**[\
]{dir="rtl"}Yemen**

**Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports -- 2008**

**Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor**

**May 23, 2008**

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**Part 1 []{dir="rtl"}**

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Yemen is a republic headed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has
ruled the country since 1978. In September 2006 citizens re-elected
President Saleh to another seven-year term in a generally open and
competitive election, characterized by multiple problems with the voting
process and use of state resources on behalf of the ruling party.
Although there is a multiparty system, overwhelming power rests with the
president and the ruling party, the General People\'s Congress.
Significant human rights problems continued to exist in some areas. Weak
governmental institutions, tribal patronage networks, and pervasive
corruption continued to undermine civil liberties. There were reports
that government forces committed arbitrary and unlawful killings, and
that torture and poor conditions existed in prisons. Prolonged pretrial
detention, judicial corruption, and executive interference continued to
undermine due process. Arbitrary arrest and detention increased,
particularly of individuals with suspected links to the rebellious
al-Houthi movement in the Saada governorate. Restrictions on freedoms of
speech, press, and peaceful assembly increased significantly. Pervasive
discrimination against women and southerners also occurred, as well as
child labor and child trafficking[.]{dir="rtl"}

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**Part 2**

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To help correct the institutional weaknesses that impede the country\'s
movement towards becoming a truly democratic state where the rule of law
prevails, the U.S. government works with government officials, human
rights and civil society actors, and diplomatic interlocutors to
encourage the government to implement meaningful political and economic
reforms. U.S. officials, including the chief of mission, meet with
political party members (both ruling and opposition), the Supreme
Commission on Elections and Referenda (SCER) secretariat, and with
members of parliament to advocate for the needed electoral reforms in
the run-up to the 2009 parliamentary elections. The U.S. government also
supports programs to improve the functioning of the country\'s
democratic political parties, its parliament, and elections. The United
States speaks out publicly in support of press freedom and raises
violations of this fundamental right with government officials. U.S.
officials meet with civil society activists and journalists who support
democracy and human rights in an effort to empower their initiatives. In
the areas of human development and economic reform, the U.S. government
remains particularly focused on anticorruption and poverty reduction
efforts. To achieve these goals, the United States coordinates with
other major donors to unite in pressing the government to implement its
delayed reform commitments and to maximize the benefit of limited
resources[.]{dir="rtl"}

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**Part 3**

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The United States implements numerous programs to support democratic
principles, practices, and values and human rights. In an effort to
promote good governance, the United States supports decentralization at
the national and district levels. This resulted in the development of
the National Decentralization Strategy (NDS) by the Ministry of Local
Administration. The United States provided technical input and supported
the initial groundwork for stakeholder discussions held between June and
December 2007 on the NDS. The United States is currently implementing an
intensive electoral reform program in preparation for the 2009
parliamentary elections, which focuses on increasing the capacity of the
electoral commission to implement its responsibilities efficiently and
transparently. The program works with the government and the opposition
to establish impartial electoral district boundaries and campaign
financing regulations, while promoting women\'s political participation.
In March 2008 the ambassador met with the SCER secretariat to encourage
its efforts and convey U.S. support for its goal of free and fair
elections[.]{dir="rtl"}

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The United States also works to strengthen reform-oriented
parliamentarians and political party members. An ongoing U.S. program is
designed to enhance the ability of parliamentarians to fight corruption
and strengthen their ability to legislate and establish and adhere to
sound administrative procedures. The program also focuses on enhancing
the electoral competitiveness of political parties through structural
and policy development. The United States maintains a dialogue with
opposition parties to further promote democratization efforts. For
example, in February 2008 the ambassador and other U.S. officials met
with the opposition Joint Meeting Parties coalition to hear its views
and concerns about the electoral process[.]{dir="rtl"}

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The United States supports programs focused on dispute resolution that
assist tribal leaders to resolve longstanding conflicts, promote
development in their governorates, and better integrate traditional
dispute resolution practices with contemporary forms. The key objective
of one such ongoing project is to assist the government, tribal leaders,
and other influential social figures in their efforts to resolve
longstanding violent conflicts that delay needed reforms. To promote
accountability and transparency in government, the United States and the
Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation are developing new
activities to build institutional capacity within the government and
selected private institutions and organizations. Activities in this
ongoing project include supporting the implementation of reforms
designed to strengthen the newly elected High Tender Board,
capacity-building for the Supreme National Authority for Combating
Corruption, building investigatory capacity in the Central Organization
for Control and Audit, and developing media expertise to investigate and
report on corruption. This, along with other U.S. anticorruption
efforts, helped pass the Public Procurement Law in July 2007. The United
States provided technical assistance to the High Tender Board through a
U.S. consulting firm to develop procurement by-laws and implement the
law[.]{dir="rtl"}

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**Part 4**

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U.S. officials routinely meet with individual journalists who experience
harassment and speak out against press freedom abuses. In September 2007
the United States released a press statement decrying harassment of
journalists. In January 2008 the ambassador held a press round table
with a group of female journalists from the Media Women Forum to
demonstrate publicly U.S. commitment to the essential role played by a
free press in a democracy. It also provided an opportunity to praise
women\'s professional contributions and encourage the education of women
and girls. The United States also is funding a program aimed to support
independent media through an international organization[.]{dir="rtl"}

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The United States actively engages civil society, including journalists,
and encourages them to press for needed reforms. The United States
continues to support domestic NGOs, specifically focusing on the areas
of judicial and political reform, women\'s political empowerment, and
human rights. One program, for example, brings together a group of Imams
for training on the values of democracy and human rights. The United
States also implements a small grants program aimed at providing
capacity-building support to civil society organizations working in a
variety of sectors. Through these and various other programs, the United
States empowers civil society organizations and improves their
capabilities to become a more effective voice in political processes. A
long-term U.S.-funded initiative on adult illiteracy is establishing
women\'s literacy classes. In addition, the United States funds an
education activity that supports the formation and operation of mother
and father councils for schools in the northern governorates. The United
States supports a local NGO in its efforts to implement a project aimed
at empowering women economically by providing them with competitive
skills[.]{dir="rtl"}

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The United States remains a significant contributor to antitrafficking
projects by funding awareness and education programs to combat child
trafficking to Saudi Arabia. U.S. funds assist in maintaining a
rehabilitation center for children who are repatriated to Yemen. The
United States continues to fund programs to combat child labor, an
endemic problem in the country. For example, the United States is
working with an international organization to provide care for at-risk
children and assistance to their families. More than 115,000 Somali and
Ethiopian refugees reside in the country, some of whom live in a camp
run by the government. The United States provides funding to an
international organization to assist these refugees and supports efforts
to encourage the government to permit improvements to living conditions
in the camp. The United States also provides operational and training
support to the Coast Guard in its attempts to target human smugglers
crossing the Gulf of Aden while ensuring humane treatment of refugees.
In addition, the United States seeks to enhance respect for human rights
within all of the country\'s security agencies through training programs
that include human rights components[.]{dir="rtl"}

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