By: Nawaf Al-Humairi – Youth House
Youth are widely recognized as the backbone for building the modern future of Yemen. They play a vital role in development, making valuable contributions across various fields of work. However, this significant demographic, comprising 33% of Yemeni society, has been marginalized and excluded from the political and administrative spheres. This issue arises from the policies implemented by successive regimes and governments in Yemen, which have denied them the opportunity to hold administrative positions that would enable their participation in decision-making processes.
Revolutionaries Turned into Pawns of War
“We passionately voiced our calls for change, and went out to pursue our aspirations as youth. However, the course of the revolution swiftly changed with the inclusion of political parties, which circumvented our original objectives,” says Mohammed Jameel, a young individual who participated in the November 11, 2011 revolution in Yemen. Speaking to “Youth House” about their “stolen” revolution, Mohammed elaborates.
“After former President Ali Abdullah Saleh relinquished power in accordance with the Gulf Initiative, followed by the National Dialogue Conference, we harbored hopes of being included in the new government. Regrettably, those hopes were shattered and extinguished.”
He continues, “Our exclusion as youth persisted even after the departure of former President Saleh, despite our significant role in effecting change. Our involvement in governing the country remained limited, even after the outbreak of war and the United Nations’ endorsement of the peace option through multiple negotiations between the government and the Houthi group.”
Mohammed highlights that the political parties failed to uphold the outcomes of the National Dialogue, which emphasized the meaningful engagement of youth in decision-making.
“The intended outcomes of the National Dialogue, which aimed to include our participation and secure a 30% representation for both youth and women, have been undermined. Currently, this is being disregarded under the pretext that youth lack negotiating experience, leading to their replacement with individuals who hold political affiliations. This has had a detrimental impact on our prospects,” he states.
Mohammed Jameel, speaking with deep regret, shares his perspective on the present state of Yemeni youth, more than 12 years after their initial revolution.
“Our dreams have dissipated, and our hopes have been scattered to the wind. We were compelled to become entangled in this war, inadvertently becoming its fuel due to the economic and political circumstances that forced our involvement.”
Numerous youth who were part of the peaceful revolution find themselves in a similar situation to Mohammed, coerced by the country’s circumstances into participating in this protracted conflict.
The absence of youth from negotiations
United Nations negotiations and dialogues primarily involve the conflicting parties, with little opportunity for civil society and other components, including youth and women, to be included in these negotiations, according to Majid Al-Khalidi, the director of “Youth Without Borders” organization. Al-Khalidi tells “Youth House”: “The war machine was stronger, and the youth’s weapon is limited to words and pens. Consequently, this segment of society was ignored and negatively exploited as fuel for the war rather than being instruments of peace.”
He further explains that one of the main reasons for not including youth in negotiations is the lack of a unified vision among youth and their divisions, as well as the absence of a cohesive youth entity that can effectively voice their concerns to the international community. Al-Khalidi attributes the division among youth to the ongoing war in Yemen for nearly eight years.
Regarding the government’s role and its efforts for youth, Al-Khalidi states: “The government has been preoccupied with managing the conflict and has not allocated any significant attention to youth in various stages of the conflict. It should have established funds and supported youth-specific activities. Moreover, it should have developed strategies and plans to involve youth in peacebuilding, as well as in political, developmental, and humanitarian processes.”
Shaymaa Bint Othman, a researcher at the Yemeni Center for Policies, affirms: “Yemeni leadership lacks sincere intentions towards youth and their meaningful and active engagement. All the attempts made to involve youth have been superficial and merely for public image or to appease external parties.”
She adds: “Repeated promises remain unfulfilled in reality, which has negatively affected the role of youth. Unemployment continues to rise day by day, and many youth are marginalized in various aspects.”
Bint Othman explains: “The main and most important reason for the absence of youth in negotiations is the lack of genuine intentions from the conflicting parties, who perceive youth as inexperienced in this field, even though there are youth who possess expertise but are still excluded.”
Youth activist Ibrahim Jalal believes that the reasons for the absence of youth in consultations and negotiations since the beginning of the war are related to the “absence of a strong and unified platform based on a shared youth vision. Their vision is limited to humanitarian activities they engage in, leading to the establishment of numerous organizations operating in this field, which has influenced their perspective on peacebuilding.”
