Arwa Othman (Arabic: أروى عبده عثمان) is a Yemeni writer, journalist, human rights activist and former Minister of Culture (2014 – 2015) in the cabinet of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.
During her elementary school years, her family considered marrying her off, but her passion for learning and frequent visits to a neighbourhood library fuelled her determination to continue her education.
Despite her academic success in the secondary school, Arwa faced significant opposition from her father when she expressed a desire to pursue university studies.
In an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Othman reflected on the challenges of that time, noting the prevailing social stigmas in her village, where women's university education was often linked to scandal.
[2] Arwa Othman began writing sharp and bold articles under pseudonyms between in mid 1980s, laying the foundation for her later career as a writer and intellectual.
In a challenging patriarchal society for women in Yemen, Othman also became known for her decision to remove her hijab, a choice uncommon in her cultural context.
With prize money she received after winning the Sharjah Award for Arabic Excellence in 2000 for her short story collection “It Happened in a Tinka Land of Mosquitoes,” she established a small museum, [3].
Due to her strong civil stances, she faced abuse from both religious extremists and individuals in positions of power, who used their platforms and media outlets to target her.
[12] After her appointment as Minister of Culture in 2014, Arwa Othman faced attacks from fundamentalist groups who launched a systematic campaign of defamation and slander against her.
The backlash stemmed in part from her public dancing during the commemoration of the 26 September Revolution in 2014, an event held five days after the fall of Sana'a to Houthi rebels.
Houthi movement activists intensified the campaign against Othman, using social media to criticise her and publishing her photo on the cover of a newspaper affiliated with their group, accompanied by a sarcastic comment.