Women in Southern Yemen—particularly in the governorates of Mahra, Soqatra, Shabwa, and Hadramout—have long faced structural exclusion stemming from decades of political marginalization, economic neglect, and gender-based discrimination. Following the 1994 civil war, these regions experienced intensified deprivation, with women bearing the heaviest burden due to increased societal restrictions, lack of representation, and limited access to essential services. Despite their active and ongoing roles in humanitarian response, local conflict resolution, and community resilience, Southern women remain largely absent from formal peace processes and decision-making spaces. This exclusion not only silences their voices but undermines the effectiveness and sustainability of peace efforts.

This project responds directly to these pressing challenges by empowering women in the Southern governorates to participate meaningfully in peacebuilding, advocacy, and reconciliation. Through tailored support and capacity building, the initiative aims to amplify their voices, address their specific grievances, and ensure their priorities are reflected in peace dialogues and agreements. In doing so, the project seeks to correct historical injustices and contribute to a more inclusive, equitable, and durable peace in Southern Yemen.

This project directly targets 30 women from the 4 Southern Yemeni governorates, Mahra, Soqatra, Shabwa, and Hadramout. The selection criteria will ensure diverse representation based on the gender who are primarily women, with some engagement from male allies who support gender-inclusive peace processes. The target group includes civil society activists, journalists, community leaders, local mediators, educators, and human rights defenders who are actively involved in advocacy and social change efforts.

The main goal of the project is to strengthen advocacy for women’s rights by supporting grassroots and civil society organizations in advocating for gender-inclusive policies and legal reforms that protect women’s rights. another goal is to build a network of women peace advocates through establishing a coalition of women leaders, activists, and policymakers to collaborate and push for feminist peace agendas at local, national, and international levels. Ensuring the protection of human rights during peace implementation is one of the main goals of the project and that will happen by monitoring and advocating for the protection of human rights for both women and men throughout the execution of peace agreements, ensuring accountability and justice.