In a dangerous and controversial development, a statement was distributed inside Al-Nour Mosque in Taiz during last Friday prayers strongly criticizing the activities of the Women's Development Research and Studies Center at Taiz University.

The statement, which is believed to have been issued by extremist Takfiri groups, accuses the center of promoting ideas that conflict with the values ​​of Islam and inciting society against it.

Activists accused the preacher Abdullah Ahmed Ali Al-Adini, a representative in the Yemeni parliament and one of the prominent leaders of the Islah Party, of involvement in distributing the statement.

The statement indicates that the Women’s Protection Unit established by the Center adopts United Nations standards related to combating violence against women.

It is considered that these standards carry within them Western values ​​that are inconsistent with the teachings of Islamic Sharia.

The statement specifically criticizes the CEDAW Agreement and calls for the rejection of equality in personal status such as polygamy, divorce, and inheritance. It opposes the abolition of men’s guardianship over women and describes early marriage as trafficking in women.

He concludes by emphasizing that such units constitute an aggression against the values ​​of Islam and are not appropriate for Taiz University as an educational institution in a Muslim country.

It is noteworthy that this statement sparked mixed reactions in society, between supporters and opponents of the center, which reflects existing tensions around women’s rights issues and cultural influences in Yemen.