Al-Fassel | 2025-11-25

The Houthi group, notorious for its human rights violations, has escalated its systematic violence against women, particularly those in public and community service roles.

These targeted attacks not only rob Yemen of its highly educated minds but also threaten the nation’s future generations.

Assassinations of women community leaders

The assassinations of leaders have become a chilling hallmark of the Houthi war on women.

Dr. Iftihan al-Mashhari, director of the Sanitation and Improvement Fund in Taiz, was fatally shot in September after threats linked to her public service.

Weeks later, Dr. Wafa al-Makhlafi was killed in Sanaa, her murder witnessed by passersby and security cameras.

The incident caused widespread anger and grief among academics and the community.

Professors and students mourned the loss of a prominent female leader who was deeply committed to education and humanitarian work.

Judge Ishraq al-Maqtari of Yemen’s National Commission for the Investigation of Human Rights Violations highlights the alarming surge in assassinations within Houthi-controlled areas.

Women working in education, media, and relief efforts are being targeted under false pretexts.

This systematic violence, combined with the Houthis' sense of impunity, has made public service increasingly perilous for women.

Defamation and intimidation

The Houthis’ war on women extends beyond physical violence.

Digital harassment, defamation of character, and hate speech have become powerful tools to silence women.

Nadia al-Sakkaf, Yemen’s first female Minister of Information, warns that digital violence is particularly insidious.

It permeates daily life and forces women to retreat from public spaces.

Social stigma, driven by Houthi propaganda, acts as a deterrent, leading families to discourage women from pursuing public service roles.

This creates a chilling culture of fear and silence.

Tawfiq al-Humaidi of SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms states that this exclusion is a deliberate strategy.

Its goal is to erase women from participating in Yemen’s social and political fabric.

Yemen’s future is at stake

When women are silenced, the consequences ripple across Yemen.

Women like Dr. al-Mashhari and journalist Rasha Abdullah, who was assassinated in 2021, represent more than individual losses.

Their absence leaves a void in media, education, and humanitarian efforts, crippling Yemen’s recovery from years of conflict.

The United Nations Population Fund estimates that 6.2 million women and girls in Yemen face a risk of violence in 2025.

Maternal mortality rates in Yemen are already the highest in the Middle East.

Threatening and intimidating women worsens the crisis, as female medical staff may leave the profession or abandon higher education entirely.

Women are an integral part of Yemen’s recovery and future.

Houthi actions against them are not just crimes against individuals, they are crimes against an entire nation.