Yemen's women connect at CMI workshop

Women’s departments play a vital part in advancing women's political inclusion and strengthening their role in national decision-making processes. In Amman, Jordan, CMI organised a workshop for the women’s departments of Yemen’s political parties and components, striving to increase women’s meaningful participation.

The conditions for promoting inclusive decision-making are particularly challenging in a politically and socially fragmented country due to 10 years of armed conflict. The workshop convened in the wake of escalating tensions in the Red Sea.

A previous CMI workshop had invited representatives from the women’s departments of key political parties and movements to exchange analysis and experiences. The workshop was praised for its open and inclusive environment which fostered mutual understanding across diverse political backgrounds.

CMI’s previous efforts had already borne fruit and advanced the women’s political ambitions in various ways. The attendees shared success stories, highlighting their achievements in areas such as advocacy and leadership roles.

One participant had gained membership in an important commission, while another had joined a new political bloc dealing with electronic blackmail and cybersecurity. A third had been involved in advocacy campaigns to prevent violence against women, inviting female lawyers to clarify the rights of women and prepare them to reject discrimination.

One party member had been a part of creating a group for continuing discussion, adding that women’s departments had been stagnant before the CMI workshop. There was a sense that the departments had since become more active and communicated within and across each other.

While discussing future objectives for the women, it became evident that prominent needs for women include networking, joint action, and capacity building. The session concluded that political parties should recognise women as actors, women should have independence to act and use their power, and some of women’s substantive input should be included in key documents.

This year’s workshop included presentations by Tunisian and Jordanian experts and politicians, who were invited to share their experiences in driving political change. Inspired by these accounts, the Yemeni women considered what was applicable to their country and formulated action plans to enhance women’s political participation and implement existing commitments.

A common takeaway from the Tunisian and Jordanian experiences was that women needed to claim their rights instead of waiting for external help, and to support each other regardless of ideological differences. Moreover, the consensus among discussants seemed to be that politicians should extend their outreach beyond urban centers, actively seeking alliances in rural and remote areas.

On the topic of rural regions, it was emphasised that politicians should respect local traditions while conversing with tribal chiefs. This consideration would pay off in the form of support from these regions. Aside from tribal communities, there was a strong general desire to foster connections with all parties and social groups.

Towards the end of the workshop, the women explored ways to advance joint action within and across their parties as well as the broader public. In summary, an attendee said that the women would convene meetings, support their action plan, share experiences, engage with local communities, civil society and unions, and facilitate sessions with Yemeni experts.

The final session saw discussion on the topic of engaging with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. The workshop members were joined by Zahra' Langhi, Senior Advisor to the UNSE for Inclusion, who offered to relay messages agreed upon during the workshop to the Special Envoy.

During the conversation around the UN, the importance of including women in monitoring the peace process was emphasised. The necessity of establishing mechanisms to protect women engaged in the process from being targeted was also brought up. However, it was noted that the UN or other international organisations cannot force parties to include women.

Throughout the workshop, legal reforms, education, and networking were underscored as effective means of advancing women’s political participation. For its part, CMI was commended for poviding a space for groups with strongly opposing views to connect and work towards common goals. One participant was particularly taken by the productive spirit of the discussions:

“I never expected it would be like this with other parties that we deeply disagree with. It is the first building stone. Woman by nature can create change.”

Looking forward, the workshop left the politicians with concrete plans and a shared desire to effect meaningful change in Yemen.

Photos: Maria Santto / CMI