Our Country, Our Peace: Why women must be included in Yemen’s peace process

Publication date: 11 December 2015
Author: Shaheen Chugtai, Scott Paul

The Yemen conflict has had a catastrophic effect on its people, with specific impacts on already-vulnerable women and girls. But political talks about Yemen’s future have almost exclusively been conducted by male politicians and combatants. This contrasts with the 2011 uprising, when women helped set Yemen on a path towards political reform.

However, the 2011 peace initiative which followed the uprising lacked inclusivity and proved to be unsustainable.

The forthcoming talks about Yemen’s future must not repeat these flaws. Ensuring women have a meaningful voice in the peace process increases the likelihood that its outcomes benefit the majority of Yemenis and enjoy their support.