Women and the War in Yemen: Actors or Victims?

[Courtesy of Voices of the Middle East & North Africa, VOMENA] In a recent Sanaa Review article, journalist Sahar Abdo describes how the current war in Yemen introduced space for women that was frowned upon in the past. She talks about a subtle challenging of taboos, women being much more present in public spaces, or taking on jobs they did not do in the past. In most conflicts, women are grouped with children, they are categorized among the most vulnerable groups. This designation erases, in many cases, women who are engaged in the conflict, women who are actively relieving or caring for communities, or those who try to defy the war and go about their lives and activism regardless. This audio documentary digs deeper into life under conflict through the stories and voices of five Yemeni women, based in the cities of Sana’a and Aden. All of them are involved in women and grassroots activism. They talk about how they understand this war and how they view their role as Yemeni women politically and socially. Research & Interviews/Narration/ Sound by Mira Nabulsi. Voiceover: Malihe Razazan and Jeannine Etter. This story was produced in collaboration with the "Muslim Women and the Media" training institute at the University of California, Davis.