News / Yemen

Yemeni women protesters urge end to Saudi aggression, siege

Wednesday, 08 March 2017 7:16 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 08 March 2017 7:17 PM ]

The still shows Yemeni women protesting against the Saudi war and blockade on their country outside the United Nations headquarters in the capital Sana’a, March 8, 2017.

Yemeni women have held a demonstration outside the United Nations headquarters in the capital Sana’a, calling for an end to the Saudi offensive and its inhumane blockade on the impoverished state.

During Wednesday’s protest that coincided with International Women's Day, the participants asked local and international organizations to stand by the Yemeni citizens and help provide vital supplies to the people.

The protesters were holding banners reading, “Yemeni women die due to war and siege,” “Millions in Yemen have no access to prescribed medicine,” and, “When will the international community break the silence toward Yemen siege?”

Human rights activist Mason Iryani said the Yemeni women had gathered in Sana’a “to send a message to the United Nations and the whole world to stop the blockade on Yemen and let the Yemeni people live. Yemeni women have suffered enough."

A Yemeni infant suffering from malnutrition receives treatment at a medical center in Bani Hawat, Sana'a province, January 9, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Last month, the UN aid chief estimated that 19 million Yemenis were in pressing need of humanitarian assistance.

The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen has also warned of a deepening food crisis in the country, saying almost a quarter of the country’s 27 million population is facing starvation.

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Saudi Arabia has been leading a deadly military campaign against Yemen since March 2015. The kingdom has also imposed an aerial and naval blockade on its southern neighbor.

Britain and the US have provided huge amounts of arms and military training to the Saudi forces.

The Saudi aggression, which allegedly seeks to restore Yemen's former government to power, has killed over 12,000 Yemenis according to the latest tallies.

Yemeni teachers demand UN action in wage row

Yemeni teachers protest in the Sahar district of Sa'ada province on March 8, 2017.

Yemeni teachers also staged a protest in the Sahar district of Sa'ada province, calling on the UN to pressure the country's central bank to pay their salaries.

The demonstrators said that they had not received their salaries over the past months due to the relocation of to the Central Bank of Yemen to the southern city of Aden, which is held by forces loyal to resigned Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Reports say that the pro-Hadi officials are preventing payments to the teachers to increase pressure on the Yemenis and the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which is controlling some parts of the country.

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