Category: Statement
At a high-level side event hosted by Luxembourg on 6 March 2023 during the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Peace Track Initiative's Protection Coordinator, Nadia Ebrahim, delivered a statement on the rising threats faced by Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) in Yemen.
The intervention highlighted the sharp increase in violations—ranging from physical violence and digital harassment to defamation campaigns—targeting women advocating for peace, rights, and justice. Nadia Gamal called for robust international and national mechanisms to document abuses, ensure protection services, deliver justice, and guarantee reparations.
The statement also reflected on PTI’s engagement with the Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) and stressed the urgent need for gender-responsive, intersectional, and sustainable approaches to protect WHRDs in conflict settings. This advocacy effort reaffirms PTI’s commitment to defending civic space and amplifying the voices of women at risk.
The Situation of Hostage-Taking, Kidnapping, Arbitrary Detention, and Deprivation of Liberty by the Houthis against Women and Men Working in International and National Organizations and Civil Society in Yemen
This joint submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) exposes the widespread and entrenched discrimination faced by women and girls in Yemen amid ongoing conflict and humanitarian collapse. Prepared by the Peace Track Initiative (PTI) in collaboration with Yemeni women-led organizations, and with the support of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the report critically reviews Yemen’s 7th and 8th periodic reports to CEDAW. The submission sheds light on major concerns including discriminatory legal frameworks, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), the exclusion of women from political and public life, and systemic barriers to healthcare and education—especially for rural women. The report concludes with actionable, gender-responsive recommendations to advance justice, equality, and women's meaningful participation in peace and recovery processes. Despite the dire context, the report highlights the unwavering determination of Yemeni women and grassroots actors in advocating for transformative change.
This statement, delivered during the 48th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in September 2021, highlights grave human rights violations in Yemen and calls for urgent action to support a sustainable and inclusive peace. Endorsed by the Peace Track Initiative, the statement welcomes the report of the Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) and stresses the importance of a gender-responsive approach to peacebuilding and accountability. Key points addressed in the statement include: The imperative of inclusive peace processes that amplify the voices of women, youth, and marginalized communities. A clear condemnation of arms transfers to parties to the conflict, which fuel violence and undermine peacebuilding efforts. A strong critique of the exclusion of women from Yemen’s political processes, particularly the formation of an all-male government in 2020, which contravenes Yemen’s commitments to gender equality. The statement calls on the international community to: Immediately halt arms sales contributing to the conflict, Ensure accountability for human rights violations, And advocate for the meaningful participation of women in all peace and governance processes.