DUBAI: Recent reports of violence against women since COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in Yemen indicate that the levels of violence have risen further, a report published by the London School of Economics said.
The Yemeni Women Union (YWU) continues to record cases of violence against women despite the reduced opportunities women have to report violence or access services due to government restrictions, which is believed to indicate that levels of violence have increases, the report said.
The restrictions of the COVID-19 lockdown and quarantine, together with extreme economic stresses, have led to dramatic jumps in incidences of domestic violence in many countries and Yemen is no exception, Noha Yehya of the YWU said.
Levels of domestic violence and sexual harassment of women in Yemen are estimated to have increased by 63 percent in the last five years due to the conflict, according to the report.
The YWU believes the shifting roles of security forces in imposing COVID-19 restrictions present further risks to women in countries like Yemen where there are “few curbs on power and widespread impunity.”
Amid the attempt by the government to contain the spread of the virus, YWU warned that services to prevent violence and support survivors have reduced.
The demands of the coronavirus response have already led to a diversion of funding away from services for women and girls, according to the report.
The United Nations agency for sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, estimates that without adequate funding, 48,000 women could die due to a lack of sexual and reproductive health services.
Women face rise in domestic violence due to coronavirus lockdown in Yemen, report says
https://arab.news/5btnj
Women face rise in domestic violence due to coronavirus lockdown in Yemen, report says
- The restrictions of the COVID-19 lockdown and quarantine, together with extreme economic stresses, have led to dramatic jumps in incidences of domestic violence in many countries and Yemen is no exception
Israel’s Supreme Court suspends govt move to shut army radio
- Israel’s Supreme Court has issued an interim order suspending a government decision to shut down Galei Tsahal, the country’s decades-old and widely listened-to military radio station
JERUSALEM: Israel’s Supreme Court has issued an interim order suspending a government decision to shut down Galei Tsahal, the country’s decades-old and widely listened-to military radio station.
In a ruling issued late Sunday, Supreme Court President Isaac Amit said the suspension was partly because the government “did not provide a clear commitment not to take irreversible steps before the court reaches a final decision.”
He added that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara supported the suspension.
The cabinet last week approved the closure of Galei Tsahal, with the shutdown scheduled to take effect before March 1, 2026.
Founded in 1950, Galei Tsahal is widely known for its flagship news programs and has long been followed by both domestic and foreign correspondents.
A government audience survey ranks it as Israel’s third most listened-to radio station, with a market share of 17.7 percent.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had urged ministers to back the closure, saying there had been repeated proposals over the years to remove the station from the military, abolish it or privatise it.
But Baharav-Miara, who also serves as the government’s legal adviser and is facing dismissal proceedings initiated by the premier, has warned that closing the station raised “concerns about possible political interference in public broadcasting.”
She added that it “poses questions regarding an infringement on freedom of expression and of the press.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz said last week that Galei Tsahal broadcasts “political and divisive content” that does not align with military values.
He said soldiers, civilians and bereaved families had complained that the station did not represent them and undermined morale and the war effort.
Katz also argued that a military-run radio station serving the general public is an anomaly in democratic countries.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid had condemned the closure decision, calling it part of the government’s effort to suppress freedom of expression ahead of elections.
Israel is due to hold parliamentary elections in 2026, and Netanyahu has said he will seek another term as prime minister.
