'We're blaming everybody': Aden's women demand bread, power, and justice after 10 years of Yemen's war

The gathering takes place in the Khor Maksar district, the area of Aden connecting the mainland to the Kreter neighbourhood.

Al-Urood Square has an enormous roundabout at the centre, and it is here, during these 10 years of war, where many Yemenis have been detained, checked and then kidnapped by unidentified militias who threaten and extort activists, citizens, journalists and lawyers who denounce the daily abuses in government and politics.

The symbolism of this place, therefore, is powerful — marking years of suffering and injustice for the people of Aden.

There are only women here. It’s early afternoon in May 2025, and it’s already hot and humid.

In recent days, Aden has experienced a suffocating heatwave, daily power outages lasting more than 20 hours, and near-total paralysis of public services.

More than 100 women, almost all wearing niqabs, hold signs and banners bearing the slogan 'Women Revolution'.

But there are also more explicit demands: “We want services, bread, electricity, drinking water, school, healthcare, wages.”

For those who don’t understand the writing, each word has a symbol next to it. “We created these graphics with [online design tool] Canva,” says Habiba, a 22-year-old university student, proudly.

According to the UN Women Data Hub, literacy rates for women are 54%, higher than for men, only 35% of whom can read or write. But around 30% of women aged from 20 to 24 are married before they are 18.

Belqis, a 40-year-old mother of five, has decided to carry a tin plate with a spoon and shake them both in protest. “In Aden, we’re hungry,” she shouts.

Sana Jamal, who is 30, is among the most active. She takes selfies wherever she can, distributes signs and tries to curry favour with the police.

Anfar Muhammad Ali Omar is the bravest. She’s a young lawyer and has the will not to give up. Her hijab and her pink beret hide an indomitable activist.

She addresses the press in both Arabic and English, denouncing the situation and broadcasting it live on social media, calling on citizens to engage in politics.

“We have a very corrupt state here,” she says. “We are protesting today as we did yesterday, and we will do so again tomorrow if our demands are not met. If you watch this video, come to Al-Urood Square.”

Women from several city districts have converged here. In recent months, protests have also been organised simultaneously in Taizz, Mahra, Abjan and Mukalla.

Today, the women of Aden do not feel alone, knowing that other women are doing the same elsewhere.

Press access is denied to the centre of the square. Almost all local agency and media representatives are men, and the authorities, concerned about potential promiscuity, keep all witnesses away.

Only the women in the centre are allowed to film with their phones, risking having their material confiscated in the event of an arrest.

During the latest demonstrations by men, protesters have been beaten and arrested. The women hope this won’t happen to them, but the governor has deployed a selected female police force.

The policewomen are also Yemeni, trained in the last years of the war through scholarships offered by the United Arab Emirates.

The demonstration unfolds as a procession, then becomes a sit-in: the women chant “Thaura, thaura,” which means “Revolution”, and remain there until sunset, discussing how to carry out effective political action.

The protesters note that Aden’s electricity crisis is no longer seasonal but has become a daily reality that disrupts sleep and threatens health and lives, particularly of children, the sick and the elderly.

They label the hardships as “systematic torture”, citing currency collapse and soaring prices alongside power outages.

Slogans saying “No Saudi, no dollar, we are people, not merchants” and placards demanding necessities convey the public anger.

Symbolic displays of old appliances highlight the impact of prolonged power cuts during the intense heat.

The protest has also highlighted political differences. “Life is no longer tolerable. Inflation is devouring people, and the authorities are absent," explains Amal Ahmed Moqbil al-Souqi, a member of separatist organisation the Southern Movement.

Despite her affiliation, Amal is one of the women condemning the Southern Transitional Council (STC) — a UAE-backed political organisation formed by a faction of the Movement and which calls for the separation or autonomy of southern Yemen.

Others are raising their flag.

Activist Dalida al-Yafei says women’s demands are focused on essential services and currency stabilisation, warning of further escalation if they go unmet. She says protests will target government facilities to press for “living justice”.

While I was at the demonstration, I witnessed female STC-affiliated security forces violently assault the demonstrators. Protesters were blocked from reaching the square, beaten, dragged and chased through the streets under a heavy security cordon, aimed at preventing any regrouping. Some were arrested and held for a few days.

Amal left the country after the protests. She feared being arrested at home after a first attempt in the square.

Now, in Egypt, I met up with her again this summer. She feels offended by the party she has supported with conviction since 2011: “The STC is accusing the government of failing, while the STC is part of the government. Who is directly responsible for what is happening on the ground in Aden? It’s the STC... the STC should provide our rights: our sons are in the streets; the mothers are begging to feed their kids.”

She laments the change in customs and the corruption of the entire environment around her: “I saw women who were teachers in Taqwa, begging for help at the doors of mosques. Women are selling tea and bread in the streets. I haven’t seen this in my entire life.

"Aden is known as a cultural hub and a place of love. In the past, we used to ask each other about our neighbours if we didn’t see them for a while. Now we have become monsters. We have been harmed and destroyed by the STC more than anyone else. I fear no one, so I want to speak out.”

Amal denounces the new parties in power and the benefits they receive from the alliance with the Emirates.

“STC officials already have another citizenship, the Emirati citizenship. They don’t need the city of Aden to function. They already live in Dubai.”

Anfar, the young lawyer, also fled to Egypt after being searched by the police at home and threatened with arrest if she took part in rallies again.

“I’m blaming everybody,” says Anfar.

“Everyone in charge of this country, I blame them. We blame everyone who took control, everyone who has a seat in government, and everyone who never cared about people’s needs and safety.

“I think they should remember God is watching them and he is over them. As Yemeni citizens, we should be living in a safer world, and we should be comforted when we are still alive. We live once, and we don’t need to live in fighting and blood," she adds. 

“I’m tired of war and injustice in Yemen and in the Middle East.”

Laura Silvia Battaglia is a journalist, filmmaker and radio host based in Italy

This article was first published by Index on Censorship on October 7, 2025. It appeared in Volume 54, Issue 3 of Index on Censorship’s print magazine. Read more about the issue here