The ongoing conflict in Yemen threatens to disintegrate families in all regions.
Nashwan al-Jaashani, 26, could not visit his relatives in Sanaa because he could not cover the trip's costs.
Nashwan reported that he used to visit his aunt in the Naqm neighborhood every Friday to check on her, but that has become impossible now.
He contacts her by phone, given that his monthly salary, equivalent to $130, barely covers his daily expenses and some of the requirements of his family of 18 people, mostly women and children.
Nashwan is one of the hundreds of thousands of Yemenis who have been unable to visit their loved ones due to their living conditions.
Yemeni social researchers believe that the conflict has caused a significant rift in family relations all over the country, exacerbating domestic violence and increasing the rate of family crime.
Most families were keen on reunification by gathering all their members, especially on special occasions, holidays, and every Friday, as a religious duty that encourages kinship and an opportunity for more intimate family meetings.
- Salary dilemma
Umm Salah, a Sanaa resident, said that she had not seen her eldest son and his family for two years after he could not visit her, unlike before when he frequently visited her, especially on occasions.
Umm Salah told Asharq Al-Awsat that her son is an educational employee in al-Hazm in al-Jawf. She speaks to him over the phone, asking him to visit, which makes him cry, mainly because he doesn't receive his salary every month.
Saffeya, a mother of four girls from Sanaa, says that before the war broke out, her daughters and their families used to meet in her house every Friday, but now she lives with her only son, 16. Her daughters visit now and then, saying they live in dire conditions because her sons-in-law are government employees and do not receive their wages.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Saffeya's eldest daughter reported the war caused them tragedies, pain, poverty, and segregation at the family and societal levels. She revealed that thousands of families experienced tragic and painful events due to the conflict, crimes, and violations.
- Social transformation
Yemeni researchers confirm that the war destroyed the foundations and infrastructure of the state, causing unprecedented economic stagnation and social transformation, which impacted all Yemenis.
According to a previous Yemeni study, the war damaged all social relations, ignited hostile attitudes, and increased hate speech and family crimes.
The study "The Effects of the War on the Yemeni Family between 2014-2022," by researcher Samia al-Ahdal, confirmed that the longer the war lasts, the greater the damage to the social fabric.
It indicated that the relationship among Yemeni family members is characterized by abandonment as it has become familiar for the person to leave his wife, family, and children.
