ObjectivesFund scope
The protracted conflict In Yemen, which entered its eighth year in 2022, has caused widespread damage and displacement, as well as significantly reduced livelihood opportunities and food security. Community institutions and local authorities have become weaker while social contracts have been eroded, vulnerable groups further marginalized, access to basic services limited, and social cohesion threatened. Along with insecurity and violence, communities are also subject to environmental stressors that exacerbate the existing situation and require risk reduction strategies to mitigate the potential for greater disaster. Also affected are socio-economic opportunities such as agricultural production and the collapse of service and manufacturing industries—all of which have been further impacted by COVID-19.
The conflict has also increased the number of women-headed households due to the death or injury of men and boys, which means they are increasingly responsible for income generation but lack the experience or preparedness for certain types of employment. Moreover, the low social status of women, and their lack of access to political power, decision-making, education, and capital severely constrains their economic opportunities and productivity—which also increasing the possibility of experiencing violence and remaining unable to mitigate community conflict.
Theory of change
To address the fundamental issues, ERRY III stakeholders work within a framework of resilience building to improve civic society in terms of institutional strengthening for gender-sensitive service delivery and community conflict mitigation. Stakeholders work with partners to improve local economies, employment potential, and enhancing productive capacities that support food security, by creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, improving food security and gender equality measures, and boosting women's economic empowerment and access to basic services. All interventions are underscored by community level environmental protection and climate risk mitigation action.
Social strengthening and social cohesion are the focus of the resilient community aspect of the programme. Action is meant to reinforce people’s ability to work collectively to address basic needs in terms of agricultural productivity and livelihoods, increase food security by supporting civic society and peaceful coexistence, and encouraging leaders of local institutions and communities to champion and take part in programme interventions.
ERRY III is based on a theory of change structured around three streams, each comprising two pathways that are linked and mutually reinforcing and rely on holistic contributions across components within target communities. Workstream A comprises strengthening functional civic and community institutions and improving social cohesion, all of which are needed to build and sustain resilient communities. They affect the ability to work collectively to address agricultural productivity and livelihood needs like food security and peaceful coexistence. In providing sustainable access to clean energy and supporting climate resilience through Workstream B, stakeholders will address environmental limitations and risk factors that threaten food security and livelihood development, while leveraging initiatives that inform transformative resilience and community capacity to address environmental shocks. Meanwhile, the areas of employment, economic, and agricultural productivity are the focus of Workstream C, which build on interventions in work streams A and B to address immediate and future needs.
By developing self-sustaining circular economies that are community driven and maintained, it will reduce vulnerability and increase the emergence of transformative and adaptive resilience in terms of livelihoods and food security.