Suswa, Amat al-Alim al-
(1958–)

Amat al-Alim al-Suswa is a Yemeni human rights activist.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Al-Suswa was born in 1958 in Ta'izz, Yemen. She started her career early at age seven in Ta'izz as an announcer of children's programs on a local radio station. While working she completed her secondary education in Ta'izz and went on to Cairo University to complete a BA in mass communications in 1980. In 1984, she earned an MA in international communications from The American University, Washington, D.C.

INFLUENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

In addition to her long career in Yemeni radio and television as an announcer and program director, al-Suswa has also lectured at San'a University in the faculty of political science and has published reports on women's issues (such as Yemeni Women in Figures, San'a 1996). She joined the ruling People's General Congress prior to the unification of North Yemen and South Yemen in 1990 and gained high posts in the party hierarchy, including as member of the Permanent Committee (1986–). She is a long-time activist in Yemen's women's movement and a founding member of the National Women's Committee (NWC). She has chaired both the NWC (1993) and the Yemeni Women's Union (1989–1990). In 1991 she was nominated assistant deputy minister of the ministry of information and in 1997 she became the deputy minister. After leaving the ministry, she served as the country's ambassador to the Netherlands from 2001 to 2003—the first woman in a high foreign ministry position since unification and only the second woman ever to act as a full cabinet member in the Yemeni cabinet. In May 2003 al-Suswa was nominated as the state minister for human rights. She is particularly interested in questions of freedom of opinion and freedom of the press.

THE WORLD'S PERSPECTIVE

Al-Suswa became a noted figure outside Yemen as well as inside. In 1996, she became the advisor for women and poverty for the United Nations Development Programme, and eventually director of its regional office for Arab countries and deputy director.

LEGACY

Al-Suswa is still leaving her mark, but will be remembered among other things for becoming one of the highest-ranking female politicians in modern Yemen.

BIOGRAPHICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Name: Amat al-Amin al-Suswa

Birth: 1958, Ta'izz, Yemen

Family: Married; two children

Nationality: Yemeni

Education: B.A. (mass communications), Cairo University, 1980; M.A. (international communications), The American University, Washington

PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY:

• 1989: Chair, Yemeni Women's Union
• 1993: Chair, National Women's Committee in Yemen
• 1996: Advisor for women and poverty, United Nations Development Programme
• 1997: Yemeni deputy minister of information
• 2001: Yemeni ambassador to the Netherlands
• 2003: Yemeni state minister for human rights

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Paluch, Marta, ed. Yemeni Voices: Women Tell Their Stories. Sanaa, Yemen: British Council, Yemen, 2001.

                                                            Susanne Dahlgren

                           updated by Michael R. Fischbach