On February 6 in Aden, the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen (OSESGY) convened a meeting with 18 Yemeni businesswomen, from the Businesswomen Council and various governorates across Yemen, and representatives from the Aden Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss their indispensable roles in economic recovery and peacebuilding. This session is part of OSESGY's ongoing efforts to collaborate with stakeholders across all sectors, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive approach to Yemen's economic revival and sustained peace. 

During the session, OSESGY’s economic team provided a detailed briefing on the ongoing initiatives of the Office aimed at revitalizing the economy, highlighting current challenges and opportunities, and stressing the critical contributions of women’s entrepreneurship in steering efforts towards success. 

In addition, the participants were briefed on other examples of women's inclusion in post-conflict economic recovery, including a virtual briefing by OSESGY's Inclusion and Women, Peace and Security adviser on the Libyan experience. Moreover, a member of the Businesswomen Council provided insights on the Rwandan experience, further enriching the discussions on economic revival and peacebuilding strategies.

With working papers presented by participants, the meeting set the stage for further integrating Yemeni businesswomen into the heart of peacebuilding and economic planning processes, targeting a more robust and equitable future for Yemen.  

Participants expressed concern about the absence of sustained state support and a cohesive strategic vision for the private sector. They noted the severe shortage of financial resources, weak strategic planning capabilities, and insufficient financial support for small and micro enterprises. These deficiencies are compounded by the impacts of ongoing economic crises, which threaten the continuity of existing projects and discourage new investments. Additionally, they noted that cultural and social challenges continue to hinder the full integration and participation of women within society and the economy. Participants highlighted, in particular, how women face barriers accessing banking services.  

Participants emphasized that Yemen flourishes when women are actively involved in governance the economy and peace efforts. Leveraging their unique perspectives and capabilities in peace processes is not just beneficial—it's essential for lasting peace and ensuring economic prosperity.  

OSESGY's representatives underlined the Office’s commitment to advocating for the inclusion of women and their perspectives in the economic track, to deliver peace and prosperity.