Sanaa: A Yemeni official accused "reactionary forces" in his country of trying to discourage and prevent women from participating in public life.

Yahya Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, chairman of Al Takadum Forum and nephew of Yemeni President Al Abdullah Saleh, said time has come to turn words into action for women's political participation.

He called all parties and civil society organisations to do their best to create a new legislation, allocating 15 per cent quota in decision-making posts for women.

"There have been attempts from reactionary forces in the society, in the ruling party, and in opposition parties to abort the initiative of the president of the republic," Yahya Saleh said late on Sunday in a symposium organized by his forum.


The civil society activist, who is the head of country's central security forces, said the best thing to do now is to work for turning the initiative of President Saleh on giving women 15 per cent quota into a legislation that can be implemented.