The Southern Transitional Council (STC) de facto authorities must reverse their unlawful takeover of the Aden-based Yemeni Women Union centre, an independent civil society organization, and ensure women and children residing in the centre’s shelter for survivors of gender-based violence are protected, said Amnesty International today.
On 26 May, a group of armed men accompanying women from the STC-supported Southern Women Union, took over the Yemeni Women Union centre building in Sira district in Aden governorate by force. They broke in, changed the locks to the centre’s entrance and main rooms, destroyed security cameras, and expelled the centre’s guard replacing him with a new STC affiliated armed guard. They also denied access to staff of the Yemeni Women Union and to women seeking protective services.
“Instead of guaranteeing the safety of women fleeing violence and strengthening the work of civil society organizations providing protective services, STC authorities have exposed them to further violence,” said Diala Haidar, Yemen researcher at Amnesty International.
“The STC de facto authorities must respect freedom of association and allow the Yemeni Women Union centre staff to return to their jobs in order to ensure the safety of residents at the centre’s women’s shelter and that survivors of gender-based violence can continue to access its desperately-needed services.”
Instead of guaranteeing the safety of women fleeing violence and strengthening the work of civil society organizations providing protective services, STC authorities have exposed them to further violence
Diala Haidar, Yemen Researcher at Amnesty International
The Aden-based Yemeni Women Union Centre, established in 1968, houses the only shelter for survivors of gender-based violence in Aden governorate. It provides safe accommodation to approximately 15 women and a range of other services including legal aid, rehabilitation and protection for women from across the country. At the time of the attack, there were 10 women and two children at the shelter.
Women working for the STC-supported Southern Women Union accompanied the armed men and took over the centre.
On 26 May, the day the raid took place, the prosecutor of the Public Funds Prosecution issued an order, reviewed by Amnesty International, instructing law enforcement authorities to stop the raid and refer those involved in the incident to the prosecution. However, to date, law enforcement agents have failed to comply with the order.
According to a member of the Yemeni Women Union, law enforcement officers told them that they had “higher orders” not to intervene, in reference to the STC.
The only women shelter in Aden under attack
A staff member of the Yemeni Women Union, told Amnesty International that the women and children in the shelter were terrified during the attack:
“They [the women and children] were watching in fear as they [the intruders] were breaking the entrance gate and then storming the centre. The women and children all escaped to the roof and stayed there under the sun until things settled down and they were able to return to their rooms.”
They [the women and children] were watching in fear as they [the intruders] were breaking the entrance gate and then storming the centre.
Yemeni Women's Union staff member
The takeover took place around midday on 26 May, while only one staff member was at the shelter with the residents. The employee has not left the shelter since 26 May out of fear of not being allowed access again.
According to members of the Yemeni Women Union, at least seven members of the STC armed forces remain positioned in the centre. They are denying staff who provide legal aid, psychosocial and rehabilitation support, access to the premises effectively halting all service provision to the women and children at the shelter.
One staff member told the organization that the STC armed forces are also turning away women who are reporting to the centre seeking protection services.
“STC de facto authorities must withdraw their armed forces from the centre and allow women seeking help and services providers immediate unfettered access to the shelter. The shelter offers an important safe space for women and children. It is outrageous that the STC authorities are preventing it from functioning and effectively denying survivors of gender based violence their right to safety and protection,” said Diala Haidar.
An ongoing crackdown on civic space
The STC-supported Southern Women Union had attempted to take over the centre on a previous occasion on 13 May but only managed to hang a Southern Women Union sign and the flag of the STC on the building, which both remain to date.
In a similar incident, on 1 March 2023, Security Belt forces of the STC stormed the Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate headquarters in Al Tawahi district, Aden governorate, confiscating property, expelling the journalists present and prohibiting them from accessing the building. The Security Belt forces then replaced the syndicates’ sign with that of the STC-supported Southern Journalists and Media Workers Syndicate. Despite a complaint filed with the public prosecutor in Aden to investigate the incident, no action was taken.
“The attack against the Yemeni Women Union is not an isolated incident, it has taken place against a backdrop of arbitrary and unlawful restrictions imposed on civil society organizations and human rights defenders in Aden by the STC de facto authorities. STC de facto authorities must end their ongoing crackdown on civic space.” said Diala Haidar.
Background
Amnesty International interviewed six members of the Yemeni Women Union. The organization also reviewed an order by the public prosecutor of the Public Funds Prosecution in addition to videos and photos of the attack.