Family in Yemen

Family relationships in Yemen are governed by formal rules and by social and extended-family arrangements. There is no single nationwide family service. Personal Status Courts and judges, the Ministry of Justice and other local authorities handle formal matters, while the Civil Registration Authority, humanitarian organizations, the Social Welfare Fund and community-based services handle registration, protection, assistance and referrals. Access depends on the governorate, the authority controlling the area, identity documents, family records, security conditions and available funding. Marriage is regulated by Personal Status Law No. 20 of 1992, with amendments in 1998 and 1999. A marriage contract requires the consent of both parties, a wali, meaning a marriage guardian, and either two Muslim male witnesses or one man and two women. A woman’s consent is required; for a previously unmarried woman, the law treats silence as consent in the relevant circumstances. Marriage below age 15 is not permitted under the law. A man may have up to four wives where he can provide financially, treat them equally and inform them as required by the law. The contract records details such as age, identification numbers and mahr, the agreed marriage gift or payment. The marriage contract is to be registered with the responsible authority within one week. Early marriage remains a documented concern. In the 2022–2023 Yemen Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 6.5% of women aged 20 to 24 had married before age 15 and 29.6% had married before age 18. The proportion married before age 18 was 31.0% in rural areas and 26.5% in urban areas. Among women aged 15 to 19, 16.7% were currently married. The survey recorded polygyny among 4.4% of women aged 15 to 49. These figures have limitations because dates and ages may be recalled inaccurately, and the survey recorded only the year of the first marriage for 71% of women aged 15 to 49. The Civil Registration Authority handles birth registration. The statutory registration period is 60 days, but registration is usually manual and Yemen does not have an established nationwide electronic system according to the cited survey. Supporting documents can include a court-confirmed marriage contract, a hospital or midwife notification, or confirmation from a neighbourhood representative for a home birth, together with a family card. The father or grandfather usually submits the application. The mother generally needs a power of attorney from her husband to apply herself. Only 29.4% of children under five were registered in the survey, with registration at 52.0% in urban areas and 20.8% in rural areas. UNICEF reported the registration of 54,784 children and adults in 16 governorates in 2022. Child care and contact are addressed through the concept of حضانة, which covers custody and day-to-day care. The mother has priority when she is suitable to care for the child. The usual statutory periods extend to age 9 for boys and age 12 for girls, although a judge may depart from those periods in the child’s best interests. After that point, the child may choose between the parents if they disagree. Parents can arrange contact themselves, or a judge can determine it. Fathers and other relatives may form part of the legal care and support chain. Joint living with children and parents can be possible where the home is adequate and the arrangement does not cause harm, unless the marriage contract provides otherwise. نفقة, commonly translated as maintenance or family support, covers food, clothing, housing, medical treatment and other necessary costs. A wife is generally supported by her husband. A minor or dependent child is primarily supported by the father; if he cannot provide, responsibility can pass to a financially capable mother or other relatives. A needy relative who cannot work can receive support from a financially capable close relative who would inherit from that person. Claims for past spousal support are generally limited to one year before the court case, while claims for relatives’ support are generally limited to two months, subject to exceptions. A marriage can end through فسخ, a court-ordered dissolution, طلاق, a husband’s talaq pronouncement, or death. A woman can seek فسخ on legally recognized grounds, and khul may end the marriage in return for compensation or another agreed financial settlement. Where a husband is missing or living outside Yemen and does not provide support, فسخ may be available after one year; where he provides support, the relevant period can be two years. Conflict can restrict women’s travel and their ability to manage custody or contact matters with children. Conflict-related separation and displacement create additional protection needs. UNICEF and the Child Protection Area of Responsibility support case management, family tracing and reunification, psychosocial assistance, access to legal, medical and educational services, temporary shelter and emergency cash. Family tracing and reunification means locating separated relatives and assessing whether safe restoration of family care is possible. During the first half of 2025, 2,961 children at risk were identified and 2,952 received protection or referral services; 505 workers received training in mental health and psychosocial support, case management, tracing and reunification. Temporary care with extended family members or a guardian can be used when a child cannot immediately return to a parent. Support through the Social Welfare Fund, often abbreviated SWF, and SPCC-linked cash or referral programs is fragmented and depends on vulnerability, location and available case management. Yemen has no universal family payment or uniformly accessible family support program established in the reviewed evidence. Conflict, financing, missing documents and different local administrations affect coverage. A family may therefore need to use several providers, such as a local authority for documents, a court for a formal order and a humanitarian organization for protection or emergency assistance. UNHCR family reunification procedures can concern close relatives, dependent children, spouses and parents. Eligibility and the legal process are decided under the law of the destination country. The usual application process goes through that destination country rather than directly through UNHCR, and the process can require extensive documents, interviews and sometimes DNA testing. No processing time is guaranteed. Separate UNHCR cases may be assessed in connection with family unity. UNHCR lists the Yemen contacts Sana’a 712225038 and Aden 771070368. Internally displaced people in Yemen are not eligible for resettlement solely because they are displaced. After a family member dies, funeral costs, debts and valid dispositions are dealt with before the remaining estate is divided. Women have inheritance shares under Islamic law. A guardian or court may administer property belonging to a minor. Access to inheritance can still be obstructed by lack of information, poverty, social pressure and tribal or local practices. Families often need to distinguish the formal legal share from the practical ability to obtain documents, reach a court and secure possession of property.