As part of the project Women Peace Mediators 3: Resourcing Change Program, which is funded by Saferworld, the Abductees’ Mothers Association conducted a workshop yesterday, Saturday, in Taiz Governorate on sharing experiences among organizations and institutions active in the fields of protection, women, and peace in Yemen.
The attendees, numbering around 20 participants from among the workers and representatives of women’s organizations and active institutions, emphasized the importance of acquiring new skills, sharing their experiences with participating members, exchanging knowledge, and discussing the challenges and obstacles they face in their humanitarian work and activities for peacebuilding and protection, as well as how to reallocate resources and promote development.
During the workshop, Ms. Ghada Hammoud, President of the Social Development Hodeidah Girls Foundation, presented the first session. She spoke about the achievements of the foundation in the areas of women, peace, and sustainable development, the challenges and obstacles faced during their work, and how they were addressed. She also discussed the first activity of the project on crafts and handmade products, where proceeds were used to renovate houses in the area. She also talked about the initiative to celebrate the International Orphans’ Day through various activities and organizing a charity bazaar at the Cultural Center, inviting merchants to participate by renting spaces to sell their products, with the proceeds going towards charitable work.
She expressed her pleasure of the presence of important figures, including the Minister of Culture along with the Governor of the province and heads of government offices during the charity bazaar, which gave the events significant media attention and expanded relations with other institutions.
The second session was presented by Ms. Walaa Abdullah, who discussed the achievements of the organization in the fields of women, peace, and sustainable development, the challenges and obstacles encountered, and how they were overcome.
She affirmed that the Sheba Youth Foundation for Development is one of the civil society organizations founded in response to the urgent need to empower Yemeni youth and involve them in the process of peacebuilding and sustainable development, believing in the ability of youth and women to bring about positive change in society.
The third session of the workshop was presented by Ms. Amani Al-Jubani, President of the Siaq Organization. She emphasized that the Siaq Organization was established at a critical juncture in fragile humanitarian developmental work, amidst a great need for organized work. The organization includes active young cadres targeting three groups (women, youth, and people with special needs), focusing through its programs on issues of protection, empowerment, and participation, ensuring beneficiaries consider these activities.
The fourth session was concluded by Ms. Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj, President of the Abductees’ Mothers Association, who explained that since 2016, the association has managed numerous cases related to the conflict in Yemen, notably concerning abductees, detainees, and forcibly disappeared persons. She emphasized that the association strives to achieve freedom, justice, and equity through a qualified female team specializing in rights and freedoms.
She highlighted the significant and prominent role in local mediation efforts and international efforts for exchange operations and the release of abductees. She also noted the association’s contribution by providing those responsible for the exchange operations with lists of civilian abductees that have been documented, including specific information about their health conditions. She also emphasized the association’s efforts with the office of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on multiple levels.
Furthermore, she discussed women’s participation in efforts to achieve peace, their adoption of the issue concerning detained and imprisoned women in the central prison in Sana’a, documenting and monitoring their detention conditions and the torture they endured, following up on their cases, and demanding their release. She also highlited the success of the association in working towards the release of several kidnapped women, ensuring their safety.
Al-Hajj presented, the most notable achievements of the association between 2016 and 2023 which include:
- The release of 845 abductees and 74 arbitrarily detained individuals held by the Houthi group, as well as the release of 15 arbitrarily detained individuals held by security authorities in Marib.
- The release of 138 civilian abductees as part of two local mediation exchange operations in Taiz Governorate.
- The release of three women abducted by the Houthi group without any legal justification.
- Collaboration with negotiating delegations in Stockholm, leading to the release of 181 abductees by referring back to the association to verify the existence of abductees’ names in the association’s records during the briefing stage.
- Revealing the whereabouts of 154 forcibly disappeared persons by the Houthi group, 17 by the Security Belt forces in Aden, and 12 by the legitimate government.
The workshop aimed to:
- Highlight the importance of exchanging work and experiences among women’s organizations and institutions within alliances.
- Enhance cooperation and coordination between organizations and demonstrate the impact of this on mutual learning efforts.
- Contribute to developing an effective and genuine strategy for change and resourcing change for development.
The workshop presented several key recommendations, including:
- Holding women’s conferences to unify the efforts of organizations and institutions working in the fields of women and peace.
- Promoting the idea of volunteer work and its importance in honing the skills of women, girls, and women’s groups.
- The concept of sharing experiences and expertise among organizations working in the fields of women and peace was an excellent initiative for emerging women’s initiatives.
- Bringing all institutions and organizations under one umbrella to achieve the noble goal of raising the voice of women to secure their rights.
- Organizing similar discussion workshops and conferences to further share experiences among institutions and organizations working in the fields of women and peace.
- Sharing stories and struggles of women leaders on social media.