A fight of another kind

“If you accept injustice, you will remain a victim throughout your life.” Fatima al-Ghuli

Fatima married when she was just a nine-year-old child, and left school after finishing her primary education. Years later, she attended training courses in handicrafts at a cultural center. She was also trained as a typist and worked at the center, but she faced objections from her family because her community did not accept working women at that time.

During the 1994 war in Yemen, her father and brothers joined the army. Fatima looked for work after giving birth to her daughters. She was trained and worked as a nurse. She had to quit work after the war – again because her family objected to her working.

Fatima’s circumstances deteriorated further until she applied to the Yemeni Women’s Union for work, and because she did not pursue her career after her work in nursing and at the cultural center, she was appointed as a cleaner.

She tried to demonstrate her skills in typing, in computer operation and secretarial work, but the government system did not allow her to change jobs, so she decided to go back and finish her studies. Supported by her colleagues, she got her university degree as a social worker.

After graduation she resumed working and moved through several positions. After 12 years, she became Director-General of the Women’s Section at the Public Authority for the Protection of the Environment. She resolved that she would support any woman in need of help.

Through her daily travels Fatima met women on buses, at the university and elsewhere. They were in difficult situations and needed to bring in income for their families. She decided to train them in secretarial skills, and after they were trained she helped them to get jobs in organisations she knew. She gave them job certificates after they worked with her to make it easy for them to find work later. Fatima trained, qualified and improved the lives of a total of 115 girls.