Three years into the Arab Spring and many activists have said to be disappointing. Many feel the social reforms they were so set on bringing about have failed to materialized, swallowed whole by the system. With a myriad of issues and over-lapping crises to deal with, state officials have tend to procrastinate when it comes to human and social rights issues, especially when relating to the status of women.
A country profoundly attached to its Islamic traditions, women rights has always been a subject of contentious, for many have understood calls for change as a negation and rejection of the Islamic model.
It is such social taboos activists want to change, starting with society’s perception and expectation of women.
Marwa Mohammed, a young activist took on such challenge. Speaking to Aden Press (local media) Marwa defiantly says she wants to challenge Yemen’s traditions and reclaim her rights a woman, as an equal citizen.
“I am a woman but I'm not cursed … and my face is not a source of shame,” she said.
Marwa wants to end all recriminations against women as well as work towards the advancement of Arab women on social networking. “In order to break Yemen’s culture of oppression we need first and foremost to change society’s view and understanding of women. We need to tackle customs and promote positive changes, such as tolerance, equality and respect,” noted Marwa.
Even though women played an important role in Yemen 2011 uprising, somewhat shattering one of society’s biggest taboo toward women’s participation in the political life of the country, many activists have since then complained that gender segregation remains a major issue.