Caring for women, creating sources of livelihoods for a dignified life, and economic empowerment have been key objectives for the PWP. The PWP has worked to create income opportunities for women as social workers and engineers. Moreover, the lion’s share of projects implemented by the PWP were identified by women as priority. In doing so, the PWP has played an effective role in reducing hardships for women and restoring hope on the future, especially under the YECRP – funded by the World Bank and administered by the UNDP.

The term “gender” refers to social relationships as defined by society for men and women. These roles and relationships change as time and place have changed. These relationships are also variable within the different social institutions.

Women have been hired as social workers, supervising engineers to oversee project implementation in the field, and workers with contractors - as cooks and cleaners, a unique initiative deserving high regards and appreciation for the PWP. The PWP has succeed in the alleviation of the suffering of the Yemeni people as a result of the current crises, especially women, by implementing the Yemen Emergency Crises Response Program, YECRP - funded by the World Bank and administered by the UNDP. Through the YECRP, the PWP has succeeded in improving the living conditions of many women, said Dawlah al-A’ameri, who hails from the Governorate of Taiz, whether through the subprojects implemented in the water sector, where women stand to benefit being that women have the prime responsibility of fetching water for their households.

Mahani Zain al-Saqqaf, 30, an ambitious housewife, needed training and qualification to change the way she and the other women in her village in al-Daba area, Houta-Lahj lead their lives. Her first step was in the training program organized by the PWP for women in target areas: This program aims at promoting women participation in the identification of priorities for communities, and training on skills on women start-ups and management of income generation projects.

“Women are the voice of peace that will be heard by warring parties because they are the most affected group.”

”Acceptance, satisfaction and success” were the expectations of Sumaya Sahloul during her participation in the Community Needs Monitoring training course.

Yemeni women are prime beneficiaries from water subprojects implemented by the PWP this year under the YECRP – a program funded by the World Bank and administered by UNDP. Usually, women are primarily responsible for fetching water to their homes for domestic use. For that, they have to travel rough roads and long distances under merciless scorching sun to reach the water source.

The interventions by the PWP in the water sector has alleviated the hardship suffered by women and improved the public health situation in the communities. This has saved women time and allowed them to enroll in schools instead of wasting their entire day on fetching water.

Al-Abass Secondary School in al-Ezzlah region of the Governorate of al-Dhalea’a is a mixed school for both girls and boys. Thuraya Sadeq Ahmed Mohamed goes to this school as a third-year student. Thuraya is the daughter of a basic education school teacher and has seven siblings.

Thuraya says:”al-Abass Secondary School was rather different last year. The school was semi-dilapidated…no desks, doors, or windows, and even the blackboards were so badly broken, we couldn’t make-out what’s written on them.”

The Public Works Project (PWP), gives priority to women engineers to work in the field as supervising engineers for construction works in implemented projects. The move has left a huge impact in improving the living standards of their families, especially under the current crises which has cast a negative impact on working women, students, and homemakers.