Together we are proud to introduce 16 changemakers doing what they can to empower Yemeni women economically, to succeed in business and support peacebuilding efforts in Yemen.
Women’s empowerment is critical to stabilization, early recovery, and ultimately, sustainable development. By building the skills of Yemeni women to join the workforce and establish their own businesses, we can help unlock their potential to reduce poverty and build strong local economies.
UNDP’s recent report, Assessing the Impact of War in Yemen: Pathways to Recovery, predicts that by encouraging and supporting women to enter the workforce we could see significant GDP gains totalling a cumulative US$ 12.5 billion by 2030 and US$ 270 billion by 2050.
In 2021, UNDP has provided immediate income opportunities to over 5,900 Yemeni women through cash-for-work, more than 1,200 women have received small grants to establish or grow their small businesses and over 1,700 women have gained new skills through training – including in key growth sectors such as solar energy.
Our campaign partner, Yemen Women’s Union (YWU), is doing important work, providing accommodation, training and psychosocial support to Yemeni women across the country.
Together, UNDP and YWU are working toward improved access to justice for women and men, to help establish a foundation for peacebuilding. We believe in the potential of every Yemeni woman and man to help build an inclusive, safe and bright future for Yemen!
Have you overcome challenges to succeed in business and support your family? Enter UNDP Yemen and Yemen Women Union’s 16 Days of Activism competition by telling us your story and sharing online. More details and terms and conditions available here. (Only open to Yemeni nationals)
Omar Al kumaim, is the Founder and General Manager of Dar Altamkeen for Industries and Marketing, and a model of determination that inspires many other Yemeni entrepreneurs.
"In early 2009, with my degree in hand, I went back to Yemen and started to look for business opportunities. I established an ads magazine for the automobile industry, but two years later I had to shut it down,” explains Omar.
Then in late 2017, he established Dar Altamkeen for Industries and Marketing, a company focused on making leather and fabric products, such as bottle coolers, all types of bags, and other goods, with a level of quality that competes with imported goods.
“Our slogan is ‘Industry pride with Yemeni Hands’. We want to gradually get rid of the idea that Yemeni products are not well made,” beams Omar.
As a strong believer in the ability and empowerment of men and women to produce equally high-quality work, Omar employs them both as makers in his factory.
“Women are methodical, trustworthy and reliable workers. Since the establishment of Dar Altamkeen, I have employed many women. I am continuously looking for ways to encourage and foster their creativity and production excellence by ensuring a professional, healthy and clean work environment and offering training and experiences, as well as high quality equipment and machines for all employees,” Omar adds.
In Yemen, many women have been forced to find work after they lost their partners to ongoing violent conflict, or after their partner lost their job due to injury, displacement, or limited opportunities. Women have had to become more independent and provide the primary financial support for their families and children. But with historically limited access to education and training opportunities, options have been limited. That’s why a work environment that provides space for continuous learning is so critical.
Omar believes in the importance of education for women and men and offers opportunities and training which help them to increase their skills.
“We must ensure both women and men can access education, including more professional training and opportunities. The famous Arabic poem by Hafez Ibrahim says ‘A mother is a school. Educate her, and you empower a great nation’.”
Celebrating life and commemorating tragedy through poetry and song, has long been a Yemeni tradition. For Hanan, the art of writing is a means to demonstrate the value and contribution of women to Yemeni society.
While the conflict has had a horrific impact on all Yemenis, women and girls have been disproportionately affected. A lack of representation, access to education, and economic inequality have compounded women’s vulnerability to displacement, long-term unemployment and food insecurity. The physical damage to infrastructure has left people struggling, with services such as water, health, and sanitation no longer available or practically inaccessible. Restricted mobility due to safety concerns further limits women’s ability to provide and care for their families.
“As a girl, I find that the most difficult challenges women face are social. This is especially obvious in fields dominated by men and when they are experiencing a shift in gender roles,” says Hanan.
Hanan seeks to communicate these important messages through her art, with a view to achieve two goals, 1. to raise awareness in the community, and 2. to demonstrate the ability of women achieve greatness when equipped with the right knowledge and skills.
