. This includes raising awareness – at all levels – from campaigning against early marriage, increasing women’s economic empowerment, and working to secure legal protection. We also ensure that people are involved in decision-making processes; for instance, through the formation of networks to monitor the implementation of the government’s development plans.

Improving access to health care

Oxfam is working in remote villages in Hadhramout governorate, where only about 25% of the rural population have access to primary health care. As a result one in 19 women die of childbirth and thousands of people die from preventable illnesses.

Over the last five years, Oxfam and its partners have worked to improve health services for 60,000 people in over 40 communities. Around 130 women have been trained by the local hospital as midwives and nurses. In remote rural areas where the nearest clinic is five hours away and transport costs are unaffordable, mobile clinics equipped with medical equipment and a health team visit on a monthly basis. About 700 people per month benefit from this service.  

Thuria who is 27, is one of the mobile health clinic midwives.  She says: ”I am relieved that I can visit communities and detect early problems, thousands of women benefit and lives are saved.”

Through consultation at government level, we’re encouraging the authorities to set up similar health care schemes throughout the country.

Fair justice for all

Women in Yemen do not have the same access to the judicial courts as men. We are working with local organisations to ensure that the legal system protects the rights of vulnerable women, by raising awareness about legal rights, providing legal aid, and supporting female prisoners. 10,500 poor women in more than 20 communities have benefited from this programme.

The Yemeni Women’s Union, supported by Oxfam, provides free legal support to poor women in prisons, courts and police stations. The union also counsels women who have survived domestic violence. Jasmine, a lawyer, was among many who opposed legal representation for women: but after she was invited to an Oxfam-supported workshop, she changed her mind and now she persuades others to re-consider their beliefs too. “Working with these women [in the judicial system] has taught me to change the way that I used to think about them. Most of them have similar stories of social injustice and discrimination, caused by an unbalanced system,” she says.

Women's economic empowerment

Due to the subordinate position of women in Yemeni society, many women are denied opportunities to enhance their livelihoods.  In addition, high levels of illiteracy present major challenges to women’s development. According to the World Bank, the rate of enrolment in primary education in 2007 was just 51% among females.

With funding from DANIDA and together with local partners, Oxfam is facilitating women’s economic empowerment in Hadhramout and Hodaida governorates through micro-credit schemes, and advocacy to promote women’s employment in public and private sectors.  Over the last three years 1,570 women were supported with credit to finance their micro projects in informal trading, handcrafts, food processing and livestock breeding. 

Safe marriage

Getting married at a young age has been found to have negative effects on girls’ education, health and skills development. With Oxfam’s support, local partners are implementing awareness-raising campaigns on the negative consequences of early marriage in Hadhramout and Hodaida governorates. These activities have directly reached more than 10,000 people.

“I do not want to get married just like that, I want to continue school.”

Naghat, 13-years-old

Together with the Shima network (an Oxfam partner) we are advocating for changes in the law and calling on the government to adopt 18-years as the minimum legal age for marriage.

Disaster preparedness

Given its low-income levels, rapidly growing population and acute water shortages, Yemen is vulnerable to climatic shocks and climate change. Sa’ana is expected to be the first capital city in the modern world to run out of water. In response to 2008 Hadramout floods, Oxfam restored water, sanitation and electricity services to communities affected by the floods. Oxfam is helping the Yemeni Red Crescent to strengthen its capacity to respond to communities’ needs during possible humanitarian crises.

 

Last updated: April 2010