Yemen

In 2011, large-scale pro-democracy protests erupted throughout the country, calling for the fall of President Saleh’s regime. Opposition to President Saleh has since grown into a heterogeneous coalition, fed by long-term economic and political grievances. Opposition ranges from an independently mobilised and youth-led campaign of peaceful urban protests and civil disobedience to a secessionist movement in the south, the al-Houthi rebellion in the North, Islamist groups, defected elements of the Hashed tribal and military elite and broader tribal revolts throughout the country.

Long divided into North and South, Yemen’s unification in 1990 was followed by civil war in 1994. The country faces a number of social, economic and political challenges and is at high risk of further conflict and instability. Conflict in Yemen, driven by elite actors, is fuelled by chronic and increasing poverty, limited and uneven access to services and increasing radicalisation and unemployment, especially among young people. Conflicts between Yemen's powerful tribes, between the long-divided north and south of the country and over religious divisions have turned violent in a context where the population is frustrated by corruption and excluded from decision-making and government services.

The widespread circulation of weapons, coupled with weak government control over large parts of the country, heightens the risk of violent conflict. Conflicts over increasingly scarce resources affect all levels of Yemeni society, from localised conflicts over land and water to national-level political struggles. Water resources are diminishing rapidly and a water crisis is imminent. The country is heavily dependent on food imports, making it especially vulnerable to global price shocks.

In 2010 Saferworld undertook a scoping assessment of Yemen to deepen our understanding of the context, key actors and conflict drivers and to identify potential areas where we can contribute to conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts. Since then we have conducted two further scoping missions, visiting Sana'a, Aden and Kharaz refugee camp and developed a country strategy. During 2011 and beyond, we will focus on combatting exclusion, increasing access to political processes, security and justice for marginalised groups, and increasing the conflict sensitivity of external actors. To date, Saferworld has conducted research on election violence, public protests and child soldiers in Yemen.

In 2011 we conducted research in collaboration with the Tamkeen Development Foundation on youth grievances and empowerment, supported by the EU’s People’s Peacemaking Perspectives Project. This research forms part of a global project implemented by Saferworld and Conciliation Resources. Saferworld has also previously assisted DFID Yemen to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for it security and justice programme.

In 2012 Saferworld will be supporting efforts to develop a more inclusive transition process in Yemen that is responsive to the needs and concerns of young people, through a one-year project “Amplifying Youth Voices in Yemen’s Transition”. Saferworld will be working in partnership with Resonate! Yemen and the Tamkeen Development Foundation. The project, funded by the German Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, has three main components: research into young people’s perceptions and priorities for Yemen’s transition at local and national level to inform evidence-based advocacy; workshops to strengthen the advocacy capacity of select youth leaders and help them develop stronger, more inclusive networks across Yemen; and building constructive relations between youth leaders and Yemeni decision-makers so that young people can bring their concerns, insights and experiences to bear on institutionalised politics.