Advancing Yemeni Women’s Political Participation and Leadership

With support from the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)’s Local Grants program, the Social Democratic Forum (SDF), an active Yemeni non-governmental organization, has engaged Yemen’s primary political parties in an examination of needs and strategies for strengthening women’s political participation. “Our fundamental objective behind this project was to instigate a culture that accepts women’s participation in political parties,” Ms. Rana Ghanem,  SDF’s project coordinator said.  This can be done through developing political parties’ internal mechanisms for accepting women’s involvement in public life, and through the national acceptance of women holding public office. 

Despite recent political challenges facing Yemen, SDF was extremely successful in persuading influential political figures to join its MEPI project’s Advisory Committee.  The Committee, comprising members and strong leaders from the ruling party and key opposition parties, prominent women’s advocates, and media figures, conducted two meetings to introduce the project and decide on the elements of two research studies that would then be presented to Yemeni political and social figures.  In December 2008 and January 2009, two discussion forums with the General Popular Congress (GPC) ruling party, and the Joint Meeting (JMP) opposition party attracted 95 and 120 attendees respectively, to discuss the two prepared research studies.  Politicians, civil society members, women activists, and media figures engaged in an interactive discussion on the challenges and risks of women’s political participation in Yemen, and on the realities of membership and the organizational structure of Yemeni parties.  “The elevated stature of Advisory Committee members prompted respect and a commitment by the political parties to make this project a success,” commented Ms. Ghanem.

On January 21, 2009 SDF held a meeting with the Advisory Committee to evaluate the project.  The result was very positive with regard to the number of attendees that reached double the expectations, the interaction during the discussion forums, and the professional research studies that generated uncommonly transparent talks about political parties’ internal challenges and possible solutions such as issues regarding the promotion of women’s membership.  The project will further empower 90 women members of the GPC and JMP each with training on effective leadership, interpersonal communication, building coalitions and volunteer support, key party regulations and key provisions of the laws.

The project was covered extensively in the local news including Mareb Press, 14October, Yemenat , Al-SahwaNet,  and the National Information Center website.