Bid Invitation: Customary Law Research in Yemen

The Sana’a Center invites qualified researchers and research teams to submit proposals for commissioned research on Yemeni customary laws and traditional practices of mediation and conflict resolution. Proposals should meet the requirements of this call and align with the set criteria and evaluation guidelines.

Multidisciplinary applications are encouraged, with preference given to proposals combining expertise in customary laws, transitional justice, and legal frameworks. The selected applicant(s) will conduct field research in up to four regions of Yemen, using rigorous, transparent, and conflict-sensitive methods that ensure credibility, inclusiveness, and ethical integrity.

The study will provide a comparative analysis of customary laws and mediation practices and deliver policy-relevant recommendations for transitional justice in Yemen. The Sana’a Center will support the process through regular consultations and reviews to ensure quality and alignment with program objectives.

Background

The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies is an independent think-tank that seeks to foster change through knowledge production with a focus on Yemen and the surrounding region. The Center’s publications and programs, offered in both Arabic and English, cover political, social, economic, and security-related developments, aiming to impact policy locally, regionally, and internationally.

Founded in 2014, the Sana’a Center is one of the few independent research centers that has continued to operate in Yemen throughout the ongoing conflict. While the Center maintains cordial relations with all key stakeholders, it has remained fiercely unaligned with any of the belligerent parties. The Center has thus maintained a unique position in the ability to work throughout Yemen and beyond.

The Sana’a Center’s Transitional Justice Program aims to shape processes rooted in local realities. As part of this, we are launching a study on Yemen’s customary laws and traditional practices of mediation and conflict resolution. The research will examine community justice mechanisms, their legitimacy, and effectiveness, while also identifying gaps and biases. Findings will inform the design of a future transitional justice process that builds on trusted practices, addresses shortcomings, and ensures victims remain at the center of an inclusive, locally grounded framework.

Objective

To examine customary laws and traditional practices of mediation and conflict resolution in Yemen, through comparative case studies in up to four regions, in order to understand their mechanisms, perceptions of legitimacy and acceptance, and the extent to which they provide recourse for harm. The study will also explore whether and how these practices relate to formal legal structures, how communities perceive and navigate between traditional and formal processes, and what this might mean for their potential integration into transitional justice (TJ) approaches. The goal is to identify opportunities and limitations with consideration to victim-centered approaches and core TJ principles.

Points of Inquiry

The following points of inquiry are indicative and may be refined or adjusted by the researcher in their proposal, based on their expertise and the feasibility of the study design:

1. Mapping Practices
   • Identify the main customary laws and traditional practices for mediation, conflict resolution, and accountability in the selected regions.
   • Explore how these practices differ or align across regions and communities.
2. Legitimacy and Perceptions
   • Examine how these practices are perceived in terms of legitimacy, fairness, and effectiveness by different groups (including victims, marginalized groups, women, and youth).
   • Assess the extent to which they are accepted as providing justice or redress for harm suffered.
3. Gaps and Biases
   • Investigate the gaps or limitations in these practices (e.g., inclusivity, representation of victims, accountability for serious violations).
   • Consider what biases may be embedded in them and how these affect access to justice for different groups.
4. Traditional vs. Formal Processes
   • Explore the relationship between customary/traditional practices and formal legal structures, and what this looks like in practice.
   • Assess how communities perceive and navigate between traditional and formal justice processes, and how these perceptions shape their attitudes and preferences for dispute resolution and access to justice.
5. Relevance to Transitional Justice
   • Analyze how these practices could inform the design of a locally grounded transitional justice process.
   • Consider how they can be adapted or scaled up while maintaining the core principles of transitional justice, particularly truth, accountability, inclusivity, and victim-centeredness.
   • Draw lessons for integrating traditional and formal approaches in the context of Yemen’s future transitional justice process.

Tasks and Deliverables

This assignment is structured in four phases:

Phase 1: Inception and Research Design

• Conduct desk review of existing literature on customary law, mediation practices, and TJ frameworks.
• Refine research questions and finalize selection of up to four case study regions.
• Develop and pilot data collection tools (interview guides, FGD protocols, consent forms).
• Prepare ethical and risk framework (do-no-harm, confidentiality, trauma-informed approach).
• Draft the Inception Report, address comments from the Sana’a Center’s Knowledge Production Department, and secure approval.

Deliverable: Approved Inception Report and Data Collection Tools (2,000-word report + Annexes)

Phase 2: Data Collection and Preliminary Analysis

• Guide field researchers.
• Conduct fieldwork (KIIs, FGDs, observation, document collection) across the four regions.
• Transcribe and code data using thematic categories.
• Generate initial findings and produce a comparative analysis matrix across regions.
• Internal debriefs with the Sana’a Center to validate emerging themes.

Deliverable: Primary Data, Summary of Initial Findings and Comparative Analysis, and Debrief.

Phase 3: Report Drafting, Review & Finalization

• Draft full research report including methodology, case studies, cross-regional comparative analysis, and implications for TJ.
• Submit draft for peer review and internal editorial process with the Sana’a Center’s Knowledge Production Department.
• Revise draft by addressing all comments (peer reviewers, knowledge production & editorial team).
• Finalize the research report

Deliverable: Final report (12,000 words) and complete dataset

Phase 4: Dissemination & Engagement

• Preparation and delivery of stakeholder presentation.
• Participate in at least one launch event (round table, webinar, or podcast).
• Advise in developing infographics or other publicity materials, as appropriate.

Deliverable: One Stakeholder Meeting and/or a public event

The Time Frame for the Assignment

Selection Criteria (100%)

Required Documents

Applicants should submit:

All documents listed above are required for a complete application; incomplete applications will not be considered.

1. Technical Proposal – including research design, methodology, workplan/timeline, and ethical approach.
2. Researcher/Team Profile – CV(s), academic qualifications, relevant experience, and field access.
3. Financial Proposal – detailed, itemized budget with justification.
4. Annexes – relevant past publications.

Application Process

Interested researchers and institutions are requested to submit a comprehensive technical and financial proposal to [email protected] with the subject line “Customary Law Research Tender – [Applicant Name]”

Submission Deadline: 20 September 2025

Contact for Clarifications: Senior Researcher & Transitional Justice Team Lead

The Sana’a Center reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, negotiate with selected bidders, and award the contract based on the best value proposition for achieving research objectives.

The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies

Founded in 2014, the Sana’a Center is one of the few independent research centers that has continued to operate in Yemen throughout the ongoing conflict. While the Center maintains cordial relations with all key stakeholders, it has remained fiercely unaligned with any of the belligerent parties. The Sana’a Center has thus maintained a unique position and the ability to work throughout Yemen and beyond.

The Center maintains a strong network across Yemen with access to key political, military and security figures, tribal leaders, the financial sector, economists, journalists, humanitarian actors, civil society, and other important stakeholders. The Center has also established a broad network and presence within the international community, connecting it to international organizations, diplomatic circles, regional and international policymakers, research centers and global forums.

The Sana’a Center’s reports and researchers are widely quoted in local, regional, and international media outlets, while the analysis of the Center’s experts is regularly sought out by local and international stakeholders.