New coalition seeks to advance human rights and empower Yemeni civil society.
This statement was originally published on cihrs.org on 17 January 2024.
The Yemeni Coalition for Human Rights has been launched by seven Yemeni organizations in partnership with Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), with the aim of strengthening international advocacy, establishing more effective working relations in Yemeni civil society, and building and developing local campaigns to improve the human rights situation in Yemen. At this critical time for Yemen, a priority for the coalition organizations is the protection of civilians through the pursuit of a unified fundamental objective of principled human rights work, far removed from political and religious strife and differences. The coalition prioritizes joint work to enhance the ability of Yemeni civil society to cooperate with various local, regional and international human rights mechanisms, build capabilities and alliances, and collect and provide evidence and information.
The coalition is composed of seven Yemeni organizations operating in Sana’a, Marib, Aden, Shabwa and Ta’iz. The organizations collectively seek a safe space for dialogue, discussion and the exchange of visions and plans within a joint and integrated strategy to boost public freedoms and defend the political, civil, social and economic rights of the Yemeni people, including the rights of women and minorities.
The coalition’s vision stems from the necessity of empowering Yemeni civil society organizations to uphold their role effectively and professionally, in accordance with international human rights standards. The coalition’s vision further encompasses institutionalizing partnership, cooperation, and responsibilities for protection and defense among Yemeni civil society actors and organizations, and ensuring safe spaces for human rights work in Yemen. The members of the Yemeni Coalition for Human Rights have reached an agreement on the following objectives, which demarcate the scope of the coalition’s joint work:
- Expanding reliance on local documentation groups in order to bridge the gap represented by the absence of an international mechanism to document grave human rights violations in Yemen.
- Advancing and adopting peaceful solutions during the transitional period, and spreading a culture of peaceful coexistence and acceptance of others through the effective and genuine participation of civil society organizations.
- Improving the ability of Yemeni civil society organizations to protect their work in documenting violations and monitoring human rights conditions, and to participate effectively in advocating for accountability, justice, and an end to impunity.
- Supporting national and popular media campaigns with the aim of raising awareness among local and international communities on the gravity of human rights violations committed in Yemen.
- Introducing and raising awareness on forms of gender-based violence during conflict, including gender-based violence perpetrated by active parties in Yemen’s conflict.
- Rejecting isolation while promoting networking and communication among human rights organizations, and between local rights advocates and advocates in the diaspora.
- Creating a safe platform for dialogue and open discussions to bring together Yemeni civil society organizations and reach an integrated and realistic vision for work and its implementation.
CIHRS and the organizations of the Yemeni Coalition for Human Rights express their appreciation for all current and previous independent initiatives working to establish the principles of human rights and justice in Yemen. CIHRS and the Yemeni Coalition affirm their continued readiness to cooperate with independent actors in the field of human rights, including independent Yemeni organizations, international organizations working in the fields human rights or humanitarian relief, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the aim of promoting human rights throughout the territory of Yemen.
CIHRS and the Yemeni Coalition for Human Rights believe in the importance of upholding the values of the joint approach in confronting the challenges facing the Yemeni people.
