This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 001572 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN ECON PGOV KDEM YM GTIP KMPT
SUBJECT: ADEN WOMEN'S GROUPS REACH OUT TO ISLAMIC AND 
SECURITY AUTHORITIES 
 
REF: A. SANAA 04 2385 
     ¶B. SANAA 611 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. May 31 and June 1 Pol/Econ Chief and Poloff 
met with several women's rights groups in Aden, a vibrant 
port city with a long-standing tradition of social activism. 
In anticipation of 2006 local council elections, women's 
groups are busy lobbying political parties in support of a 30 
percent quota for female candidates.  Not waiting for Yemen's 
conservative, male-dominated society to recognize women as a 
political force, female activists are finding innovative ways 
to advance the status of women, including recruiting 
religious figures, building coalitions across political 
parties, and cooperating with local authorities to combat 
trafficking in women.  End Summary. 
 
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Aden National Women's Committee Co-opts Local Imams 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2. (U) The Women's National Committee (WNC) is a ROYG 
sponsored organization established to advance the political, 
economic, and social status of women in Yemen.  Aden Branch 
Chair, Qublah Mohamed Saeed, discussed WNC's efforts to 
increase women's political participation.  The WNC backs the 
proposed 30 percent quota for female candidates in the 2006 
local council elections, but acknowledged that the political 
parties will likely only accept a 10 percent quota 
nationally, if any (ref A).  Women cannot rely on the quota 
system to bridge the gender gap, said Saeed, but must also 
focus on developing a long-term strategy to change attitudes 
about the role of women. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Saeed shared an innovative outreach program to 
co-opt local Islamic leaders in the campaign to improve the 
condition of southern Yemeni women.  The Aden WNC reached out 
to local Imams to improve girl's health, particularly with 
regard to the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). 
The program brought religious leaders, medical professionals, 
and activists together to discuss the negative health 
implications of FGM.  Once educated, the Imams spread 
awareness of FGM in their mosque sermons, warning people of 
the health consequences and dispelling the belief that female 
circumcision is a religious duty sanctioned by Islam.  (Note: 
For additional information on FGM in Yemen see G/Office of 
International Women's Issues June 1, 2001 report.  End Note). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Pleasantly surprised by the Imam's willingness to 
discuss, let alone tackle, such a sensitive issue, the WNC 
Aden Branch hopes to repeat the program's success with a new 
initiative focusing on Sharia as the basis for expanding 
women's legal rights. 
 
------------------- 
Strength in Numbers 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Fatima Muraisi, Chairwoman of the Yemeni Women's Union 
(Aden branch) and local council member, also expressed 
support for the proposed quota system.  (Note: The YWU, an 
organization established by the socialists before 
unification, is nominally an NGO but maintains a close 
relationship with the ruling GPC.  End note).  Muraisi hoped 
that women can work together to build coalitions across party 
lines, creating a united front to encourage reticent party 
members to support greater gender equality, particularly 
within the conservative Islah party.  YWU in Aden is also 
focusing on building a coalition to lobby for the passage of 
several draft election laws calling for such measures as a 
mandated female member on the Supreme Election Committee, and 
a women's sub-committee in all local election commissions. 
Echoing the NWC, Muraisi stressed that a grassroots public 
awareness campaign is needed to change prevailing 
conservative views on women in politics, including among 
Yemeni women. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Local Police Cooperate to Help Women in Trouble 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Raqiya Humeidan, President of the Arab Association 
for Supporting Women and Juveniles, discussed her new 
organization's efforts to provide legal and social services 
to female prisoners and victims of domestic violence in Aden. 
 The Foundation struck up a unique relationship with local 
prisons.  Humeidan explained that authorities traditionally 
will only release a woman into the custody of a male family 
members once their term has been served.  However, many 
families disown their female relative when they are convicted 
of crimes, leaving these women imprisoned indefinitely 
without cause once they have served even short sentences for 
minor crimes. 
 
¶7. (SBU) According to Humeidan, the authorities sometimes 
release woman into the custody of a pimp posing as family 
member.  In exchange for securing their release, these women 
may find themselves in coercive, exploitative situations. 
Unable to return home and lacking job skills, some former 
female prisoners turn to prostitution as the only viable 
economic option.  In a new arrangement the police now contact 
the Foundation to give it custody of women who are ready for 
release but have been abandoned by their families. Pol/Econ 
Chief and Poloff toured the organization's small women's 
shelter.  A make shift safe haven, the facility currently has 
the capacity to shelter only a handful of women.   The 
organization hopes to expand its shelter facilities, as well 
as provide job skills training in order to combat potential 
sex trafficking. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment: Due to Aden's long history with civil 
society, southern-based women groups are ahead of the pack in 
comparison to the rest of the country.  These Women's groups 
are making a serious effort to alter societal views on the 
role of women in political life, improve women's health, and 
create a future for women who would otherwise have none. 
Their grassroots programs and innovative outreach efforts can 
serve as a model for women's rights organizations and 
activists across Yemen.  The Arab Association for Supporting 
Women and Juveniles' shelter, still in its infancy, is an 
excellent candidate for much needed G/TIP assistance as the 
first known NGO attempt to prevent Yemeni women and girls 
from becoming victims of internal sex trafficking.  End 
Comment. 
Krajeski