Al-Refaei Sawsan
Independent Researcher, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Front Res Metr Anal. 2024 Nov 18;9:1333266. doi: 10.3389/frma.2024.1333266. eCollection 2024.
This paper examines the political and security implications of gender-based violence (GBV) research in Yemen during the period (2019-2023). As various radical groups are gaining power over Yemeni land, radical views toward women and gender equity and equality shape the experiences of GBV survivors, practitioners, and researchers in the North of Yemen. Policing Houthi ideologies in Yemen have curtailed GBV research and subjected feminist research to myriad risks. If this situation continues, experiences of women and girls in Yemen will not be captured by research. Their stories and needs will not be captured by humanitarian and peace-building actors.
Findings of this study are based on primary data from key informant interviews with 25 GBV researchers actively engaged in Yemen. Sampling followed the snowballing technique.
The findings examine political and security power dynamics after the Houthi radical group took control in the north of Yemen, and implications on GBV research design. Anti-feminist ideologies coupled with extreme security measures have impacted quality of GBV study methodologies as well as researchers' safety and mobility. Donors of previously established GBV programs and research were harassed to change research topics or lose permission to speak to local communities or collect data from aid beneficiaries. Researchers who do not follow new rules of engagement with the community are detained, harassed and their devices and databases are confiscated. Terms like "gender" and "GBV" are not deemed acceptable as these are western concepts that do not align with new community values. The findings highlight the need to use conflict-sensitivity and Do No Harm principles in settings where GBV work is scrutinized. It also challenges the orthodox definition of "GBV evidence" and explores the ethical implications of the use of alternative means to collecting data. Findings also provide insight into valuable alternative methodologies that allow local and national researchers to continue studying GBV in conflict impacted areas without exposing themselves to actual or perceived risk. The paper proposes concrete approaches that can mitigate political and security risk on both researchers and GBV survivors.
本文探讨了2019年至2023年期间也门基于性别的暴力（GBV）研究的政治和安全影响。随着各种激进组织在也门土地上获得权力，对妇女以及性别公平和平等的激进观点塑造了也门北部基于性别的暴力幸存者、从业者和研究人员的经历。在也门监管胡塞意识形态限制了基于性别的暴力研究，并使女权主义研究面临无数风险。如果这种情况持续下去，也门妇女和女孩的经历将无法被研究捕捉到。她们的故事和需求也不会被人道主义和建设和平行为体所了解。
本研究的结果基于对25名积极参与也门事务的基于性别的暴力研究人员进行关键信息访谈的原始数据。抽样采用滚雪球技术。
研究结果审视了胡塞激进组织控制也门北部后的政治和安全权力动态，以及对基于性别的暴力研究设计的影响。反女权主义意识形态加上极端安全措施影响了基于性别的暴力研究方法的质量以及研究人员的安全和流动性。先前已设立的基于性别的暴力项目和研究的捐助者受到骚扰，被迫改变研究主题，否则将失去与当地社区交谈或从援助受益者那里收集数据的许可。不遵守与社区新接触规则的研究人员会被拘留、骚扰，其设备和数据库会被没收。“性别”和“基于性别的暴力”等术语不被视为可接受的，因为这些是与新社区价值观不符的西方概念。研究结果强调在基于性别的暴力工作受到审查的环境中需要运用冲突敏感性和“不造成伤害”原则。它还挑战了“基于性别的暴力证据”的正统定义，并探讨了使用替代方法收集数据的伦理影响。研究结果还深入了解了有价值的替代方法，这些方法使当地和国家研究人员能够在受冲突影响地区继续研究基于性别的暴力，而不会使自己面临实际或感知到的风险。本文提出了具体方法，可以减轻研究人员和基于性别的暴力幸存者面临的政治和安全风险。
