In early January of last year, Rabab Mohammed (53 years old) was subjected to harassment and delays at the security checkpoints on the entrances to the city of Aden due to not having an ID or any official documents to identify herself while she was traveling with her son, who also did not possess an ID. They were on their way to visit relatives in Aden. Rabab, a resident from the countryside of Al-Sayani District in Ibb governorate and a mother of five children, recounts: "Every time I think about traveling and planning to visit my relatives in Aden or Marib, I feel an involuntary sense of fear and anxiety. Then the issue of security checkpoints and inspections came to worsen the situation." Rabab’s predicament seems to reflect the situation of many rural women, whose families neglect to obtain any official identification documents for them, including personal IDs.
Women on the Margins of Citizenship
On her wedding night, Mona, accompanied by her husband Mohammed, headed to a hotel in Ibb city to check in. However, they were surprised when the hotel receptionist requested either her ID card or her father's ID, insisting that the marriage contract alone was not enough to prove their relationship. Mona, feeling insulted, mimics the employee’s demand: "Give me her ID card or her father’s ID. How do I know she’s your wife?" She considered these words an attack on her character and behavior, and with a tone of sadness, she recalls, "This is the first time anyone has asked me for my personal ID. Even when the legal officiant registered our marriage, he didn’t ask for my ID card; he asked for my father's ID instead!"
Thousands of women in the countryside of Ibb (central Yemen) live without personal identification documents, which would confirm their identity, grant them full citizenship rights and belonging, and facilitate access to many social services, transactions, and official procedures. This lack of identification deprives them these essential rights and services, leaving them in a state of statelessness.
Moreover, many women in the rural areas of Ibb mention several opportunities and matters they miss out on or lose due to their marginalization, as they are not registered in any official record that verifies their identity or their connections with those around them. For instance, Roweida Abdullah (30 years old), a mother of five children, one of whom has a disability, was unable to register her son with the Social Fund or the Fund for Disabled People due to her lack of a personal ID, in addition to the absence of any official document for her son.
“Women's dealings and transactions procedures, particularly those from rural areas, in Yemen—especially in Ibb—are often tied to the presence of a male. Their claims are not accepted, nor can they be represented, without an ID card. In cases where a woman is required to take a public stand, she must find a male relative to vouch for her, testifying that she is indeed who she claims to be. This situation persists, despite the fact that the Yemeni constitution guarantees the right of all citizens, both male and female, to obtain an ID card.”
Before this, Roweida faced additional barriers. She was unable to enroll in university because she lacked a personal ID. All she had was her high school certificate, which contained inaccurate information about her name and date of birth. Roweida says, "It took me two months to obtain a document that served as a substitute for the personal ID card because the standard ID cards were unavailable. I ended up paying nearly 40,000 Yemeni Riyals to finally get this substitute document."
Women's official dealings and transactions, particularly those from rural areas, in Yemen—especially in Ibb—are often tied to the presence of a male relative. Their claims are not accepted, nor can they be represented, without an ID card. In cases where a woman is required to take a public stand, she must find a male relative to vouch for her, testifying that she is indeed who she claims to be. This situation persists, despite the fact that the Yemeni constitution guarantees the right of all citizens, both male and female, to obtain an ID card. Article 49 of the Civil Status Law of 1991 stipulates, "Every citizen of the Republic of Yemen who has reached the age of sixteen must obtain a personal identification card from the Civil Status and Registry Department in their local district. If the citizen becomes the head of a family, they are required to present their personal identification card to the Civil Status and Registry Department in their local district to obtain a family card."
Interwoven Causes and Consequences
There are several reasons preventing women in the rural areas of Ibb Governorate from obtaining personal identification documents. The most prominent of these, according to Mona, are the lack of awareness among families about the importance of the ID card, the distance between rural areas and the Civil Status Department, the cost of travel and the associated fees that exceed the financial capacity of many families, in addition to the general condition of rural women, which has negatively impacted their presence and need for official documents. Ameen Al-Shalah, a civil registry employee at the Shaban branch of the Civil Status Department in Ibb, confirms that the reasons for rural women not obtaining personal identification include a lack of awareness among guardians about the importance of the personal ID card, a lack of interest in ensuring their family members receive the card, the low income levels in rural households, the long distance to the civil registry office, high transportation costs, and the crippling bureaucracy that can turn a simple process like obtaining an ID into a matter that takes several days.
For her part, Khawla Al-Sharafi, Chairwoman of the National Women's Committee in Ibb Governorate, says: "Customs and traditions have placed immense pressure on women in rural areas, depriving them of many rights and basic necessities of life. The difficult economic situation that families are facing due to the country's condition has only exacerbated this. Consequently, the most vulnerable group—women and the most disadvantaged communities—have borne the heaviest cost of this fragile and harsh situation."
In her remarks, Al-Sharafi points out that even during periods of stability, women were often treated merely as numbers. She adds, "A significant number of women from the previous generation had electoral documents, not because the elites and political parties recognized them as full citizens, but for purposes of political mobilization and serving the interests of those in power. Unfortunately, many women of the past few decades do not have a birth certificate, nor even a school certificate."
In the same context, journalist and activist Samah Amlaq states: "The lack of access to education for women in rural areas is the reason they do not have personal identification cards. There is a direct link between the two, and as a result, a woman is born and dies without possessing any official documents."
Amlaq further adds: "In Yemeni society, we often do not view official documents as proof of our citizenship, but rather as a means to access education services or travel for Hajj and Umrah. Many women are deprived of these services and do not think about them at all. If they do consider performing the rituals of Hajj and Umrah, most of them do so after the age of forty. At that point, a woman, accompanied by her guardian, goes to obtain a personal ID card and passport solely for this purpose."
ID Card: A Requirement for Accessing Food Assistance
Some women we met in the rural areas of Ibb believe that having a personal ID card is unnecessary for women, as many of them work in agriculture and livestock farming. One rural woman remarked, "Why would you need it when we’re already here? Even Men don’t all have IDs, so what about women, 90% of whom don’t have IDs?" This statement from one rural woman reflects the widespread lack of awareness among many rural residents about the importance of the personal ID card.
“Relief organizations operating in Yemen since the outbreak of the war have encouraged many beneficiaries to obtain identification documents to enable them to receive aid. This prompted the Civil Status Department to establish branches and form committees to conduct field visits to remote villages and districts, making it easier for citizens to obtain personal ID cards.”
Al-Shalah affirms, "As someone familiar with civil records, I have noticed a significant improvement in the number of women applying for personal ID cards. This progress is thanks to these committees, as well as the efforts of organizations, associations, and projects supported by the Social Fund for Development in remote villages and districts." He emphasizes the importance of obtaining an ID card to prove citizenship and nationality, as well as to ensure access to all rights. He urges guardians to prioritize securing ID cards for their children and to correct their children's information on birth and school certificates to facilitate the process of obtaining a personal ID.
Al-Sharafi asserts that many women were unaware of the existence of Civil Service committees in rural areas tasked with issuing personal ID cards to those who have reached the legal age but do not possess identification. She adds, "Although rural women may be unaware of these committees due to the lack of prior announcements, many of them have still managed to obtain personal ID cards."
(This material was produced as part of the Yemeni Gender Newsroom Project, implemented by Media SAC for Media and Development.)