“I was fortunate to be born into a family that believes in me and encourages girls’ to explore their talents. That is why I believe I have taken these steps to succeed. But none of my success would have been possible without their support,” explains Hanan.
Hanan appeals to other Yemeni girls to support each other’s right to education and to leading decent and fulfilling lives. "I aspire to live in a world where the fundamental right education is universally enacted. Men should always take a great part supporting girls’ education and women’s empowerment because they are not only key to tackling women’s most pressing challenges, but to ensuring Yemen’s sustainable recovery.
Ali Abutaleb is the Executive Director of the Yemen Microfinance Network (YMN), a financial industry and development sector expert, and a lead promoter of Social Performance Management and the impact of microfinance services.
YMN actively facilitate access to financial services across the country, with a great focus on youth and women; being named the most accomplished and established microfinance network in the Middle East and Northern Africa region.
Since late 2017, YMN has implemented microfinance initiatives for UNDP’s Emergency Crisis Response Project, with funding from the World Bank and support from the Social Fund for Development, helping to restore thousands of conflict-affected small and micro businesses in Yemen. Over 2,600 women owned enterprises and income-generating activities but were partially or fully lost or damaged directly or indirectly by the ongoing conflict.
“Many of these women owned projects are the only source of income for their families. We were able to give these women the chance to regain their income and ability to provide for their families and dependents again,” says Ali.
So far, the impact of this initiative has been witnessed on the social and economic level for nearly 5,500 Yemenis across the 10 governorates. Women were supported to get back on their feet and restore a sense of stability for themselves and their families, taking their children back to school, and accessing life-saving medical treatment.
“An example is the case of Fadwa in Lahj, who worked as a seamstress sewing traditional clothing for men. When the conflict erupted, she was forced to flee, and upon her return, her sewing machines and fabrics were completely lost. Through this initiative, Fadwa was able to regain her ability to work by purchasing fabrics and sewing items. She was able to restore her business and it boomed once again, thus regaining a steady income which enabled her to get an eye treatment she desperately needed,” Ali describes.
According to Ali, women in this project so far represent 46 per cent of all project participants and have a wide range of projects and businesses in several sectors. As a result, there are 284 new direct employment opportunities for women and over 9000 women who have been indirectly supported through improved household income .
But despite these success stories, many challenges and difficulties still face women in Yemen, especially economically.
“From our own experience in the microfinance sector, as well as financial inclusion field in Yemen and neighboring countries, we can see that financial illiteracy remains one of the biggest challenges facing Yemenis, especially Yemeni women. It remains a big barrier to financial inclusion and economic empowerment,” explains Ali.
At YMN, Ali made sure to take on at least 40 to 60 per cent women clients and encourages them to develop and connect with additional services that can help women entrepreneurs succeed.
“I look forward to a future where Yemeni women take a leading role in creating an environment that provides a better quality of life and improved economic opportunities and resilience,” concludes Ali.
“In the nineties, women in Yemen were underrepresented in the labour market, but in particular in the banking sector. Since then, women have continued to struggle to obtain highly skilled and stable jobs,” says Marrakesh.
“The rapid global development in various fields, including the banking field, require a commitment to innovation and modernization in all aspects of work,” she explains. But this commitment requires on-going training and formal education, something many displaced and rural women have limited access to.
“At my bank, we seek to include women in all of our projects. This helps to set an example and demonstrate the benefit of equal access to employment and productive resources. Women’s representation also helps to create an enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment – including access to banking services such as loans. I seek to promote women's economic empowerment to allow them to support their families and communities.”
Although women’s participation in Yemen’s labour market is one of the world’s lowest, the conflict has shifted some of the barriers that traditionally held women back. Now women have additional roles and responsibilities to support their families, requiring them to seek out training and skills development to find sustainable incomes whether through establishing small businesses or finding a stable job.
“Many women in Yemen have become the main breadwinner for their families. I believe they can work and succeed in all kinds of fields,” concludes Marrakesh.
