Trailblazing First Yemeni Traffic Officer Sawsan Aman Passes Away in Cairo

Aden — Sawsan Aman, widely recognized as Yemen’s first female traffic police officer and a pioneering figure in the country’s law enforcement history, passed away last Thursday in Cairo. Her family announced her death in a brief statement, describing the cause as “sudden.”

In the final years of her life, Aman was forced by the ongoing war in Yemen to move between the United States and France before settling in Egypt, where she spent her last days.

Known affectionately as “Major Sawsan,” she broke barriers in January 1977 when she became the first woman in Yemen—and one of the first in the region—to join the traffic police force in Aden, the historic southern city. Her elegant uniform and commanding presence symbolized a new era for Yemeni women entering public service in fields traditionally dominated by men.

Aman’s legacy is closely tied to a landmark national campaign on January 2, 1977, when Yemen shifted its traffic system from driving on the left to the right. As a high school student volunteer, she played a crucial role in guiding drivers and pedestrians during the transition, helping ensure the success of the operation across Aden and other southern cities.

Throughout her career and life between Yemen, the United States, and Egypt, Aman stood as a model of Yemeni women’s resilience and determination to engage in public life. Her contributions remain etched in the collective memory of Aden, where the historic traffic shift she helped manage is still remembered today.

Her passing marks the end of a remarkable journey that inspired generations of Yemeni women to pursue roles once considered unattainable.