Empowering Women Civil Society.....

Executive Summary

In 2025, ATYAF for Studies and Consulting successfully executed a comprehensive capacity development program targeting women Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Yemen. The initiative focused on strengthening the operational and advocacy capabilities of 10 local organizations, specifically 7 Women's Rights Organizations (WROs) and 3 CBOs operating across five governorates in Yemen (Aden, Hadramout, Shabwa, Marib, and Taiz).

The program, driven by a rigorous needs assessment, engaged Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and organizational staff to enhance their skills in advocacy & influencing, risk management, gender justice & feminist approach, and human rights monitoring. ATYAF conducted thematic and operational capacity assessment to the 10 organizations over 5 governorates to identify level of capacity in each thematic area and how they can implement these projects. The project targeted 30 participants from the 10 CSOs, and engaged 20 active Human Rights Defenders. The program moved beyond theory, utilizing interactive methods such as working groups, case studies, and role-playing. ATYAF experts conducted 20 days trainings that took place in Aden governorate.

Phase 1: Capacity Needs Assessment

Before the intervention, ATYAF conducted a deep-dive assessment to identify gaps within the 10 targeted Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). These organizations play a critical role in addressing human rights violations and fostering social inclusion in a complex fragile governance landscape in five governorates of Aden, Hadramout, Shabwa, Marib, and Taiz. Physical KIIs and FGDs conducted by team with staff, workers, community members and other stakeholders. A data collection was conducted using Kobo tool box and on desk check of systems and relevant documentation. The assessment revealed urgent needs across several thematic & Operational areas.

• Enhancing Advocacy, Influencing Strategies formulation and execution, and Risk Management (Identified as "Very Crucial").
• Enhancing Protection and Referral Pathways sector by capacity building in certain areas of concern detailed in the assessment report.
• strengthening Monitoring Human/Women’s Rights Violations skills within staff and CBOs systems and enhancing M&E systems within CBOs.
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response and Financial Management.
• Gender Mainstreaming, Social Inclusion, and Transformative Change.

Phase 2: Capacity Development Planning:

Based on the assessment findings, ATYAF developed tailored both short term and long-term capacity-building plans for each organization. This participatory process involved:

• Gap Analysis: Highlighting specific strengths and weaknesses per organization. ATYAF consulting developed capacity development plans per WROs/LWOs based on the gaps, strengths and weaknesses and needs identified in the assessment reports.
• Customized Interventions: ATYAF consulting formulated tailored capacity building plans for each of the CBOs through engaging the representatives of the organization in this activity, while highlighting the identified gaps and proposing the targeted interventions (trainings, resources, partnerships)
• Timeline Creation: Establishing clear implementation schedules.

These plans focused heavily on protection-related capacities, conflict-sensitive programming, and resource allocation. Drafts were reviewed by Oxfam to ensure alignment with broader program goals, ensuring that even short-term interventions contributed to long-term development.

After the capacity assessment is completed, ATYAF consulting developed capacity development plans per WROs/LWOs based on the gaps, strengths and weaknesses and needs identified in the assessment reports. ATYAF consulting formulated tailored capacity building plans for each of the CBOs through engaging the representatives of the organization in this activity, while highlighting the identified gaps and proposing the targeted interventions (trainings, resources, partnerships) and agreed timelines to enhance their effectiveness in these key areas for each organization. Developed tailored capacity building plans for each CBO that outline strategies to strengthen protection-related capacities, including training on gender-based violence response, protection, and conflict-sensitive programming, with clear resource allocation and implementation timelines. Shared a draft of the proposed plans to Oxfam before finalizing for reviewing to ensure alignment with the program goals. This action is small part of the capacity strengthening activities for the target CBOs which included only three trainings in specific areas in a very tight time to provide participant CBOs and HRD with the key skills and knowledge in the thematic areas and provide them with some key resources that will help them during the project implementation and long-term capacity development plan.

