Together for Peace: Advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the fight against Gender-Based Violence in Yemen – EEAS

Report on the European Union’s “Together for Peace” Campaign in Yemen

Introduction and Strategic Context

The European Union has initiated a new campaign in Yemen, titled “Together for Peace,” designed to underscore the contributions of Yemeni women and men to peacebuilding efforts. This initiative is strategically timed to coincide with two significant global milestones: the 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in 2025, and the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The campaign’s core focus aligns directly with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), by promoting women’s leadership and combating violence.

Campaign Objectives and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The campaign’s primary objectives are deeply integrated with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Key goals include:

1. Enhancing Women’s Participation in Peace Processes: In line with SDG 16 and SDG 5, the campaign advocates for the full, equal, and meaningful participation of Yemeni women in all peace and security efforts, recognizing their long-standing roles as mediators and community leaders.
2. Combating Gender-Based Violence: The initiative directly addresses gender-based violence, including its emerging digital forms, which is a critical target under SDG 5. It highlights how such violence disproportionately silences women and obstructs their participation in public life.
3. Promoting Inclusive Partnerships: By featuring stories from both women and men who challenge discriminatory social norms, the campaign fosters collaboration and solidarity, reflecting the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
4. Strengthening Community Dialogue: The campaign seeks to use online and offline platforms to foster understanding and protect human rights, contributing to the development of inclusive societies as envisioned in SDG 16.

Key Campaign Components and Focus Areas

The “Together for Peace” campaign is executed through several components designed to maximize its impact on achieving the SDGs:

• Testimonials and Infographics: The campaign features personal stories and reflections from a diverse group of Yemenis involved in human rights, media, law, and community development. This content illustrates practical efforts to advance gender equality and build peace from the ground up.
• Focus on Digital Violence: A significant emphasis is placed on the growing threat of digital violence. The campaign frames cyberbullying, disinformation, and online intimidation as serious barriers to achieving SDG 5, as these tactics are increasingly used to intimidate women and prevent their engagement in civic and political discourse.
• Advocacy for an Inclusive Future: As stated by EU Ambassador to Yemen Patrick Simonnet, the EU is committed to empowering Yemeni women and ensuring they have the opportunities to shape the country’s future. This commitment reinforces the campaign’s alignment with SDG 16 by advocating for inclusive institutions and a lasting peace.

Conclusion: A Commitment to Sustainable Peace

Through this campaign, the European Union reaffirms its dedication to supporting Yemen’s path toward a sustainable and inclusive peace. By emphasizing partnership, protection, and participation, the initiative directly supports the interconnected goals of achieving gender equality (SDG 5), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), and building peaceful and just societies (SDG 16). The campaign encourages a unified stand against all forms of violence, fostering an environment where all Yemenis can contribute to a stable and prosperous future.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• The article extensively discusses the importance of gender equality, focusing on the “vital role of Yemeni women… in building peace” and confronting “gender-based and digital violence.” It highlights the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” and the EU’s commitment to “empowering Yemeni women.” The campaign’s goal is to advocate for “equality, safety, and inclusion” and challenge “social norms that perpetuate discrimination and violence.”

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• This goal is central to the article, which is framed around the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). The text emphasizes “women’s leadership in peace and security” as “essential to achieving sustainable peace.” The campaign “Together for Peace” supports Yemenis working in “human rights, media, law, and community development” to “promote dialogue, protect rights, and foster understanding” amidst conflict. It directly addresses the need to stand “against violence in all its forms, whether on the streets or across digital platforms.”

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article describes a partnership between the European Union and Yemeni civil society. The EU has “launched a new campaign” and reaffirms its “long-standing commitment to supporting Yemen’s journey toward an inclusive and lasting peace.” The campaign itself is titled “Together for Peace,” emphasizing that “advancing peace in Yemen requires partnership, protection, and participation from all” and seeks to “strengthen solidarity among Yemenis.”

Specific Targets Identified

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. The article directly addresses this by highlighting the campaign against “gender-based and digital violence” and the need to stand “together against violence in all its forms.”
• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. This is a core theme, with the article calling for “women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in peace and security efforts” and advocating for their inclusion “to help shape the country’s future.”
• Target 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women. The article discusses how “digital spaces have become powerful tools for advocacy and awareness” but also notes the risk of “digital violence” which “disproportionately silenc[es] women’s voices in public life,” implying the need to harness technology for empowerment while mitigating its risks.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The campaign’s focus on confronting “gender-based and digital violence” and encouraging people to “stand together against violence in all its forms” directly aligns with this target.
• Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The article’s emphasis on the “meaningful participation of Yemeni women in peacebuilding” and the inclusion of “women and men working across diverse sectors” supports this target of creating inclusive processes for peace.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Implied Indicator for Target 5.5: The level of “meaningful participation of Yemeni women in peacebuilding” and in shaping the country’s future. While not a formal statistic, the article presents this as a key measure of success.
• Implied Indicator for Target 5.2: A reduction in incidents of “gender-based and digital violence.” The campaign’s focus on these issues implies that tracking their prevalence is a way to measure progress towards safety and equality.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Implied Indicator for Target 16.7: The extent of “women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in peace and security efforts.” This is presented as a prerequisite for achieving sustainable peace and is a clear, albeit qualitative, indicator of inclusive institutions.
• Implied Indicator for Target 16.1: The prevalence of violence “on the streets or across digital platforms.” The campaign’s call to action against violence in all its forms suggests that a decrease in such violence is a key indicator of progress.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: eeas.europa.eu