Training Peacebuilders in Yemen

ICRD - Yemen Project: 7th Quarter Report 2016

By Rebecca Cataldi - Program Manager

Update on Program Activities

This summer and fall, our Yemen programs expanded to include further training programs, conducted by Yemenis trained in our Training of Trainers (ToT), for people from the governorates of Abyan, Aden, Taiz, Ibb, and Sana’a. Participants trained on the topics of conflict resolution, addressing violent extremism (AVE), and (in some workshops) religious tolerance and freedom have included religious, tribal, and other community leaders; leaders of civil society organization (CSOs); members of political groups; educators; and others. Additionally, trainees have begun conducting community meetings to engage members of their wider communities in dialogue to assess challenges to peacebuilding, promoting religious tolerance and freedom, and mitigating violent extremism, and what can be done to address these challenges.

This effort has engaged more than 300 Yemeni participants to date, including 87 women and at least 97 youth. The response to the programs has been highly positive. Below are some examples of program impact. 

• One local CSO in Aden, whose representative was trained in the ICRD ToT, had ceased activities for more than a year due to the war, and had been afraid to resume any activities. However, with the ICRD program, “the training alleviated their concerns and encouraged the team to resume the work, because they felt that the Adeni community are [sic] in a dire need for their work, particularly that the foundation[‘s] vision is to disseminate the culture of dialogue, coexistence and tolerance among [the] community” (workshop report). 

• This CSO subsequently raised additional funding on its own to carry out follow-on programming. It held an additional community meeting in another district to discuss peacebuilding, coexistence, religious tolerance, and religious freedom, and an additional training workshop on peacebuilding and AVE.  

• Following a training in Taiz, participants established a ‘Peacemakers’ Council’, the mission of which is to “disseminate the culture of tolerance, coexistence and peace.” The Council has decided to focus on resolving conflicts, building the capacity of social leaders, and raising awareness of the dangers of violent extremism, particularly among mosque preachers and students vulnerable to extremist recruitment.

• In collaboration with this Council, a local CSO whose representative was trained in the ToT subsequently raised additional funds from the community and conducted another training on AVE and religious tolerance for 30 mosque preachers. Graduates subsequently preached about these issues in their Friday sermons the following week, emphasizing the role of the community in countering violent extremism. 

• "I attended several workshops, but in this workshop, the training changed my concepts in different topics. I understood violent extremism and religious freedom in [a] different way, but now my knowledge and understanding for such topics changed; the training material was extensive and I can get benefit of it in my work as a trainer."

• “Before [the] training I had no information, knowledge or skills in resolving conflicts, but now I am thinking to resolve conflicts using knowledge, skills and analysis tools; I can now differentiate between positions, interests and needs.”

• “The training workshop was very interesting because we have learnt different topics in conflict resolution, religious tolerance, mediation, arbitration, and rights and freedom of minorities. The topics were very useful especially in [the current] situation and the absence of the state and its institutions.”

• “I can say that the training which was held in Sana’a has succeeded in integrating between the traditional system and the scientific modern approach, and for participants they have gain[ed] a lot of new skills especially in the essential principle of solving disputes and how they can differentiate between situation, interests, and needs . . . And also methods of analyzing problems and its [sic] solving. We have noticed reaction and acceptance, [and] understanding from participants, they also could apply it to the reality successfully.”

• “All participants from [our] network expressed their happiness and willingness to convey what they have learn[ed] to the members of their organizations and they will apply the topic of counter violence extremism [sic] to future training and this topic will [be] part of the organization’s agenda in [the] future to address the current need in their communities to fight and struggle against extremism and they will work for any possible solution to eradicate this issue inside the community…”

• “Participants emphasized that they are going reflect what they have learned to their society adopting the new skills and styles which they have acquired during the training, because the topics especially that related to the violence and extremism are the most needy topics nowadays in our society because of the spread of Al-Qaida among the society and due to the absence of security and role of law…” 

• “Training topics touched our current condition and raised our knowledge on different topics. The most beautiful thing was to find solutions for particular conflicts, moreover, we participated in drawing the current condition of Yemen and another beautiful picture for the future of Yemen. Pictures and discussions raised our optimism, persistence and determination that the future of Yemen will be much better.”

We remain deeply grateful for your support, which has been critical to the success of this work. As we enter the next stages of both expanding the trainings and supporting local trainee- and community-led projects to address conflict and violent extremism, your continued support will be instrumental. Please continue to help us implement this critical work.

With warmest regards,

Rebecca Cataldi

ICRD Program Manager - Yemen