Jamala Al-Baidhani | |
---|---|
Born | 1977 Al Aeoff Al Bayda, Yemen |
Died | 15 December 2012 Sana'a, Yemen | (aged 34–35)
Occupation(s) | Civil servant, activist |
Known for | Activism for women with disabilities |
Jamala al-Baidhani (1977 – 15 December 2012) was a Yemeni activist who supported civil rights for women and disabled people. She is the founder of the Al-Tahadi Association for Disabled Females, the first group in Yemen devoted to helping girls with disabilities.[1]
Al-Baidhani was born in Al Aeoff village in the Al Baidha region of Yemen.[2] She was an active child until she contracted meningitis at age seven and became paralyzed due to complications related to the illness.[3] After she recovered, Al-Baidhani used a wheelchair to get around.[3] In 1995, she began working in the Ministry of Social Affairs and also went to college.[2] She received a bachelor's degree in social science.[1]
Al-Baidhani started working with disability rights in the government of Yemen in 1996[2] but later felt that she wasn't able to reach her goal of bringing services to disabled women while working in the government.[3] In Yemen, most people who have disabilities must rely on disabled persons organizations (DPO) and non-governmental organizations (NGO).[4] Al-Baidhani founded Al-Tahadi as a DPO in 1998.[1] She went on to create the Alesrar NGO for youth development, which helps coordinate volunteerism for those with disabilities, in 2006.[1]
In 2007, the American embassy in Yemen honored her as a "Woman of Courage".[1] In 2008, the Kuwaiti embassy in Sana'a awarded Al-Baldhani $30,000 for her NGO work.[5]
In 2012, Al-Baidhani died in Sana'a from complications related to a respiratory disease.[6] She was buried in the Majel Al-Dema cemetery.[6] Al-Baidhani was awarded the second Balquis Award posthumously in 2013. The prize honors women who have made an "exceptional contribution to the development of Yemeni women".[7]