WSF Online Meeting – Yemen’s Gendered Humanitarian Crisis and Human Rights Commitments, 20 January 2026

On 20 January 2026, the Women for a Sustainable Future (WSF) network convened online to examine the gap between international human rights commitments and the lived realities of women and girls in Yemen.

Yemen remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with women and girls disproportionately affected by displacement, food insecurity, economic collapse, limited access to healthcare and education, and widespread gender-based violence. The discussion highlighted how declining international attention has further deepened these challenges, despite states’ commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The meeting was led by Yemeni women civil society and political leaders who shared first-hand insights from their work across protection, political participation and economic empowerment. Participants included parliamentarians, senior diplomats, former parliamentarians, civil society leaders, mental health experts, environmental experts, and civil society leaders from Egypt, Finland, Ireland, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, the United States, and Yemen.

Speakers underscored the severe marginalisation of women from political and decision-making spaces, despite legal and international frameworks guaranteeing equality. They described widespread violations against women, including detention, violence, economic exclusion, and the targeting of women activists, alongside the growing burden on women as heads of displaced households.

A key focus was the largely neglected mental health crisis affecting women and children, driven by prolonged conflict, poverty, displacement, and the absence of accessible psychosocial support. Speakers stressed that mental health must be treated as a core component of humanitarian and recovery efforts.

Key recommendations included enforcing women’s participation in political and peace processes, strengthening protection and accountability for violations against women, supporting women’s economic empowerment and education, and integrating mental health services into humanitarian responses. The discussion reaffirmed the importance of sustained WANA–Europe cooperation grounded in shared human rights commitments and support for women-led, locally driven action