1 Public Perceptions of the Security Sector and Police Work in Yemen A Yemen Polling Center Survey...

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Public Perceptions of the Security Sector and Police Work in Yemen

A Yemen Polling Center SurveyMajor FindingsJanuary 30, 2013

funded by the European Union

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Please cite as follows: Yemen Polling Center (2013): Public Perceptions of the Security

Sector and Police Work in Yemen. Major Survey Findings. Sanaa: YPC.

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ObjectivesTo better understand the nature of• Insecurity in Yemen;• Local security provision;• Non-state actors;• Attitudes of the public towards the police; and• Gender-related security issuesin order to provide input on necessities &

opportunities of security sector reform.

Yemen Polling Center

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Methodology

• Field work conducted between November and December 2012

• Target sample: 2000 respondents. Actual sample: 1990 respondents

• Yemenis aged 18+• Even number of male and female

respondents


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Demographics of the sample


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GovernorateIbb 11.1%

Abyan 2.0%

Sana'a City 9.5%

Al-Baydha’ 3.0%

Taiz 12.1%

Al-Jawf 2.0%

Hajja 7.5%

Al-Hudaida 11.1%

Hadhramawt 5.0%

Dhamar 7.0%

Shabwa 2.5%

Sa’da 3.0%

Sana'a 4.5%

Aden 3.0%

Lahj 3.5%

Marib 1.0%

al-Mahweet 2.5%

Al-Mahra .5%

Amran 4.5%

Al-Dhali’ 2.5%

Rayma 2.0%

Total 100.0%Yemen Polling Center

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In regard to the education you completed, which of the following phrases describes it best, if any?


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What is your employment situation?


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What do you think about the current situation in Yemen, is it going in the right direction or the wrong direction?


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Economy


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Jobs


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Fighting Corruption


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Security Situation


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Human Rights


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Women’s Rights


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Public Services


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse:

Anti-Terrorism Efforts


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I am going to list some issues and I would like you to tell me whether it is getting better or getting worse: Political Situation


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In your opinion, are these institutions active in your area in a positive way, active in a negative way, neither positive nor negative, or not active at all?

Percentage

Local Council in this area

Active in a positive way

16.0%

Active in a negative way

30.9%

Neither positive nor negative

25.9%

Not active at all 27.1%

Political Parties in this area


12.7%


36.9%


24.4%


Police in this area Active in a positive way

14.6%


13.9%


22.0%


NGO/CSO in this area


11.0%


6.5%


15.5%


Tribal leaders in this area


31.4%


27.1%


23.8%


Religious groups in this area


38.3%


12.9% Yemen Polling Center

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THE SECURITY SITUATION

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How do you evaluate the general security situation in your area? By governorate


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In comparison to one year ago, how do you evaluate the security situation in this area? Has it improved or has it deteriorated?


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In comparison to one year ago, how do you evaluate the security situation in this area? Per governorate


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How safe do you personally feel?


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How safe do you personally feel? By governorate


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How safe do you feel traveling outside this area? By governorate


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In reality, who ruins security in this area? (open question, record one answer)

Percentage

No One 50.3%

Huthis 10.2%

al-Qa'ida & Ansar al-Shari'a

8.7%

Tribal Shaykhs 6.5%

Islah 5.5%

Extremists 3.2%

Local people themselves

2.3%

Other political groups 2.3%

GPC 2.2%

Powerful people in general

2.1%

Government 1.5%

Southern Movement 1.4%

Police 1.3%

Army 1.1%

Local officials .6%

Neighboring Countries

.4%

Popular Committees .3%

Religious leaders .1%

Total 100.0%


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In reality, who ruins security in this area? By governorate


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In reality, who brings security to this area? (open question, record one answer)

Percentage

People themselves 41.1%

Tribal shaykhs 22.2%

Police 21.9%

'Aqil 19.6%

No one 18.7%

Powerful people in the area 7.6%

Tribes 4.8%

Popular Committees 4.1%

Government 2.9%

Religious leaders 2.7%

Army 1.9%

Huthis 1.2%

Provincial/district governor .8%

Southern Movement .7%

al-Qa'ida & Ansar al-Shari'a .3%


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In reality, who brings security to this area? By governorate


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What phenomena in this area pose the greatest threats to your personal security? (open question, record one answer)

Percentage

Tribal conflict 6.2%

Terrorist groups 3.4%

Living expenses & unemployment

17.3%

Thefts 6.8%

Armed groups 5.7%

Political conflict 2.5%

Proliferation of small arms

7.2%

Sexual harassment on the streets

1.1%

Rape .3%

Landmines and explosive devices

.7%

Drones .8%

Land conflicts .8%

Family conflicts .8%

Sectarian conflicts 1.5%

Kidnapping 1.4%

Presence of military bases in my neighborhood

.3%

Nothing 36.8%

Other 3.8%

Al-Qaeda and Ansar al-Shar'ia

.5%

Houthis .8%

I don’t know 1.5%

Refused to answer .1%


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To protect yourself and your family, what procedures do you rely on? (open question, record 1 answer)


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POLICE STRUCTURE & PRESENCE

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Are the following institutions part of the police or not?

