Social Protection to Provide Social Cohesion in Vulnerable Communities in Yemen

Project Summary

Following eight years of conflict in Yemen, long-standing grievances have been exacerbated, creating new fractures in Yemen’s social fabric and entrenched exclusion and poverty. Prolonged fighting has destroyed key infrastructure and livelihoods and displaced more than four million Yemenis. 

The Social Protection to Provide Social Cohesion in Vulnerable Communities in Yemen Project seeks to contribute to reduced vulnerability and strengthened resilience and social cohesion of targeted crisis- affected communities in Yemen through the creation of sustainable livelihoods and promotion of peacebuilding initiatives. Funded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), the project will target the most vulnerable groups, including women, youth, unemployed Yemenis, marginalized groups such as Muhamasheen, Internally Displaced Persons, and people with disabilities,  in six districts across Aden, Hadramaut and Lahj governorates.  

The project will promote local-level engagement of community institutions in identifying community priorities and implement initiatives that tackle vulnerability to shocks and crises.

Objectives 

  1. To strengthen the capacity of local authorities and vulnerable communities to respond to shocks, risks, and conflict through customized trainings on conflict prevention, dispute resolution, advocacy and peacebuilding. 
  2. To restore and stabilize the livelihoods of targeted vulnerable Yemenis through vocational skills acquisition and provision of technical support and business start-up grants to MSMEs.
  3. To strengthen local mechanisms for peacebuilding and social cohesion through increased participation of youth and women in community-based structures. 

Expected results

  • Output 1.   Capacity of local authorities and community leaders to respond to and address shocks, risks, and conflicts strengthened through trainings. 
  • Output 2: Livelihoods of targeted vulnerable Yemenis restored; and vocational skills training and business start-up grants (equipment) provided. 
  • Output 3: Participation of women, youth and marginalized groups in community-based structures in-creased to strengthen local mechanisms for peacebuilding and social cohesion.   
     

Achievements

  • 6 safe spaces were identified
  • Development of training material in conflict resolution to be used to train peace committee members
  • 6 peace committees (20 members in each committee) were established in all targeted areas
  • 120 peace committee members completed their trainings in peace building and conflict resolution at the community levels