Fighting odd customs would help women's progress, says study

Moneer Al-Omari

According to a recent study by the Yemeni Polling Center (YPC), many socio-cultural hindrances including lack of equality, customs prevent the full integration of women into the society and their advancement in public life and Yemen's democratic and political project; however, most obstacles are not inherited, but rather alien to the society. 

The study addressed numerous aspects including marriage, divorce, custody and other social and political rights. It was conducted on 434 citizens divided in half to males and females in four governorates: Sana'a, Ibb, Aden and Hadramout. The respondents were chosen from different educational backgrounds and different age groups.

Majority of Yemenis condition that both proposed couple should make a medical test in order to ascertain the other party's fitness before marriage, considering it to be an important reason for a happy marriage. There have been varied reasons for such a condition and most hint tests would help discover any contagious diseases or genetic problems that would affect children in the future.

About 84.6 percent agree on making a medical test before marriage; while 15.4 percent see it to be unnecessary. However, the percentage shrinks to 54 percent when considering the affliction of one party with genetic problems and the rest condition the acceptability of the other party.

As for the rights of women in marriage and divorce, about 90 percent of participants stress that a husband should tell his wife(s) of his intention to marry again. Further, 53 percent of participants assure the wife has the full right to ask for divorce in case her husband conceals information of his new marriage.  

In this regard, 82.9 percent decline the women any right to ask for divorce when her husband gets married once again, but just 18 percent of women decline such a right. Still, women stress the existence of two witnesses in case a husband wants to return back to his divorced wife. However, all respondents emphasized that a wife should not be returned back when the husband has premeditated intention to harm her. 

Most ladies, about 95 percent, stress the importance that a husband should provide his divorced wife a house until custody period comes to an end. In return, most men decline such a right. Likewise, around 93 percent of men indicate that divorce cases should be registered before the concerned authorities. 

Age difference has no importance for men and women in Yemen, even this difference is 20 years. 63.4 percent of participants declare that age difference is insignificant in case the junior party accepts. Just 22 percent see the marriage should not be made when the age difference is 20 years or over.  

When asked about the age viewed to be apt for marriage among both men and women, half respondents indicate the most suitable age for marriage among men is 24, while they fix it to be 18 years among women.  

However, 26.3 percent of respondents fixed no age for marriage legality and most of them agree that both men and women should marry at early age especially when ladies fear spinsterhood after the age of 20.  

Still, marriage age is connected with numerous reasons including the habits, financial circumstances; yet many respondents believe early marriage can protect youth of both sexes against committing sins and further protect ladies against spinsterhood and similar fears.

Regarding child custody, majority of men and women preferred that a wife has the right to look after her daughter until reaching the age of 15; nevertheless, there has been a discrepancy over female child custody and more male respondents mention that a male child should remain with his mother until reaching seven years.   

There has been a consensus (99.6 percent) between male and female participants as to not to marry a lady to a mad man and the percentage shrinks to about 90 percent when the matter relates to getting married to a physic patient.    

When coming to acquiring the nationality, 60 percent of female participants see that a Yemeni lady's sons from a foreign husband should acquire the Yemeni nationality, while just 46 percent of men agreed to it. 

Against 95.8 percent of female respondents, just 62.2 percent agree that a mother has the guardianship right over her husband's money and sons following his death. More male respondents agree on forming an administration to control the guardianship over the money and property of minor children until they reach maturity.  

Like man, woman has the right to remain in her public job until she reaches 60 years, according to about 63 of male respondents and 77.4 percent of female respondents.  

In return, 99 percent of male participants agree on establishing nursery schools for children whose mothers are jailed, but 87.6 percent of female participants agreed to it. Again, female respondents give importance to the whereabouts of the nursery school and whether their children will be taken from them.  

Equal percentage (95 percent) of respondents admit the rights of women to join police and to work in some administrations affiliated with the Ministry of Interior like women's prisons and care houses.   

When coming to honor crimes, most respondents consider them to be intended killing. A woman killing her husband, when found in bed with another lady, is considered to be an intended killing according to 84.4 percent of male respondents and 68.2 female respondents.  

The percentage decreases to 75.4 and 55.2 percent among male and female respondents respectively when killing is committed by the husband against a wife making love to somebody else. Still, 43 percent female respondents and about 20 percent of male respondents consider honor crimes not to be intended killing.

When most agree that honor crime is an intended killing, some respondents suggested blood money in place of capital punishment when such a crime is committed. 

There has been disagreement in male respondents' opinions of making a woman's blood money equal to a man's and 83 percent of female respondents see that blood money of both men and women should be equal. Meanwhile, there has been an increasing support for equal injury compensation claims, with 60 percent among male respondents.  

Most importantly, the study indicated that women are not much interested in political involvement despite the fact that women activists managed to bring the issue to the Parliament. About 70 percent of female respondents stress the importance of having a legal text that binds political parties to assign ladies a percentage in their leading positions.   

The study noted that there are no social obstacles before women's achieving their rights and the matter is just in need for more awareness and people are prepared to act positively with laws that relate to social and civil rights.  

It stressed the current amendments are an important step towards empowering women, hinting that citizens are still in need for clear legal texts relating to their direct dealing with women. It also called for codifying the Fatwa issued by religious scholars as they form a great part in society's dealing with women.

 Source:
 http://www.yemenpost.net/7/Reports/1.htm