LocationsA civil servant fights to banish illiteracy in Yemen
“The pursuit of knowledge never ends.”
August 14, 2025
A student writes on a white board at her newly built school in Marib. The school was built by local authorities with support from the SIERY Project.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
Years of conflict in Yemen have destroyed infrastructure, displaced communities and severely disrupted basic services, including schooling. Education, particularly for women and girls, has become increasingly limited. The prolonged instability has fueled poverty and forced displacement, both of which have compounded the crisis. Many students were forced to leave school, some to earn a living to support their families, others recruited to join the prolonged conflict.
Those who do remain in school face overcrowded classrooms, under-resourced facilities and a severe shortage of qualified teachers. Together, these conditions erode the quality of education and limit opportunities for learning. For women and girls, this also means heightened vulnerability, long-term exclusion and persistently high rates of illiteracy.
A life committed to education
For over 40 years, Intisar, Director General of the Literacy and Adult Education Office and Women Adult Literacy Centre in Lahj, has championed education, especially for women. “In rural areas, poor infrastructure, long distances, and the absence of safe spaces have all contributed to widespread illiteracy,” she says. “Many are left with no opportunity to learn.”
Intisar reviews learning materials prepared for teachers.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
She has seen first-hand how inadequate facilities, lack of clean water, poor sanitation and electricity shortages have disrupted education. Adult literacy centres, already underfunded, struggle to operate during power outages or without trained staff.
“The conflict, economic situation, and mass displacement have pushed women and girls even further to the margins. Without education or skills, they’re locked out of the labour market and public life.”
- Intisar
Strengthening local capacity for better access to education
Illiteracy can lead to school dropouts, disengagement, and social issues like crime, substance abuse, exploitation and unemployment.
In Lahj and eight other governorates across Yemen, local authorities are working to rebuild the education system with support from UNDP’s Strengthening Institutional and Economic Resilience in Yemen (SIERY) Project, generously funded by the European Union. This includes restoring schools and adult literacy centres, upgrading Ministry of Education offices, and professional development for educators.
A teacher conducts a class at the renovated Women’s Adult Literacy Centre in Al-Houta, Lahj.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
Intisar has taken an active role in this work, running training sessions for district officials and literacy programme coordinators.
“These trainings equipped us to better assess local needs and develop practical, community-driven solutions,” she says. “They also improved coordination among state institutions, communities, and civil society, ensuring that education services are more effective and responsive.”
The reopening of the Women’s Adult Literacy Centre as part of the local resilience plan of Al-Houta District in Lahj, in southwestern Yemen has been a landmark achievement. With funding from SIERY, the centre now serves over 100 women and new enrolments are steadily rising.
“Our goal is not simply to reduce illiteracy. We aim to empower women and to help them participate fully in society, improve their livelihoods, and shape the future of our communities.”- Intisar, Director General of the Literacy and Adult Education Office and Women Adult Literacy Centre
Building a safe and functional learning space
Previously, the Women’s Adult Literacy Centre in Al-Houta was derelict and unsafe, rendering it unusable. Classes were often conducted in temporary or inadequate spaces, and safety concerns or social stigma deterred many women from attending.
“Once the centre was rebuilt through the SIERY Project and was operational again, we saw an immediate surge of interest from women and girls who had previously dropped out or been excluded,” Intisar says. “The centre is already making a difference, not only by teaching literacy, but by raising awareness around health and education, which benefits entire households.”
Two students practice writing on a white board.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
UNDP's SIERY Project raises awareness around health and education.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
The centre now offers more than just literacy classes. It hosts workshops, awareness sessions, and group discussions. It provides training for administrators, develops educational plans and oversees programme delivery. Close collaboration with civil society and local authorities ensures that these efforts align with community priorities.
“We’re working to expand our outreach to more districts and enable more women and girls to access the education they rightly deserve.”
- Intisar
A business owner in Aden using equipment that her business was supported with by the SIERY Project.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
Vets check up on livestock in Lahj.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
Intisar is one of many dedicated civil servants working in 45 districts in Yemeni governorates to restore education through UNDP’s SIERY Project. The project has empowered education personnel, including Ministry of Education staff, by building their capacity to plan, identify challenges, and track progress. The SIERY Project also focuses on strengthening the broader institutional capacities of local authorities to plan and manage resources, including those related to education. As a result, 131 educational institutions have been rehabilitated, rebuilt, or restored, 103 of which were equipped with solar energy panels.
Education opens doors to opportunity
For Intisar, addressing Yemen’s education crisis requires deep structural reform. She stresses the need for better-trained educators, clearly defined priorities, dedicated budgets, and stronger links between education and employment. “Rehabilitating schools, providing adequate teaching materials, addressing staffing gaps, and ensuring fair pay for teachers are all essential.”
Young men during a class at the Vocational and Technical Institute of Marib. The Institute was rehabilitated by local authorities as part of the SIERY Project.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
Teaching educational and vocational skills she predicts, will be far-reaching not just for individuals, but for Yemen’s economy and society.
“Education is the foundation of development. It empowers individuals with knowledge, critical thinking, and access to information enabling them to make informed decisions. It nurtures citizenship, confidence, dialogue and mutual understanding. This, in turn, encourages greater social and economic participation, improves living standards, reduces poverty, and most importantly, helps shape informed, peaceful, and resilient generations.”
- Intisar
Intisar’s dream for Lahj’s future
Intisar’s dream is to one day see the Lahj Governorate completely free from basic and vocational illiteracy.
“I hope every citizen in Lahj becomes educated and capable of building a better future for themselves and their community,” she says.
Smiling students at a newly-built school supported by UNDP’s SIERY Project.
Photo: UNDP Yemen
As she continues her untiring work, Intisar has a message to women in Yemen and beyond.
“I would like to say to every woman who has not yet had the chance to access education, the opportunity is still there for you to join literacy and education centres. Our doors are open to welcome you. With determination, perseverance and the will to overcome challenges, you can equip yourselves with knowledge, because you deserve it. Education will open so many opportunities for you, your children, and your families. The pursuit of knowledge never ends.”
- Intisar
Related
content
content
