“The laws that do not protect women in reality are the same laws that fail to protect them online,” observes Afraa Al-Hariri, a prominent Yemeni lawyer and human rights defender. As the Country Director of the Peace Track Initiative, Al-Hariri has spent years navigating the intersection of traditional legal frameworks and the burgeoning crisis of digital violence. Her insight serves as a chilling reminder that for women in Yemen, the internet is not merely a frontier of opportunity; it is a landscape where existing societal inequalities are amplified and weaponized.
The scale of this crisis is laid bare in a recent brief on digital violence across the Arab States, published by UN Women. The findings are a stark indictment of the current digital environment: 49 percent of women internet users in the region reported feeling unsafe from online harassment. Perhaps more alarming is the realization that digital abuse is rarely contained within the virtual world. Nearly half of the women who experienced online violence reported that the abuse eventually spilled over into physical spaces, manifesting as stalking, physical assault, or social ostracization.
In response to this escalating threat, and as part of the global “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign, UN Women has forged a strategic partnership with Yemen’s Ministry of Justice. This collaboration aims to fortify the national justice system, enhancing its capacity to identify, prosecute, and deter technology-facilitated violence. By offering robust support for survivors and dragging perpetrators out of the shadows of anonymity, the initiative seeks to transform the digital world from a minefield into a safe harbor for Yemeni women.
In Yemen, the digital sphere has become a mirror of real-world gender dynamics. Harassment, blackmail, and defamation are not just nuisances; they are targeted attacks designed to dismantle a woman’s personal and professional standing. During a recent UN Women cybercrime workshop, Al-Hariri explained that the most pervasive and damaging form of abuse involves the exploitation of personal imagery. Perpetrators often obtain or manufacture photos of women—whether real or digitally manipulated “deepfakes”—and threaten to leak them to the public.
This tactic is particularly effective due to the deep-seated social stigma surrounding women’s visibility in Yemeni society. The cultural concept of “shame” is used as a potent tool of coercion. “The social norms that treat women as ‘shameful’ in real life are the same norms used against them online,” Al-Hariri noted. This culture of silence acts as a shield for criminals. Survivors, fearing that a public legal battle will bring dishonor to their families, often choose to suffer in silence or succumb to extortion. Many victims find themselves forced to pay exorbitant sums of money to blackmailers—funds they often do not have—simply to prevent a perceived social catastrophe.
The impact of this digital warfare is not theoretical; it is measured in shattered lives and lost potential. For Yemeni women engaged in peacebuilding and activism, the internet is a vital tool for advocacy that comes at a high personal cost. One young peacebuilder, in an interview with UN Women, described the “chilling effect” of coordinated online smear campaigns. Activists are frequently accused of being foreign spies, a charge that carries lethal weight in a conflict zone. “At one point, I chose to stop posting about my work online because of the backlash I was facing,” she shared, highlighting how digital abuse successfully silences the very voices Yemen needs for a sustainable future.
The economic consequences are equally devastating. In Aden, a beauty salon owner saw her livelihood evaporate in a matter of weeks after a perpetrator created fake social media profiles using manipulated images of her. As the photos circulated, her client base vanished and her social circle retreated, leaving her financially ruined and emotionally isolated. This case illustrates how digital violence serves as a tool of economic sabotage, pushing women out of the public workforce.
Tragically, the escalation of online violence can lead to the ultimate loss: life itself. In one horrific instance, a woman took her mobile phone to a local technician for repairs. The technician stole personal photos from the device, including private images of the woman without her veil, and uploaded them to social media. When her husband discovered the images, he murdered his wife in a so-called “honor killing.” While the husband faced charges, the technician—the catalyst for the tragedy—could not be prosecuted because no specific law existed to hold him accountable for the digital theft and distribution. In another heartbreaking case in Al Hudaydah, a young girl ended her own life after being subjected to relentless domestic violence compounded by digital extortion. These stories underscore a grim reality: it is rare to find a woman activist or professional in Yemen who has not been subjected to some form of digital defamation or abuse.
Recognizing the vacuum in legal protection, Al-Hariri and a coalition of women leaders began advocating for structural change several years ago. Their persistence led to a landmark development: the creation of a dedicated Cybercrime Unit within Yemen’s Office of the Attorney General. This unit, established with the support of internet engineers and women’s rights organizations, has already begun to change the landscape, recording thousands of official complaints regarding digital blackmail and harassment.
However, the recorded numbers are likely only the tip of the iceberg. Chronic underreporting remains a significant hurdle, as many women still fear the judicial process more than their abusers. To bridge this gap, UN Women’s recent workshops have focused on the “human” side of the justice system. By training law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges, the program aims to create a survivor-centered environment where women feel safe to come forward.
Participants in these workshops, such as Fatima Yaslam, Director of the Working Women’s Development Department in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, have highlighted the urgent need for clearer regulations. “The course helped us recognize our strengths, as well as our weaknesses,” Yaslam said. “Now we are moving into the serious part: how to fight this phenomenon and raise awareness about it in society and within the justice system.” The goal is to move beyond general laws and implement specific executive regulations that link digital crimes to concrete penalties.
Judge Anmar Abdullah Saeed, who also participated in the training, emphasized the importance of community outreach. He acknowledged that the “closed” nature of society often prevents victims from seeking help. “It’s our responsibility to teach the community how to deal with these digital threats,” he said, noting that the role of a judge now extends to raising awareness about the importance of reporting and the mechanisms available for protection.
The path toward digital safety in Yemen is fraught with challenges, but the momentum is growing. Afraa Al-Hariri, who has herself been the target of online bullying and defamation, remains a steadfast advocate for the right of every woman to exist safely in digital spaces. She urges women to “defend their rights” by utilizing the new reporting channels. Currently, any individual in Yemen experiencing digital violence can file a report through the Attorney General’s Office via their online portal.
This comprehensive effort is supported by the For All Foundation for Development and the Yemen Women National Committee, reflecting a broad-based movement to protect the digital rights of women. UN Women continues to advocate for a future where technology is a tool for empowerment rather than a weapon of control. The message of the “16 Days of Activism” is clear: there is #NoExcuse for digital abuse. Whether it is through legislative reform, judicial training, or social change, the fight to reclaim the internet for the women of Yemen is a fight for the heart of the country’s future. Digital spaces should be minefields for no one; instead, they must be reclaimed as platforms where Yemeni women can lead, create, and thrive without fear.