Phase 3: Training Implementation

In February 2025, ATYAF executed a 20-day intensive training program for 50 participants divided into two groups. The designed training programs directly addressed themes like; human /women rights monitoring and reporting, integrating sessions on confidential reporting, referral pathways, gender analysis, gender justice and transformative and feminist approaches, advocacy planning, and risk management. Training manuals shared with participants to guide the CBOs in enhancing their protection measures.

The training was led by experts with over eight years of experience who possess deep understanding of the local context and has experience working in the same local community so they navigated challenges and Incorporated risk management strategies during the sessions. Also they focused on addressing concerns of protecting vulnerable individuals, particularly women and marginalized groups during advocacy and awareness activities and emphasized on digital safety and protection strategies to mitigate risks in information sharing. Challenges like shrinking civic space, and the evolving political and humanitarian context, had major discussions to address with risk mitigation plans . Topics included Feminist Principles, Feminist and Transformative Approaches and Women Transformative Leadership, and challenges in gender inequality discussed within the local context with case studies and stories. The experts ensured that the proposed plans are practical, sustainable, and culturally appropriate.

Methodology The training methodology relied on interactive methods such as working groups, group exercises, and case studies, also provided educational materials such as training guides and brochures to facilitate continuous learning. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated through a variety of methods, including pre- and post-evaluation and collecting feedback from participants to determine their satisfaction with the content and methods used.

• Holistic Approach: The curriculum integrated feminist principles and transformative leadership approaches to challenge gender inequality.
• Safety First: Given the shrinking civic space, a strong emphasis was placed on digital safety and risk management for HRDs.

Phase 4: Key Results and Impact

The training outcomes were measured through pre- and post-evaluations, analyzing the gap between knowledge and practice.

• Advocacy, Influencing, & Risk Management

This module equipped organizations to navigate complex political landscapes safely. This training successfully developed participants' practical and theoretical skills in advocacy, influence strategies, risk management, and enhancing civil space. By equipping women's rights and civil society organizations with these capacities, the training contributed to the achievement of social justice and equality in their communities.

• Understanding and applying advocacy principles: 85% of participants demonstrated a strong understanding and ability to apply three basic principles of social advocacy through practical presentations, exceeding the target of 80%.
• Developing effective strategic plans: 95% of participants successfully designed actionable strategic plans, showing a clear ability to analyze risks and opportunities, surpassing the 90% target.
• Analyzing the local context: 90% of participants demonstrated a new skill set in preparing comprehensive analytical reports, with each report including at least five key points on local dynamics and the social and economic landscape, exceeding the 85% target.
• Managing risks and opportunities: 88% of participants were able to develop and articulate a risk management strategy with three main steps, and provided a practical explanation of how to address identified risks, exceeding the 85% target.
• Promoting civic space and defending human rights: 92% of participants acquired the ability to organize awareness-raising events in their local communities, exceeding the 85% target.
• Building strong alliance networks: 95% of participants successfully formed a network of more than five effective alliances with similar organizations, exceeding the 90% target.
• Data collection and analysis: 88% of participants acquired and applied techniques for analyzing and designing data collection tools, providing testimonies and analytical results that supported a specific position on human rights issues, surpassing the 85% target.
• Designing and implementing effective media campaigns: 95% of participants developed and launched a media campaign using storytelling and social media, and successfully measured community participation through individual posts and interactions, exceeding the 90% target.

• Gender and Social Inclusion

Participants gained tools to promote equality and support women's leadership. This training successfully enhanced participants' understanding of gender issues and social inclusion, providing them with the necessary tools and skills to promote equality and support women's leadership in their communities and organizations.

