The findings of this paper broadly reflect governance trends witnessed in various parts of Yemen during the war. In Houthi-controlled areas, the central government in Sana’a has restricted the autonomy of local authorities as part of efforts to consolidate political control and redistribute revenues to the war effort. In Houthi-run parts of Hudaydah governorate, for example, the central government in Sana’a tightly controls virtually all aspects of local governance. 

Seven years into the war in Yemen, there is considerable and growing resistance within the internationally recognized Yemeni government, Houthi authorities, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), local authorities and armed groups toward the promotion of gender equality and women’s role in peacebuilding. At the invitation of the UN special envoy for Yemen, women were present in peace negotiations in Kuwait (2016), Geneva (2018) and Stockholm (2018), but their participation was not accepted by the delegations. The text of the Stockholm…

Yemen was among the last countries to announce the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first confirmed case in the country was declared on April 10, 2020, a month after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11. An explosion of infections was anticipated in Yemen, where six years of war has destroyed the healthcare sector and fragmented the country. The first wave of COVID-19 in Yemen coincided with outbreaks of malaria, dengue fever, and chikungunya fever, diseases…

The Muhammasheen, meaning “the marginalized,” is an ascriptive term designating a group of Yemenis who were traditionally called Al-Akhdam (literally meaning “the servants”). Membership in this ethnic minority is hereditary, associated with certain types of occupations, and in traditional Yemeni social structures its members are considered ‘weak’ and lacking origins, therefore ostensibly under tribal protection. There are strong cultural prohibitions…

Aden has historically been a cultural and commercial crossroads, home to a famed port linking East and West. Its setting, on the Gulf of Aden, at the confluence of the Red and Arabian seas, long brought trade and people to the city, making it a cosmopolitan hub. Throughout much of the 20th century, the city played a prominent role in…

After a brief look at the history, beliefs and philosophy of the Baha’i faith, this report examines the workings of Yemen’s Baha’i community and how this community fits into Yemen’s religious, social and political fabric. Prior to the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, the adherents of the religion had a relatively peaceful relationship with Yemeni authorities and other religious groups. The uprisings – of which the Yemeni revolution was a part – and their aftermath set in motion a reorganization of…

Electricity is the backbone of any economy and one of the necessities of modern life. Poor electricity services in Yemen, even before the war, have been one of the key barriers to sustainable economic development and basic service provision (e.g., water supply, health care, education). This paper aims to lay out the top priorities for restoring electricity sector services and…