Jalal adds to “Youth House” that there are some civil society organizations involved in local peacebuilding efforts, but they lack unity, limiting their ability to have a significant impact on political negotiation files.
Regarding what the government offers to youth, Jalal says: “The government is facing multiple wars, including military, economic, humanitarian, and developmental wars. Consequently, its institutions responsible for youth have been weak due to the lack of oversight. The limited support provided is mostly focused on sports, creating a governmental void that contributes to marginalizing the role of youth in decision-making.” He emphasizes that the international community has not provided enough space for youth to express their opinions, and they have not been actively included as part of the peace process alongside the conflicting parties. Instead, they are treated more as instruments of war than instruments of peace.
Bint Othman points out that “the government’s role towards youth is extremely negative, as it was expected to have a positive role, especially in the upcoming stage in Yemen.”
Active Contributions
Despite the absence of youth from political participation in peace negotiations and consultations in Yemen since the beginning of the war until now, their presence and role in peacebuilding on the ground have been extensive, evident, and impactful. They have undertaken numerous activities and community projects successfully, contributing to peace promotion in Yemen. This was affirmed by Omar Al-Brihi, the administrative officer at “Youth Services” center.
According to Al-Brihi, the center focuses on empowering and involving youth in peacebuilding. He mentioned that they have implemented several projects at the local level in this regard and have trained a number of youth in peacebuilding processes.
On the other hand, Shaymaa Bint Othman states: “Youth have focused on various activities, especially during the war, including issues related to youth themselves such as culture, arts, women’s issues, and humanitarian work, among many others. Some work on a voluntary basis, while others take initiatives. Numerous organizations emerged during the war, indicating that youth have actively engaged in the civil and voluntary sectors. These activities have significantly contributed to peacebuilding within their communities.”
She adds: “These activities have had a substantial impact on society, and therefore, youth should be included in peace negotiations, as they provide services to the community. Their voices should be heard, and they should be allowed to share their experiences gained on the ground.”
Government Departments Without Activities
Recently, a department specifically dedicated to youth was established by the Presidential Council of Yemen. However, it has remained inactive, failing to provide any activities or services to youth. Its role has been limited to formulating plans, strategies, and studies without implementing them in reality.
Mohammed Al-Maqbali, the head of the Youth Department, says: “The activities of the Youth Department focus on capacity building, assessing the situation of youth in Yemen, and evaluating the executive capacity within the state apparatus to achieve the new approach in the state’s youth policy. It also emphasizes the provision of care and protection.”
Al-Maqbali further highlights that the establishment of the Youth Department aims to qualify, employ, empower, and build the capacities of youth while ensuring their protection. He mentioned that all the plans that have been formulated will be implemented in the coming days.
He also emphasizes that the Youth Department, like other administrations, has its plans and operational budget.
Projects on Hold
“The Ministry of Youth and Sports supports youth and various sports activities across all liberated governorates despite the difficult circumstances and limited resources,” says Monir Al-Wajeeh, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports.
Al-Wajeeh tells the “Youth House” platform that the ministry has developed a national strategy for youth, which is currently being implemented after its approval in the National Youth Conference. The ideas were crystallized through the contributions of youth frameworks and community organizations.
He emphasizes that the ministry’s youth and sports activities primarily rely on the resources of the Youth and Adolescents Support Fund, with annual revenues reaching one billion riyals.
The fund represents the cornerstone in supporting various sports activities, despite its limited resources and the lack of cooperation from some local authorities in providing the required amounts to the fund in liberated governorates.
When asked about the specific projects they will undertake and what they have accomplished for youth as representatives, the Director of the Youth Department and Deputy Minister of Sports refrained from responding and remained silent.
In Conclusion
The youth produced a different and promising reality during the “February 11th Revolution.” Through their efforts, a political solution emerged from the stages of popular youth-led revolutionary movements. It led to a dialogue enforced by their struggle, following the Gulf Initiative and the political settlement. This culminated in the outcomes of the National Dialogue, which laid the groundwork for a new civil fabric. However, this achievement was overturned by the conflicting parties who now dominate the political and military scene. They monopolize popular representation, exclude youth from political participation, and leave them living between migrants and internally displaced persons, with a lack of government support.
Translated by: Sahar Hassan