Ashwaq Moharram is a gynecologist and family medicine specialist who, in 2016, was selected among 100 influential global figures and nominated for the 2021 Arora International Award for her humanitarian work.
Ashwaq works in health and humanitarian work in Hodeidah governorate, western Yemen, in the rural areas and Tihama city.
"Hodeidah is the poorest governorate in Yemen. There are few jobs, increasing the unemployment rate, and low levels of education and lack of safe water drinking,” says Ashwaq.
Yemenis in Hodeidah governate depend upon fishing and agriculture, but the conflict has caused a lack of food and income. To help, Ashwaq established a team to help affected families in the governate and work with relief and international organizations to distribute food, medicine, and basic needs - especially in rural areas and those suffering from famine.
Through her humanitarian work, Ashwaq has been able to highlighted the local suffering and has drawn the attention of many humanitarian organizations to support Hodeidah through assistance.
As a doctor, she and her relief team visit neighborhoods and rural areas of Hodeidah to distribute medicine, food baskets, medical services, and shelter for families who lost their homes during the conflict or due to torrential rains that destroyed homes.
During her career, Ashwaq supported many women affected by the conflict and sees women as a great force. “Women are strong and patient but many are struggling to combat difficult living conditions. But with their ideas, they can help develop society despite the painful situation," she says.
Displacement, rising food prices and several other challenges have forced many Yemeni women to look for work to support their families and provide basic needs. But many of these women have not been afforded formal education, limiting job opportunities and leaving them more susceptible to prolonged unemployment, and worsening hunger.
Despite these persistent obstacles, we find inspiring women like Manal who have committed their lives to help vulnerable women escape chronic poverty.
Manal has teamed up with her friends in a district of Hodeidah, to support women in their community access education and work.
Together they started an initiative providing sewing and knitting classes to train women to make and sell clothes.
"It all started when we were working as community educators in 2018. We saw a lot of women living in extreme poverty and in need of our help. We came up with idea of opening a sewing shop and employing women laborers," says Manal.
Manal and her friends were supported by UNDP’s Yemen Emergency Crisis Response Project (YECRP) as community health educators, a programme funded and supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Social Fund for Development in 2018.
They were trained and paid to organize house-to-house awareness sessions and educate women about cholera, diarrhea, natural breast feeding, pregnancy, and many aspects of maternal health and malnutrition. They also helped identify cases of malnutrition among children and mothers and refer them for treatment.
Manal considers it her role to empower women in her district by providing jobs for them through small projects such as the sewing shop. "We called the project ‘life imprint’. It empowers women economically," she says.
Her sewing shop focuses on recycling existing materials to create new income-generating opportunities for women so that they can support their families.
Manal sees the most prominent challenges facing women in Yemen as poverty and a lack of education, especially higher education that would enable them to serve other women in their community.
"My message to every woman is not to give up. For me, every dream has come true. We are half of society and capable of leading development alongside men," concludes Manal.
Despite what Yemeni women experience amid the crises, we find inspiring Yemeni women playing their part in peace.
One such woman is Jehad Mohammed whose work supports women's empowerment through online campaigns.
Jehad has been working as a photographer since 2011 and has set up an art production office run with her husband.
"I work as a photographer and run an office. I have won photography competitions within Yemen and the Arab world, and have conducted awareness campaigns in several humanitarian areas,” says Jehad.
Because of the conflict, the role of women in Yemeni society does not receive significant media attention, but Jehad continues to try to highlight women’s empowerment and their leadership roles through online campaigns.
"I did many campaigns like women’s leadership roles under the hashtag #Womens_in_leadership, and I have tried to raise awareness of the importance of the role of women in society," continues Jehad.
Many challenges are facing Yemeni women such as traditional norms, participation in public life, and decision-making.
Many Yemeni women dream of an equal world, equal opportunities, and giving a space to express their views.
"I look forward to Yemeni women being partners in work and achievements and being beside men in the economic process of building a peaceful society."
By demonstrating the role of Yemeni women, we are creating solutions for peace, and integrating participation between women and men to build a better future for generations.
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.