Percentage

Traffic police Yes 77.1%

No 10.0%

I don't know 12.8%

Firefighters Yes 60.8%

No 14.3%

I don't know 24.8%

CSF Yes 72.4%

No 12.1%

I don't know 15.4%

Najda Yes 81.6%

No 5.7%

I don't know 12.6%

Passport and Immigration Authority

Yes 50.6%

No 23.4%

I don't know 26.0%

Investigative police Yes 73.3%

No 7.8%

I don't know 18.8%

The Civil Registration Authority

Yes 55.1%

No 20.2%

I don't know 24.6%


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Right now for administrative issues (IDs & birth certificates) you have to go to a police station. In the future, would you prefer to

keep it as it is now or to have it to another place outside the police station?


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Is there a police station in this area?


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Is there a police station in this area? By governorate


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Would you feel more or less secure if there were…

Percentage

More police in this area

Less secure 19.6%

The same 17.0%

More secure 63.5%

More army units in this area

Less secure 35.0%

The same 18.7%

More secure 46.4%

More tribal leaders in this area

Less secure 40.4%

The same 30.1%

More secure 29.4%


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In your opinion, are the police in this area active in a positive way, active in a negative way, neither positive nor negative, not active at all?


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In your opinion, are the police in this area active in a positive way, active in a negative way, neither positive nor negative, not

active at all? By governorate


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PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLICE

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To what extent do you think the police treats the following groups fairly?

Percentage

Women Very fairly 12.9%

A little fairly 34.0%

A little unfairly 14.1%

Very unfairly 13.5%

Don't know 25.4%

Marginalized groups (e.g. akhdam)

Very fairly 3.3%



Very unfairly 40.0%

Don't know 25.2%

The elderly Very fairly 12.5%



Very unfairly 16.4%

Don't know 19.7%

The poor Very fairly 4.8%



Very unfairly 42.0%

Don't know 15.1%

Refugees Very fairly 5.1%



Very unfairly 21.9%

Don't know 46.5%

Foreigners that are not refugees

Very fairly 32.8%



Very unfairly 4.2%

Don't know 43.3%


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How much confidence do you have in the police?


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Confidence in police by respondents who said that the police is not active in their area at all


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In your opinion, what is the reason for the general lack of confidence in the police? (open question, record 1 answer)


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In the past twelve months, have you or a member of your family been offered help by a police officer in a positive way when you

needed assistance?


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In your opinion, what is the level of corruption in the following institution:


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In the past twelve months, have you or a member of your family been asked for bribes? (respondents who had interacted with

the police in the past twelve months)


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By whom were you asked for a bribe?

Sample Size: 317


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What were you asked to give?

Sample Size: 310Yemen Polling Center

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What were you asked to give a bribe for?


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Do you think that wages paid to regular police officers are…


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If the police were better paid by the government, do you think they would be less corrupt?


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How do you evaluate the outer appearance of the police officer(s) you interacted with? (respondents who stated that

they had dealt with the police in the past)


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In the last 2 years, have you visited a police station…

Percentage

To report a crime/ resolve a problem

Yes 12.4%

No 87.6%

For administrative purposes

Yes 16.9%

No 83.1%

To obtain information Yes 2.1%

No 97.9%


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What was your overall impression of the police station? (respondents who stated that they had visited a police station in

the past two years)


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Do you think the police should be prohibited from chewing qat/smoking shisha while on duty?


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REPORTING A CRIME

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Have you or any member of your household been the victim of a crime in the past two years?


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What was the most significant crime? (open question)


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Have you reported it to the police?


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Why did you not report it to the police?

Yemen Polling CenterSample Size: 52

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How satisfied were you with how the police addressed the issue? (respondents who reported the issue to the

police only)


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Have you ever called 199 for help?


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On a scale from 1 to 5, 1 meaning 'very unsatisfied' and 5 meaning 'very satisfied', how satisfied were you with the help

you received?


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WOMEN AND SECURITY

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Reporting a Crime (Female Respondents Only)

Would you report a crime alone? If there were a women’s unit in the police station closest to you, would you report a crime alone?


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Would you allow your wife/daughter/ female relative to report a crime alone?

If there were a women’s unit in the police station closest to you, would you allow your wife/daughter/female relative to report a crime alone?

Reporting a Crime (Male Respondents Only)


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In general, do you support the idea of having female police officers in Yemen?


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Why do you support it?


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Why do you not support it?


72Yemen Polling Center

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NON-STATE SECURITY ACTORS

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In general, when a problem or security incident occurs in this area, which actor deals with it first?


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In general, when a problem or security incident occurs in this area, which actor deals with it first? By governorate


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In general, should security rest in the hands of the state alone?


77Yemen Polling Center

In this area specifically, should security rest in the hands of the state alone? By governorate

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What should the police involve non-state actors in?(read out answers, code 1)


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For the following groups in your area, do you want the police to seek their assistance in resolving security issues:

Community Groups / NGOs


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Popular Committees


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Tribal Shaykhs


82


Other Powerful People in the Area


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Are there any private prisons in this area?


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Are there any private prisons in this area? Per governorate


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Who maintains such private prisons? Per governorate


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Conclusions• Security sector reform in Yemen needs to take into account

the country‘s regional and social diversity• Security provision in Yemen by the police must involve non-

state actors in most regions, but such involvement should be complementary to the work of state institutions

• Police in Yemen must work to enhance ist professionality in order to gain the trust of the people

• Police reform in Yemen has to take into account the special security interests of women and girls by employing more women in the police force so that these can cater to the special security interests of women according to the Yemeni social context


1 Public Perceptions of the Security Sector and Police Work in Yemen A Yemen Polling Center Survey...

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