NCIAVHR Investigates Women’s Testimonies in Conflict Zones in Taiz

Taiz | Friday, November 29, 2024

The National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human Rights (NCIAVHR) held meetings today with women affected by the war in several districts within Taiz Governorate, specifically in Al-Mudhaffar, Sala, Sabir Al-Mawadim, and Jabal Habashi. This initiative is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to investigate human rights violations against women during the conflict and to identify patterns of these violations.

The field visits included areas such as Al-Dumaina, Al-Anaswa, and neighborhoods along Thirtieth Street in Al-Mudhaffar District; the Al-Zahraa neighborhood in Sala District; the Al-Syahi area in Sabir Al-Mawadim District; and Al-Sharaja in Jabal Habashi District. The purpose of these visits was to assess the current conditions of women and the persistent violations of their fundamental rights, particularly in the context of the humanitarian truce.

The Commission’s team listened to the testimonies of numerous women who have been unable to leave their homes due to ongoing shelling and sniper attacks. They documented the assaults on their homes and gatherings, the restrictions on their movement to access water sources, farms, and healthcare facilities, and the extensive damage to their self-built homes.

The field team recorded violations that led to the deaths of women inside their homes or while traveling, injuries sustained by female farmers due to landmines, and the economic hardships caused by their inability to continue farming due to military activities that often disregard international humanitarian law and the safety of civilians, the majority of whom are women.

During the interviews, the team also documented the key demands of these women. They called for prioritizing the needs of women and children in aid distribution by relevant authorities, providing healthcare along with social and psychological support to affected women—especially those who have lost limbs or children—and compensating them for the destruction of their properties, damage from landmines, and other losses.