ABSTRACT
The Yemeni civil war has transformed the responsibilities that individuals hold towards their respective families and wider communities. For instance, young women have taken up new roles that were, until recently, seen as incompatible with established norms and traditions. Within this context, this chapter examines women’s newly acquired functions and the possibility of their transformation and institutionalization in post-conflict Yemen. It primarily attempts to answer the following questions. First, what are the underlining factors that explain the militarization and mobilization of Houthi women, known as “Al-Zainabiyat?” Second, has the direct participation of women in violent conflict or labour been a breakaway from established Islamic social norms or it can be conceived as conflict-specific roles that are traditionally adopted during periods of conflict? Third, what are the consequences of women’s militarization in Yemeni society and how will that impact future peacebuilding processes? Finally, how will growing female participation in the workforce impact the gender inequality gap in Yemen?
