Al-Akhdam or Akhdam is a social group in Yemen

Yemen

The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....

 distinct from the majority by their more African features. They are considered to be at the very bottom of the social ladder in Yemen. They are mostly confined to menial jobs and living on the fringes of society.

According to official estimates, they numbered around 500.000 in 2004, while other estimates put their number as high as more than 1 million in 2007 (out of a total Yemeni population of 22 million).

In Yemen, they are popularly believed to be the descendants of Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...

n soldiers of the Aksumite Empire

Aksumite Empire

The Kingdom of Aksum or Axum, also known as the Aksumite Empire, was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from the proto-Aksumite Iron Age period ca. 4th century BC to achieve prominence by the 1st century AD...

 that occupied modern-day Yemen more than 1,500 years ago and who remained there as slaves or servants of the local population after the occupation ended. Most Akhdam live in slums at the outskirts of the major cities, 100,000 of them live in San‘a’, others are in Aden

Aden

Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...

, Ta'izz

Ta'izz

Ta'izz , or Taiz, is a city in the Yemeni Highlands, near the famous Mocha port on the Red Sea, lying at an elevation of about 1,400 metres above sea level. It is the capital of Ta'izz Governorate...

, Lahij

Lahij

Lahij or Lahej is a city and an area located between Ta'izz and Aden in Yemen. From the 18th to the 20th century, its rulers were of the Al-Abdali family who with Al-Sallami, Al-Ramada, Al-Sindi and al-Aqrabi, claims relation to Ahl al-Bayt...

, Abyan, Al Hudaydah

Al Hudaydah

Al Hudaydah is the fourth largest city in Yemen with a population of 400,000 people, and the centre of Al Hudaydah Governorate.-Overview:...

 and Al Mukalla

Al Mukalla

Al Mukalla is a main sea port and the capital city of the Hadramaut coastal region in Yemen in the southern part of Arabia on the Gulf of Aden close to the Arabian Sea...

.

Many NGOs and charitable organizations from other countries such as CARE International are working towards the emancipation of the Akhdam.

External links

• Worth, R.F. 2008, 'In slums without hope, Yemen's untouchables', International Herald Tribune, 27 February. Retrieved on 29 April 2008.
• IRIN 2005, 'YEMEN: Akhdam people suffer history of discrimination', IRIN News, 1 November.
• IRIN 2009, 'YEMEN: Girls, poor and black children most discriminated against - study', IRIN News, 15 March. Retrieved on 16 March 2009.