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Yemen Online
24-07-2025
- Yemen Online
Yemen's War Pushes Women to the Streets
Sana'a — As Yemen's civil war grinds into its tenth year, the country's women are bearing the brunt of a conflict that has decimated livelihoods, shattered families, and left millions in desperate need. With male breadwinners either killed, displaced, or conscripted into armed groups, thousands of Yemeni women have been forced into begging to survive. In cities like Taiz, Aden, and Hudaydah, women—many from the marginalized Muhammasheen community—can be seen on street corners, clutching infants and pleading for food or money. Their plight reflects the collapse of Yemen's social safety net and the erosion of tribal protections that once offered limited shelter from exploitation. 'The war has stripped women of dignity,' said Huda Saif, a local activist. 'Begging is no longer a choice—it's a last resort.' According to humanitarian reports, incidents of harassment and gender-based violence against women beggars have surged, with many facing abuse from armed groups and local authorities. The lack of law enforcement and judicial oversight has created an environment of impunity, leaving victims without recourse. A Crisis of Survival The UN estimates that over 9.6 million women and girls in Yemen require urgent humanitarian assistance. Aid cuts and restricted access have worsened conditions, forcing many into dangerous coping mechanisms—including street begging, coerced labor, and early marriage. 'Women walk for hours under scorching heat to collect food rations,' said a spokesperson from Forgotten Women, a UK-based NGO. 'Some carry children in their arms, others return empty-handed.' In some cases, women-led households have resorted to selling personal belongings or engaging in informal labor markets, often under exploitative conditions. The rise in begging is not only a symptom of poverty but also a reflection of Yemen's fractured social fabric. Calls for Action Human rights organizations are urging international donors and the Yemeni government to prioritize gender-sensitive aid programs and restore safe spaces for women. Activists stress the need for legal reforms to protect vulnerable groups and ensure accountability for abuses. 'The women of Yemen are not just victims—they are survivors,' said Dr. Miriam Tal, a regional expert on gender and conflict. 'But without urgent intervention, their resilience may not be enough.'
The Journal
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Journal
A Dundalk woman is heading to the Arctic Circle to retrace the steps of Ireland's forgotten explorer
A SCIENCE COMMUNICATOR from Co Louth will tomorrow head off on an expedition to the Arctic Circle to retrace the steps of one of Ireland's overlooked explorers. Dr Niamh Shaw plans to retrace the steps of and research Dundalk man Leopold McClintock. McClintock, also known as Ireland's 'Arctic Fox', was born in Dundalk in 1819. He achieved fame as an Arctic explorer who discovered the fate of the failed 1845 expedition to the North American Arctic led by Sir John Franklin. McClintock's expedition discovered the only written record left behind by Franklin's team and was hailed as having solved the mystery of what had become of the veteran explorer. Despite this, he remains relatively unknown in comparison to other Irish explorers, such as Ernest Shackleton. Leopold McClintock, 1819 - 1907 Alamy Alamy Dr Niamh Shaw is to bring his story to life after her retracing of his journey in the Arctic Circle. In partnership with Louth County Council's Environment Office, Shaw will use her research and discoveries while on the expedition to develop an interactive walk in Louth to commemorate McClintock and his explorative achievements. The 16 day expedition kicks off on 7 July. Shaw, who has previously worked as an actor, a writer, an engineer and a performer, told The Journal that she has always had an interest in exploration and explorers. In school, she said, 'the only part of history that I loved was when we did the explorers: Vasco de Game, Pizarro – and the Antarctic was fascinating to me. Ernest Shackleton was kind of a science communicator who made the Antarctic really accessible, and he brought back stories. Advertisement 'I really got into it again around the 2000s and I just picked up loads of books about it. And I found this book about Leopold McClintock, started reading it, and realised he was from Dundalk, my hometown.' In the last five years in Dundalk there's been an art revival, Shaw said, leading to the commissioning and the painting of a mural of McClintock beside the town hall. In 2022, she applied to join the residency programme that sends a number of artists and communicators to the Arctic Circle each year, and in 2023 got a place, although she was unable to attend due to being in the Antarctic at that time. This year, however, she's looking forward to making the journey and bringing back her findings. Shaw is bringing with her a collection of postcards from locals which will be stamped in Svalbard Archipelago and brought back to Louth with her. She hopes to have the postcards serve as a 'passport' of sorts that tracks her future travels and allows this supporting her at home to feel involved in her journeys. The 'Forgotten Women' quilt. She will also be honouring Irish women of science whose stories have been forgotten by bringing the 'Forgotten Women' Quilt with her. The quilt has 12 panels commemorating Irish women in science. A Dundalk flag designed by the media department at Dundalk IT will also join her in the Arctic Circle. 'I'm going to be taking video footage and finding old footage from 100 years ago to show the difference in the size of glaciers, to show how much melt there has been up there,' Shaw said. As part of the interactive walk that will be set up by mid-October on her return, there will be a focus on the landmarks that relate to McClintock, 'but also some of the lovely nature parts'. QR codes set up along the walk will enable visitors to view some of Shaw's footage from the Arctic and other findings. Of McClintock, Shaw said that she hopes her work will draw more attention to his life and achievements. 'Everyone knows about [Ernest] Shackleton,' she said, 'but [McClintock] is largely unknown in Ireland. So I felt, 'Well, this guy's story needs to be told'. 'There's a mini exhibition about him in Dundalk County Museum, but I kind of wanted to make him more nationally known.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
