The Yemen Peace Forum (YPF) recently launched a capacity building program to help civil society organizations (CSOs) respond to local needs and increase their influence over issues related to peace and conflict in Yemen. The series began with a four-day intensive workshop, which ran from Feb 20-25th 2024.
The workshop aimed to equip 27 civil society organizations with the essential skills needed to effectively draft project proposals, contribute new policies for peacebuilding in Yemen, and draw more national and international attention toward this goal. The program includes a series of training topics designed to strengthen the organizational capabilities of emerging civil society organizations in Yemen.
“This training initiative marks the first step in a long process aimed at building the capacity of Yemeni civil society organizations, helping them bring about positive change within their respective communities,” said Maged Al Madhaji, Chairman of the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies. “We are steadfast in our commitment to support the aspirations of Yemeni youth and civil society, recognizing their indispensable role in fostering peace in our country.”
Going forward, this program will offer quarterly capacity building sessions which will support local organizations by teaching them how to streamline their financial and administrative systems, advance policy-making on local and national levels, perform high-level research, outreach, and advocacy work in Yemen.
The Yemen Peace Forum is a part of the “Supporting a Localized, Inclusive and Sustainable Peace for Yemen Project,” implemented by the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This initiative is a track II youth and civil society platform that invests in building and empowering the next generation of Yemeni youth and civil society actors by engaging them in critical national issues. Furthermore, it endeavors to bridge the divide between youth, civil society stakeholders, and national and international decision-makers, thereby localizing the peace process. By providing avenues for local voices to influence policies and decisions concerning Yemen’s peace process, the initiative strives to foster inclusivity and sustainability in the pursuit of peace.