Ahmed works as a consultant in gender studies and the evaluation of development projects, including those related to the empowerment of women at the political, economic, and social level, and which women in entrepreneurism in Yemen.
He also provides mentoring and training sessions to many women who wish to establish and grow their own projects.
"Women are great communicators and have different strengths than men, they are committed to attendance and willing to learn and develop. That is what caught my attention and motivated me, even more, to support and to help them advance in different areas of their lives and to give back to society," says Ahmed.
In Yemen, women only comprise approximately 7.8 per cent of the total labor force, despite comprising just under 50 per cent of the total population. Ahmed sees this as a missed opportunity and prioritizes working with women consultants in his work. “This gives space and opportunities to women to show their skills and abilities at the social and family level,” he says.
Ahmed considers women a key element in society, “It cannot rise without them,” he emphasizes, stressing the importance of supporting them to engage in all roles in society. “Neglecting their role creates a gap within societies, development, and in understanding other societies.”
"Thinking from only one side is not productive. An integrated process is necessary to help society grow - only with men and women working together," describes Ahmed.
"Women's professional and technical abilities are often limited by a lack of access to education and training. This leads to less opportunities and unequal participation in decision-making and higher-level jobs. That’s why it is very important to empower women to able to engage and develop. We need strong support from all categories of society, especially men, who must be a helping hand and support in life."
Ahmed has seen firsthand the challenges women face throughout the social and economic aspects of life. In the face of ongoing conflict, this is likely due to increasing pressure on women in the home to take responsibility to provide the most basic needs. But he’s hopeful.
“Women are becoming more interactive, integrated, and accepted in Yemeni society in many areas such as academic, humanitarian and development fields.”
Fatima is president of the Yemen Women Union’s Aden Branch. She is also a local council member for Aden governorate, making her particularly passionate about supporting women in leadership.
Fatima, who has a master's degree in community service, has committed her life to addressing women's rights. As one of the most important members of the Yemen Women Union, her participation in several pro-women's justice campaigns has solidified their success and amplified crucial issues to the level of the Prime Minister, including the critical issue of women's economic empowerment.
“Yemeni women do not have access to most of their economic, social, and cultural rights and still face many challenges in exercising their full political and civil rights," Fatima explains. “Women are vastly underrepresented in the government and the labour force, with only 8.2 per cent of total paid employment in Yemen attributed to women. The government of Yemen lacks robust mechanisms to enforce the compulsory education law, resulting in many families keeping their daughters out of school for cultural or economic reasons,” she continues.
The ongoing armed conflict has led to widespread poverty and resulted in a social and economic insecurity that forces large sections of the population to rely on livelihood assistance, including temporary cash-for-work. This social and economic insecurity, combined with the deterioration of the rule of law and displacement have increased women’s vulnerability to exploitation. Moreover, the violent conflict has exacerbated the need for women to take on a leading role in supporting their family in addition to existing unpaid care and domestic work.
Fatima calls for the increased participation of women in community decision making, believing that this should be an inclusive and participatory process to ensure stronger and more sustainable development results. She also hopes for the increased participation of women in income-generating activities to support their households.
Learn more about Yemen Women Union here.
Arzaq Al-Najjar, is the Executive Director and owner of Mocha Valley, a company specializing in coffee quality studies, training, and tests.
The idea was sparked when she noticed a knowledge gap about Yemeni coffee. Wanting to bring Yemen the recognition and appreciation it deserves as the home of coffee drinking and the source of some of the world’s finest coffee, Arzaq left a corporate life, and began her entrepreneurial journey. After only a few short years, Mocha Valley is producing research for global audiences and working to find solutions to some of the key problems facing the sector.
"I saw that there are very few women working in the coffee sector. Most are working in agriculture, picking the harvest." describes Arzaq.
Mocha Valley's goal is to motivate and encourage more women to join the coffee sector, including to become cuppers, responsible for grading specialty coffee. At Mocha valley, most of the team are women trained to cup and grade.
"We are trying to encourage more women to join us, whether as cuppers, trainees, trainers, or even at the agricultural level," says Arzaq.
