Sisters in Leadership Discuss Yemen’s War and Its Impact on Women
Assalamu alaykum - Women parliamentarians, diplomats and rights advocates from the Gulf, the Middle East and Europe gathered online on Tuesday to talk about the humanitarian and political effects of Yemen’s ongoing conflict and how women leaders can help shape peace and recovery efforts.
The meeting was organized by a London-based group that focuses on political dialogue and mediation across the Gulf-MENA region and was part of their Women for a Sustainable Future network.
Held under Chatham House Rule, the session looked at how the war in Yemen affects women differently and how female lawmakers can support inclusive rebuilding and recovery.
Speakers included Yemeni experts such as Ousan Mohammed Saeed Ali, head of the Women’s Department in the Supreme Council of the Popular Resistance; Dr. Nabila Ghaleb, founder of the Fekrah Foundation for Media Rights for Women; and Areej Rashid Thabet Al-Nabhi, a rights activist working with victims’ families.
Dr. Huda Al-Helaissi, a former member of Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council, said the forum helped raise important issues to international attention through its diverse participants and visiting parliamentarians. She noted the meeting aimed to give voice and access to those who are suffering, especially women who have little chance to be heard abroad.
Reflecting on the discussion, Al-Helaissi emphasized the heartbreaking poverty and distress faced by many Yemenis and the extra burden placed on women.
After more than a decade of conflict, over 18 million people in Yemen need assistance, and women and girls face increased risks of displacement, food shortages and gender-based violence.
The Women for a Sustainable Future network, founded in 2018, brings together female parliamentarians, government officials and experts from across the Gulf-MENA region and Europe. Members include representatives from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Sweden and the UK. The initiative supports cross-regional cooperation on challenges like climate change, economic instability and social inequality.
Through regular in-person and online meetings, the network gives women leaders a space to share experiences and develop policy ideas that can be taken back to their national parliaments.
The convening organization partners with a range of institutions, including regional humanitarian and research centers and international health bodies, to support the network’s work.
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