• Enhanced understanding of gender issues: 100% of the 50 participants showed a deep understanding of basic gender concepts through case studies and ideal models, and demonstrated the ability to apply these concepts within their own organizations.
• Comprehensive social inclusion skills: All 50 participants developed comprehensive social inclusion skills through interactive activities, and reported a high level of learning from each other’s experiences.
• Gender analysis skills: All 50 participants were equipped with gender analysis skills and successfully utilized at least two reliable measurement tools in practical applications.
• Developed women’s leadership skills: Participants successfully enhanced their leadership skills with a focus on effective communication and negotiation, demonstrating the ability to effectively influence their communities.
• Raised awareness on women's role in humanitarian response: The training successfully raised awareness among 20 human rights and women's rights defenders about the importance of supporting women's organizations in the humanitarian response system.
• Enhanced leadership supporting women: Participants highlighted successful local and global models that reflect diverse experiences, which enhanced their leadership skills in supporting women.
• Empowered participants to use tools for gender justice: Participants demonstrated the ability to use necessary tools and mechanisms to achieve gender justice, including legal resources and advocacy tools.
• Promoted leadership through successful models: The training successfully promoted leadership that supports women by highlighting successful local and global models.
• Raised awareness on international agreements: The training successfully raised awareness about the importance of international agreements such as Security Council Resolution 1325 and CEDAW in supporting women's participation in peace processes and their rights, with participants demonstrating knowledge on how to implement these agreements locally.
• Raised awareness about gender-based violence (GBV): The training successfully raised awareness about different forms of gender-based violence by reviewing real cases and emphasizing the importance of addressing them.
• Developed mechanisms to respond to and prevent GBV: Participants successfully developed mechanisms to respond to and prevent gender-based violence, in partnership with stakeholders, to ensure the provision of health, psychological, and social support.
• Understood legal and human rights frameworks: Participants demonstrated an understanding of the legal and human rights frameworks for gender justice by analyzing current policies and their consequences for different groups

• Human Rights Monitoring & Referral Pathways

Focusing on ethical documentation and victim support, this training successfully enabled participants to understand human and women's rights, and to effectively monitor, document, and refer cases of violations, all while adhering to ethical and safe practices.

• Understanding human rights and women's rights: Participants successfully grasped the basic concepts and principles of human rights and women's rights and were able to analyze local and international contexts of violations.
• Skills in monitoring and documenting violations: Participants were effectively introduced to the concept and mechanisms of monitoring violations and demonstrated the ability to collect information professionally and objectively according to international standards. They were also equipped with the necessary methods and tools to document violations efficiently, including the use of photos, videos, and testimonies.
• Application of protection and referral mechanisms: Participants gained the necessary knowledge to protect victims and ensure they receive appropriate support. They were successfully trained on how to refer cases to competent authorities (medical, legal, psychological) and were introduced to the case management system and the advantages of a sustainable referral system.
• Developing a referral system: Participants demonstrated the ability to identify the challenges of referring women's violations and successfully gained the foundational skills to establish a referral system.
• Ethical and safe practices: Participants were able to apply ethical practices during documentation, emphasizing the importance of protecting the confidentiality of information and the privacy of individuals. They also acquired the necessary tools and guidance to ensure the safety of witnesses and victims during the documentation process.

Conclusion

The 2025 capacity strengthening activities represent a pivotal step for women civil society in Yemen. By bridging the gap between knowledge and practice, ATYAF has not only upskilled 50 individuals but has also fortified the institutional resilience of 10 key organizations in five different governorates in South Yemen.

These Women’s CBOs demonstrated that they are very well-grounded within the community they serve, which was of the utmost value for engaging with communities, speaking the same language, and sharing the same culture, giving them a certain level of influence through project interventions. The most interesting part of the lessons learned was the experience sharing during the training sessions and the stories they shared, each from their own location. These locations have different norms, dialects, or values- for example, people who come from Aden city versus those who come from Marib , the later experienced dealing with tribal context-which had to be taken into consideration during analysis while developing plans and formulating advocacy strategies. Furthermore, the engagement of the HRDs to support project activities strengthened the experience of contextual and legal lenses to address community issues and raise awareness as well. While the local CBOs' level of capacity and on-the-ground knowledge of their community have many strengths, they also need to build further operational capacity and financial sustainability. They acknowledged feeling better equipped to advocate for rights, manage risks, and foster peace and development within their communities.

Project Acknowledgment: This initiative was funded by the European Union in partnership with Oxfam Yemen under the project "Empowering Women's Rights Organizations and Civil Society Organizations."