When Mocha Valley started, Arzaq struggled to muster support for her project. But Arzaq worked hard to demonstrate her skills, knowledge, and passion, garnering great attention and respect from Yemen’s coffee growers, processors, traders, and drinkers.
"I am really looking forward to having more women in the coffee sector and having equal opportunities. Together, women and men can develop the coffee sector in Yemen. My message to every human being is to never feel hopeless, you must have a goal, work on your skills and yourself! You will face many difficulties, but do not stop, continue and grow stronger!"
Learn more about Yemeni Coffee and Arzaq’s journey with Mocha Valley.
Ghadeer is Executive Director of the Yemeni Business Club and its entities - the Business Support Center and, the Yemeni Institute of Directors. She also works as a consultant and trainer with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Labor Organization (ILO). But Ghadeer is one of very few women leaders in Yemen’s business and entrepreneurship sectors. She wants to see more girls learning about business and more women leading in it.
"From an early age and under my father's guidance, I realized the importance of leadership skills, which played a role in my personal and professional development. Starting in high school, I realized how important it was to help other girls who were not able to complete their education or explore career opportunities or start their own businesses, by providing them with direct counseling or linking to institutions in my network. I want to make it easier for them to find job opportunities and make them business leaders," explains Ghadeer.
Ghadeer is a leading figure in entrepreneurship and business in Yemen. During her career, she has helped to train women and held special conferences for business people and young entrepreneurs to network, to support the development of the professional and educational system in Yemen, especially in the light of conflict.
Through this hard work, Ghadeer succeeding, becoming the director of a prominent economic organization at the age of 25, while also training small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs to improve their businesses.
“The most prominent challenges facing women in Yemen during the conflict include accessing quality education and getting job opportunities, which starts from having their rights to start an investment in their own businesses respected and upheld,” says Ghadeer. "Since the time of the Balqees and Sheba civilizations, Yemeni women have been known for their wisdom and ability to manage, participate and contribute to making their communities better. What we see today is an extension of that woman, who started working in agriculture alongside men, to trade, teach, meditate, and lead. We need to return her to her place and push her forward to achieve a fair and dignified life."
Despite the conflict and its negative economic effects, Yemeni women are still proving their strength and providing leadership in many areas of society, in Yemen and abroad. But as Ghadeer believes, it’s time EVERY Yemeni woman had this chance.
For Ghadeer Taira from Hodeidah, in western Yemen, giving a voice to Yemen’s youth and sharing stories from their perspective is not just her job, it’s her passion. Bringing the unique perspective of young women and men to life through her stories and videos, she has been able to let the world know about their struggles and their strength during the ongoing war.
"I work as a freelance journalist and youth activist. I am very interested in defending women's rights and human rights in general," describes Ghadeer. A member of the Women Solidarity Network in Yemen, Ghadeer believes that media should serve the community and inspire others. "I try to have a special imprint by helping women, whether by helping them to return to education, or empower them and build their self-confidence. I want them to know that their presence is important in this life."
Through her journalistic work, Ghadeer has had the privilege of covering many inspiring stories, including those of peace and war, of displacement, and of girls who have broken into new areas of work, such as mechanics.
Ghadeer splits her time working as a writer, broadcaster, video producer, and rapporteur, as well as doing humanitarian work, enabling her to meet many women leaders in various sectors.
But while these women are often featured and highlighted in media, Ghadeer sees the other side…the women who are unknown or whose stories go unheard, especially those living in and contributing to poor and rural communities.
"I hope that the number of Yemeni women present at the local and international level will increase. I thank every woman who contributes to the development and growth of any other woman, my personal development, or helps me with new ideas to continue my work,” says Ghadeer. “Life does not stop…we can do anything we want! The greatest proof is in the many women that have overcome challenges in Yemen and taken on a role to build peace in their community."
Ghadeer owes her success to the women who have changed her and helped shape her story, “Women have a role to play in empowering each other – youth, leaders…everyone!”
Muaadh Al-Soufi, is a grant and partnership officer for the Humanitarian Development Programme at Hail Saeed group in Yemen. A multi-billion-dollar conglomerate established in 1938 in rural Taiz, Muaadh is part of the social responsibility wing serving communities in need across Yemen and the Arab region.
