The Abductees’ Mothers Association has issued a human rights report titled “The Deferred Passage of Women,” which addresses violations related to women’s right to freedom of movement in Taiz Governorate during the period 2020–2025. The report was launched during a seminar held on Thursday morning.
The report documented 113 incidents of violations against women, categorized as follows: obstruction of movement / stopping and delay (35), unlawful searches (27), property damage (12), insults and verbal abuse (10), financial extortion (10), confiscation of property (9), threats (5), harassment (4), and arbitrary detention (1).
The documentation was based on 41 in-depth interviews with victims and witnesses. The report’s findings attribute responsibility for these violations to checkpoint forces affiliated with the Houthi group in 63 cases (55.8%) and to checkpoint forces affiliated with the internationally recognized government in 50 cases (44.2%). Incidents of extortion and detention were found to occur primarily at checkpoints controlled by the Houthi group.
During the seminar, Ms. Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj, Chairperson of the Abductees’ Mothers Association, affirmed that the report was produced for women and in defense of their rights. She described the suffering women face while crossing roads through newly established checkpoints resulting from the ongoing conflict affecting the city of Taiz. She emphasized that Islamic law honors women and protects their rights, as do international conventions and national legislation. She also noted that the United Nations has dedicated Resolution 1325 to women in situations of conflict and has designated international days to combat violence against women.
In his remarks, Mr. Tawfiq Al-Shaabi, Secretary-General of the Taiz Bar Association, expressed his appreciation to the Abductees’ Mothers Association for preparing this distinctive and high-quality report, which he said adds great value to human rights work. He praised the Association’s significant role at a time when many have failed to act, describing it as a courageous entity defending the abducted, the forcibly disappeared, and their families.
He further stated that the actual number of violations exceeds what is documented in the report, adding that it addresses topics many hesitate to approach, particularly the violations women face while traveling, which constitute serious abuses and a setback to women’s growing participation in public lif, especially in Taiz, where women have increasingly assumed leadership roles across various fields.
The report concludes with recommendations to:
– Criminalize unjustified restrictions on movement and prohibit the requirement of a “male guardian (mahram)” for travel;
– Regulate searches and confiscations through written records and receipts subject to judicial review;
– Standardize checkpoint procedures under independent civilian oversight and mandate training on human rights standards;
– Adopt digital receipts and documentation tools;
– Establish systematic documentation linked to a map of high-risk areas, build local protection networks, conduct legal awareness campaigns, and refer field data to national and UN complaint mechanisms for accountability and sanctions where appropriate—all toward redefining the road as a safe and shared space of citizenship.
The seminar was attended by a number of journalists, activists, lawyers, and representatives of local and Arab media outlets.
To read and download the report in Arabic: 👇🏻
https://ama-ye.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/عبور-النساء-المؤجل.pdf
To read and download the report in English: 👇🏻
https://ama-ye.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Deferred-Passage-of-Women.pdf
#TheDeferredPassageOfWomen
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