Yemeni Youth Engagement in the First Track of Peacebuilding Process

About the Publication

This policy paper aims to shed light on the current state of youth inclusion in Yemen’s Track I peace process and to highlight the barriers that hinder their participation in ending the conflict and building peace. It examines the reasons behind the limited engagement of Yemeni youth in Track I peacebuilding, as well as the challenges that constrain their participation and consequently contribute to their exclusion from opportunities to participate in and influence decision-making processes and policies that affect them. The key factors underlying this issue include significant gaps in young people’s technical, informational, and practical skills, both in organizing themselves and in their ability to engage effectively in negotiations on issues related to the peace process. These gaps also affect their ability to articulate and amplify their voices and to access the negotiating table and the broader spaces surrounding the Track I process. In addition, there is a lack of comprehensive community and political empowerment mechanisms targeting youth, which are essential to providing them with genuine opportunities to represent themselves and their local communities in Track I negotiations.