History

Yemeni Women’s Union (YWU) is the oldest and largest organization in the Yemeni civil society. YWU is an independent organization that accepts any willing Yemeni woman as a member.

Because of the British colonization of southern parts of Yemen, it was separated from mother Yemen and was under the occupation between the years 1830 and 1967. The northern parts of Yemen were ruled by the Imam regime. Under his rule, Yemeni people were not only deprived from education and knowledge, but was completely isolated from the out side world. The 26^th of September revolution was able to set the Yemeni people free from the Imam oppression and open all widows of knowledge and the development of Yemeni people.

The women movement had a leading role in the political patriotic movement of the Yemeni people against the occupation and the Imam. The Yemeni women movement also had a noted role in defending the objectives and principles of the Yemeni revolutions (26^th of September and 14^th of October)

The early beginnings were in the southern governorates, specifically in the colonized Aden. There the British Women Club was established in the early forties of the last century. The purpose of the club was to gather the elite British women (wives of the British officers and political leaders) also the women of the aristocratic families (at that time). The club activities were social; the meetings, gatherings and lectures were only about the way of life the British women led.

Shortly, after founding of the club, many Yemeni women felt that the goals of the club were not for the interest of women issues in Aden. Consequently, the Adeni Women Association was founded by Rogia Mohammed Nasser (Om Salah) along side with many women who led the association activities. The association was able to liberate itself from isolation and to get involved in many activities.

In 1956, Radhia Ihsan Alla founded the Arab Women Association in Aden. The association had an important role in the struggle against the British occupation. The association also played a leading role in encouraging women to enroll in schools and also promoting women’s right for education and employment. The Arab Women association was behind the Shiadir revolution in which, women burned there Shiader as a simple of coming out for work and education. In addition to that, the association had many activities such as political lectures, musical events, sports events and many other activities.

In 1958, the Arab Women Association established the first mutual relations with Egyptian Women’s Union. Members of the association attended events arranged by the Arab Women’s Union in its headquarters in Cairo, at that time, Hoda Sha’rawy was the chairwoman.

The Arab Women Association was a major player in the revolution of 26^th of September 1962 against the Imam and in defending it.

In 1965, the Women Organization was founded, which was subordinate of the Nationalist Front (an armed organization for resisting the British occupation). Yemeni women under the leadership of the Women Organization were participating in the resistance by transporting weapons, distributing publications against the occupation, and even some were trained to carry and use fire arms like any other Yemeni man.

In 16^th of February 1968, women populist comities were formed on the level of neighborhoods and then a higher preparation comity for women’s union in which the late Aida Ali Said was the chairwoman. In 1974, the constituent congress for the General Yemeni Women’s Union was commenced in Aden by a republic decree as a support for women and their leading role in the revolution and the armed resistance.

Aisha Mohsin was the first chairwoman of the union after its formation. The General Yemeni Women’s Union put together Women from all southern governorates in accordance to the fundamentals and goals set by the union’s charter.

Before the two parts of Yemen were reunited, there were women associations in: Sana’a, Taiz, Hoddaida, Ibb and Thamar. Every association was run by an executive office elected from the general assembly.

In 1958, the first civil institution was founded, in which Atika Abdullah Alshamy was the president of the institution. The institution had a role in promoting the importance of education among women. The first women demonstration was gathered by the Women Institution in the Nursery Institute in Sana’a. The demonstrators asked for schools for girls. After the demonstration, Imam Ahmad ordered to close down the Women Institution. In spite of the Imam’s oppression the Women Institution was able to hold on and continue to support the students of the Scientific School in their demonstrations against the Imam’s oppression. The institution was closed down in 1960.

In 1964, the Egyptian expedition in Taiz opened a literacy education center. Among the center’s activities: literacy education,health education, film screening, ..etc. In November, 1965, the center’s name was changed to the Yemeni Women Institution. Fatima Abo Baker Awlaky elected as President.

In May, 1965, Radhia Ihsan Alah arrived to Sana’a from Aden and commenced a big meeting in which she called for founding women institution. The mother of the martyr Abdullah Allakiah was elected as chairwoman for institution. The institution was closed after a year because of lack of interest in women for the institution and also because of the war that was happening between the republicans and the royalists.

In the year 1967, Horia Almoaid and Fathia Aljorafy founded the Yemeni Women Institution. The same name of the institution that the mother of the martyr Abdullah Allakiah was president of. In 1984, Mrs. Atika Alshamy was elected president of the institution. The institution stayed until it was merged with the other institutions in the governorates.

In Ibb, Habibah Alkhamry founded the Yemeni Women institution in 1970. In Alhoddida, Taibah Barkat founded an institution under the same name. In Thamar, Faizah Alazany founded an institution under the same name also.

Before the reuniting of the two parts of Yemen In April 1990, the women institutions in Sana’a , Taiz, Ibb, Hoddidah and Thamar had to be merged under one institution which then will be merged with its counter part in the southern governorates. Preparation comities were formed and authority administrations were elected for Taiz, Ibb, Hoddidah and Sana’a branches. After that, an executive office was elected and Mrs. Amat Alaleem Alsosuah was president. The organization was named the General Yemeni Women’s Union.

In March, 1990, comities were formed to merge similar institutions from southern and northern parts of Yemen. One of these comities was a comity to merge both the women unions. Aida Ali Said was the first Chairwoman for the united union and was named the Yemeni Women’s Union.

When the newly union was formed there were 11 branches and no new branch was opened in addition to Shabowa’s branch which was put on hold since 1994. The working branches were as follows:

Sana’a municipality
Hoddidah governorate.
Ibb governorate.
Aden governorate.
Taiz governorate.
Almahrah governorate.
Thamar governorate.
Abian governorate.
Lahj governorate.

In the year 2002, the union worked to fix the situation in Shabowa’s branch and open new branches in Albaitha and Althali. The union continued without re-electing its management from 1990 to 2002 which made the union under the threat of closure because it’s illegal situation. A preparation comity was formed in 2002 from the branches presidents and other notable women. Dr. Amat Alrazak Ali Homad was president of the comity. In Jun, 2003 Dr. Amat Alrazak resigned and Mrs. Ramzia Aleryani was appointed president of the comity.