Al muhamasheen – living on the edge of society

An underclass exists within Yemeni society which is known as al-Akhdam or al-Muhamasheen. These are thought to be descendants of what were once migrant slaves who came over to Yemen from Ethiopia.

They do society’s dirty jobs – they clear rubbish, sweep the streets and clean out the sewers. They do the jobs which nobody else will do, and are treated as outcasts in their own country, living in isolated communities and forbidden from marrying into more privileged classes.

They have no rights, no land, and suffer very bad treatment from other members of society. The National Dialogue recognises this injustice and seeks to address it in the roadmap for a new Yemen.