Yemeni Women

Hello Folks!

I am still trying to adjust to the time difference in my new country and, it sort of affecting my creativity to write. That and because I have a lot of things to do. For starters, I am trying to earn my registration as a registered nurse in Australia and, we are really busy.

Today however, is very special. It's the International Women's Day and, I believe that its time for me to tell more of my story.

A few years ago, I worked as a nurse in one of the most dangerous places in the world and that is in Sana'a, Yemen. I do not generally want to discuss how things went there(that's for another post) but, I wanted to share my experiences especially on how Yemeni women were treated.

Islam is predominantly their religion but, unlike other countries, they are not extreme. Still, my perception on how women were treated there were not good.

Women needed to cover themselves from head to foot like this:

copyright by Press Tv

the more "modern or less conservative" families

copyright by openDemocracy

They are not allowed to speak to anyone except to their significant family members like their fathers, brothers, sons, grandfathers and uncles. When they reach a certain age, they will be forbidden to speak to any male who is not blood relative to them.

Some families would even impose that they be exclusively confined inside their residences and be heavily chaperoned in all their out door trips.

They do not have a say on their marriages as their elder brothers, uncles and fathers are the ones "negotiating." Some would even marry off their daughters the moment they have their first menstruation while others will blatantly "sell" them off because of the dowry.

Most of them were not educated and therefore unable to read and write or even understand simple procedures like admitting their children in the hospital.

copyright by alamystock

When they are sick, its their male family members who give their consent into any procedure that would be done, even their hospitalization- almost every aspect of them.

To say it shortly, women were not really treated equally. One time, one of our Palestinian born turned Yemeni citizen doctor in the unit I worked told me that a woman's statement is only half of a man's. So in short, women were second class citizens- like a dog or a chattel to be handled, bartered or traded according to the situation. I was furiously upset to learn about this.

I made a lot of Yemeni friends - on both sexes and, I got the chance to ask about their practices. The initial reaction was that, it was pretty normal for them to do these things because, they are their customs and, when I asked them if they feel impeded or restricted, they said no.

As @wolfhart had been telling me in one of his comments- culture is a bitch. I am expecting nothing but these from my friends but, they walked me through their culture. Since they strictly follow their faiths and traditions, their male relations find other ways to express their love for them: they consult them on their decisions especially on their marriages, careers(my friends were educated- nurses, doctors, pharmacists, etc).

copyright by alamystock
the old city of Sana'a- I love going through that door -it's like entering into another world.

Nonetheless, in spite of all the oppression that I perceived male were doing against women in their society, I have never been treated better in my life. The male Yemeni nurses would often offer their help even on simple things like translating for me, bringing my medications and, any other trivial things that I needed them to do in the unit. The male relatives of my clients were nonetheless very respectful and courteous. It is the same when I get out. Though its not allowed to wear anything that shows any part of my body, I would often stroll in BAB-AL Yemen or the old city of SAna'a which is fabled to be founded by Noah's son, Shem. Yes folks. The same place where the Al Qaeda, Isis or whatever terrorist group out there is using as their "recruitment" site. I would often be greeted by this

copyright by Islam Hashtag

which means- Peace be with you- what a wonderful greeting from all the people who I initially thought were oppressing women , kill thousands of people and are spreading fear and chaos everywhere.

Men in the old city were especially very polite and courteous. Asking me where am I going, what am I going to buy or, weather I want them to take pictures of me using my phone.I do this almost everyday on my day offs- alone, wearing shirts and jeans. Uncovered and very much "vulnerable" in old city of Sana'a.

I still believe that my friends should have been given more freedom and leeway based on my standards. Unfortunately, they have their own version.

Looking at it from their point of view. I might be wrong. My friends might be following their customs and traditions but in their eyes, they were not really oppressed and discriminated. Perhaps, I am getting my own personal convictions in the table which makes it difficult for me to clearly take a strong stand on this. I may never know for now. What is clear however is that, in a world where I initially thought that all women were treated terribly because of their culture and traditions lies a gap or a broken link: My incompetence to understand and comprehend the effects of my own personal convictions and the situation I am comparing it with.

I am greatly humbled by this analysis. But this is life. This is a journey and, I still have a lot of things to learn.