In 2014, Muaadh had the opportunity to contribute to an initiative providing deaf Yemenis with entrepreneurship training and economic empowerment. “It was a unique experience,” describes Muaadh. More than forty trainees, most of whom were women, were trained using adapted techniques such as sign language.
"We used visual aids as part of the training, implementing a specialized e-commerce training course. We created a learning environment suited to their needs, communicating through technology and providing them with advice that has enabled them to move forward with entrepreneurial endeavors," says Muaadh.
Yemeni women are disproportionately impacted by the on-going conflict – bearing the bulk of domestic and care work, while also requiring paid employment to support their household – many becoming the sole income earner due to the death or injury of their men family members. But finding a job is made even more difficult for deaf women, with many lacking access to suitable training, education or safe working environments.
"There have been many appeals not to abandon this group of people, an integral part of our Yemeni society," says Muaadh. Many deaf Yemenis rely on donations, while some are left unable to buy basic necessities.
But Muaadh believes in the potential of deaf Yemenis – women in particular – to help build stronger local economies. "I never doubt the future of Yemeni women, including deaf women. In every home, there is a mother, a wife, a sister…and we see with our eyes how they struggle, whether through work, home, or in their community. My mother is one example. She is 61 years old, yet she is unstoppable!”
"My message to every father, brother and husband is to make women a pillar of this nation - at their best - so that communities can produce an invincible and united generation. But we must bridge the gap with deaf people, integrating them into the community and providing them with jobs so they can help us fight for a better life."
Eman Almaqtari works as a programme director at ROWAD Academy for technology, a place were Yemeni men and women come to learn digital skills and entrepreneurship that will help prepare them for the workforce of tomorrow.
"The gender gap in the technology sector is one of the most important issues facing the world and women in particular. Women's representation in the sector is only 3 per cent, which is unjustified and illogical as well," says Eman.
The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector is driving global economic change as we navigate the Fourth Industrial Revolution, shifting away from traditional models of finance and communication and exploring new virtual worlds. The future of work demands new skills as we navigate a new highly automated world – with increasing demand for specialists in big data, Artifical Intelligence and digital marketing.
The absence of women in the sector limits the potential for many developing countries to recover and establish themselves economically and technologically, risking the likelihood that they will fall further behind and leave their populations disconnected and disempowered.
"The most important challenges facing women in Yemen are access to quality education, financial services and equal access to jobs and business opportunities. But these challenges can be overcome especially in light of COVID-19, now that distance education has become commonplace,” Eman explains. “I don’t find it logical that people can lack a good education, especially in a time where most have access to the Internet and social media. The world after COVID-19 proved that everything is possible.”
Eman’s support for women in ICT is helping bridge the digital gender gap, "I aspire to live in a world with good education for all and equal opportunities in jobs and business. My message is that the world cannot move towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution if it only uses 50 per cent of its human capacity. We must make sure that all sectors have 50/50 men and women. That's what I do in my Academy of Technology – and support in my life in general."
Learn more about Eman and ROWAD Academy’s work in Yemen.
Nahid is currently serving as Deputy Resident Representative with UNDP in Yemen. Nahid has worked across the region, including in Somalia and Iraq, with a focus on Governance, inclusive politics and Rule of Law.
“UNDP is committed to achieving gender equality globally, but in Yemen, the whole office is working hard to create an environment that is safe, inclusive and motivating – so we can do our best work in helping Yemenis recover and thrive together!” says Nahid.
With several multi-year projects in economic resilience building, UNDP Yemen’s work – together with several local partners – has resulted in the sustainable employment of thousands of Yemeni women, and access to immediate income through cash-for-work for several thousand more.
“Women’s access to sustainable jobs is critical in Yemen. The ongoing conflict has seen skyrocketing unemployment and devastated an already fragile economy, but with more women gaining skills and establishing businesses, households are better able to afford the necessities and communities benefit from increased services. Women’s empowerment is Yemen’s empowerment.”
