Development programs as intervention: a case for Yemen

This second video by our Yemeni partners Youth Without Borders Organisation for Development (YWBOD) and Civil Alliance for Peace (CAP) illustrates how development programs provide the foundation for a resilient society. Working towards common goals by conflicting parties is a significant entry point for building trust: the first step towards sustainable peace.

In light of COVID-19, disadvantaged and vulnerable groups will suffer the greatest impact: resilient communities are therefore more relevant than ever. Yemen reported its first COVID-19 case today, in al-Shihr Hadramawt. The city and surroundings are now in lockdown, while authorities in neighbouring Mahra have just closed border to Hadramawtt. Enforcing lockdown will be very challenging. The pandemic will most likely expose disturbing weaknesses in existing health infrastructures: development policies are needed to rebuild stronger systems that are able to withstand sudden shocks, and not just put a bandage on the wound. 

The Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS) is a global network of civil society organisations that supports peacebuilding in fragile and conflict-affected settings. We share CAP’s vision that prevention is better than cure: a resilient society bounces back from stressors to its system, rather than collapsing. 

How does your organisation view development programs as a means of intervention? Share your experiences in the comments!