SANA’A, March 28- Under the auspices of Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa, the Ministry of Human Rights and the National Committee for Women organized the National Conference for Women under the banner of “Together in the Path, Together in Decision-Making” on March 20.

 

The conference witnessed participation from all political forces, civil society organizations, and several women’s rights advocates.

 

The active participation was indicative of the strenuous efforts made to safeguard women’s rights, and to reflect these rights in the constitution and in laws in a way that ensures their implementation and inclusion in the upcoming national dialogue.

 

During the conference, participants discussed a range of issues and aimed to settle differences among various organizations for women in attempts to get them to agree and converge on priorities that must be represented in committees in the upcoming national dialogue and transitional period, as well as in the panel tasked with drafting a new constitution.

 

They have called upon the interim government and all political actors in the country to support their demands, to work to engage women in the upcoming national dialogue, and to foster a constructive environment to ensure womens’ active participation and put an end to discrimination against women.

 

The participants came up with recommendations and suggestions, which included ways to improve the legal and legislative environment in a way that ensures real participation by Yemeni women in the three governmental authorities - executive, legislative, and judiciary – and applies the principle of equal opportunity to both men and women, and which urgently enforces laws that clearly state that at least a percentage of 30 percent of women will be part of decision-making processes.

 

Further recommendations included an increase in womens’ social security benefits and the availability of funds in micro-finance projects, working to raise the level of competitiveness among women, helping to further involve them in the workforce, standing by rural women through the establishment of a fund to help cover their needs, and, most importantly, the putting in place of an effective mechanism to communicate with the government, with the president, political parties, and civil society organizations.

 

The participants also underlined the importance of women’s participation in education, starting in primary school and all the way up to institutes of higher education.