High-level Side Event on “Yemeni Women in the Humanitarian Response: Challenges, Needs and Opportunities”

“Women and girls are central to every social contract. Unfortunately, their specific needs and
aspirations are largely ignored, and their work is routinely undervalued.”

– António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General (10 February 2022)

Women and girls are among the most vulnerable in the Yemen crisis. Female-headed households are generally more at risk of food insecurity and face more challenges in accessing humanitarian assistance, especially outside their communities. Displacement and the breakdown of protection mechanisms, driven by more than seven years of conflict, have drastically increased the vulnerability of women and girls.

At the same time, Yemeni women are also agents for empowerment and change. The humanitarian impact of the crisis on Yemeni women can be mitigated and prevented only if Yemeni women are included in a meaningful way in the humanitarian response.

The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs would like to invite you to a high-level side event on “Yemeni Women in the Humanitarian Response: Challenges, Needs and Opportunities” in the margins of the 2022 high-level pledging event for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

This high-level side event is an opportunity to raise awareness about the effects of the crisis on Yemeni women but also to highlight the potentials and the ways forward. Building on the insights from actors in Yemen, this discussion aims to draw attention to the  essential role of Yemeni women in the humanitarian response. 

What challenges do Yemeni women meet in coping with and responding to the crisis? How can the international community support and enhance the role of women in the humanitarian response?