There is recognition among Yemeni stakeholders, the United Nations, and the international community that sustainable peace in Yemen cannot be achieved without meaningfully including women, youth, and local actors. In response to the December 2023 commitments by the parties to the conflict to resume political negotiations and operationalize an UN-facilitated peace roadmap, OSESGY and UN Women launched a renewed effort to engage a broad spectrum of Yemenis in shaping an inclusive vision for peace.
The Bottom-Up Consultations on a Vision for an Inclusive Peace in Yemen were designed to bridge the gap between grassroots actors and formal political processes, building on years of engagement and lessons learned and emphasizing inclusive, locally grounded dialogue as a foundation for long-term peace and stability.
Since November 2023, the “Bottom-Up Consultations on a Vision for an Inclusive Peace in Yemen” series have brought together over 600 participants (including women leaders, youth, tribal figures, local mediators, civil society organizations, persons with disabilities, and survivors of conflict) through a series of dialogues in and outside Yemen. These gatherings surfaced shared priorities and demands, strengthened cross-regional networks, and promoted gender-sensitive provisions for integration into a future Yemeni-led peace process.
The objectives of the engagements are to:
- Contribute to the preparation for a peaceful, Yemeni-led political process by elevating Yemeni women's equal, full, meaningful and safe participation, their peace and security needs, concerns and aspirations so that they are reflected in the planning, mechanisms, bodies, and outcomes.
- Develop essential priorities for a vision of inclusivity in the peace process in Yemen, emphasizing a bottom-up approach that captures the grassroots perspectives and experiences.
- Cultivate a sense of trust among Yemeni people and reinforce channels of communication between OSESGY and Yemeni women, fostering an environment conducive to collaboration.
At its core, the bottom-up approach is about localizing peacebuilding. It draws on principles of empathy, active listening, and social justice to confront the political, economic, cultural, and social dimensions of conflict. By engaging all segments of society -especially those historically marginalized - it fosters a vision for peace rooted in accountability, rule of law, and inclusive development. The engagements also aim to ensure that women’s voices, security needs, and aspirations are not only heard but embedded in the future political process.
General updates on these efforts are published regularly on OSESGY’s website and social media.
Read more on the "Bottom-up Vision for an Inclusive Peace Process" in Cairo and Amman.
Views from participants from the "Bottom-up Vision for an Inclusive Peace Process" series in Aden – Part (1)
Views from participants from the "Bottom-up Vision for an Inclusive Peace Process" series in Aden – Part (2)