The Grassroots Social Cohesion by Women in Yemen project is implemented by Adyan Foundation, in partnership with Development and Peace, from April 2020 – June 2021, to empower and train highly motivated female Yemeni community activists to become multipliers for peace and social cohesion activities and social media campaigns in their areas. In light of the pandemic, the project also encourages participants to spread COVID-19 prevention awareness.
The project is run by Adyan’s Institute of Citizenship and Diversity Management and builds on the ‘Influencers for Resilience’ (2019) project for Yemeni women. The project trains 30 Yemeni women, residing inside and outside Yemen, on topics related to diversity and countering hate speech, in addition to a media campaign highlighting the role of women in promoting social cohesion and resilience. Selected influencers will be able to participate in the project too.

Women in Yemen have been fighting for equality and for their voices to be heard for so long. According to UN Women, Yemen has been ranking lowest in the world in terms of gender equality, and the war has added additional layers to existing gender inequality. However, despite the prevailing traditional gender norms and relations, women in Yemen played a crucial and effective role in social cohesion in times of conflict. Women have shown a role in positively impacting and weakening the intensity of the conflict by working on local initiatives that promote social cohesion in their communities, engaging with their communities to resolve conflicts and prevent violence, in addition to expressing and amplifying their voice on their social media platforms.