The Women’s Solidarity Network expresses its deep concern over the growing wave of digital violence, defamation, incitement, and hate campaigns targeting Yemeni women on social media platforms, particularly those that coincide with the nomination or appointment of women to public positions or their engagement in leadership and public roles.

The WSN emphasizes that the verbal abuse, character assassination, violations of privacy, attacks on women’s dignity and reputation, and the incitement to hatred and violence directed against many women constitute serious violations of their fundamental rights and human dignity. Such practices also undermine women's right to participate safely and freely in public life without fear, intimidation, or harassment.

These practices not only harm the women who are targeted but also damage Yemeni society as a whole. They undermine the values that have long characterized Yemen throughout its history—values rooted in respect for women, the protection of their dignity and reputation, and the preservation of social ethics. These principles are deeply embedded in Yemeni social traditions and reaffirmed by the teachings of Islam, which prohibit defamation, slander, violations of privacy, and all forms of harm against others.

The Women’s Solidarity Network affirms that differences of opinion or political positions can never justify incitement, defamation, personal attacks, or violations of privacy. Legitimate criticism must remain within the boundaries of respect for human dignity, ethical dialogue, and the principles of both Islamic values and the rule of law.

The Network is also deeply concerned by the increasing attacks against women who express solidarity with victims of digital violence. Such campaigns seek to silence women's voices and intimidate anyone who supports survivors, thereby reinforcing gender-based hate speech and transforming digital spaces into environments of intimidation, exclusion, and systematic discrimination that restrict women's participation in public life.

The WSN reiterates that women's participation in public life, their appointment to leadership positions, and their right to equality and equal opportunities are not privileges to be granted, but constitutional and legal rights guaranteed under the Yemeni Constitution and reinforced by Yemen's international obligations, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). These rights also reflect Yemen's rich historical legacy, in which women have played influential leadership roles throughout different periods of the country's history.

In this context, the Women’s Solidarity Network calls for:

• The immediate cessation of online incitement, defamation, gender-based hate speech, and all forms of digital violence targeting women;
• Respect for the right to privacy and human dignity, and an end to the misuse of digital platforms for abuse, harassment, and the dissemination of hate speech;
• The judiciary, the Public Prosecution, cybercrime units, and all relevant law enforcement authorities to take the necessary legal measures to investigate these crimes, ensure accountability, and bring perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law;
• Media institutions, journalists, and social media influencers to uphold professional ethics and refrain from reproducing, amplifying, or promoting abusive content that violates women's rights;
• Social media companies and digital platforms to respond promptly to reports of abusive content and adopt effective measures to combat online hate campaigns and digital violence targeting women.

The Women’s Solidarity Network reaffirms its full solidarity with all women who have experienced or continue to experience digital violence. It stresses that defending women's dignity and ensuring their safe and meaningful participation in public life is a defense of Yemeni society as a whole and of the principles of justice, equality, and the rule of law.

The WSN further believes that building a peaceful and just Yemen begins with respect for every individual—women and men alike—and with rejecting all forms of violence, discrimination, exclusion, and hatred, whether in society or in the digital sphere.

Women’s Solidarity Network

12.07.2026