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A statement issued by the Yemeni Coalition for Human Rights: "PASS Foundation is a member of the coalition."  One Year On, UN and NGO Staff Remain Detained by Houthis It has been one year since Ansar Allah (known as the Houthis) arbitrarily detained 13 UN staff and 50 employees of international and Yemeni civil society organizations, including four women, in a wave of arrests that began on 31 May 2024. On 23 and 25 January 2025, another eight UN staff members were arrested, prompting the UN to suspend all official movements in Houthi-controlled areas. Despite the efforts of international, regional, and tribal mediators, which led to the release of some detainees, including at least two women, throughout the year, several individuals remain arbitrarily held in Houthi prisons, without due process, fair trial or clarity about their conditions of detention. The death of a World Food Program (WFP) employee in Houthi prisons on 11 February 2025, has heightened concerns over the safety of the remaining detainees. Despite repeated calls from the UN Secretary-General and human rights organizations, the Houthis have refused to release UN and civil society detainees or allow a transparent, independent investigation into the death of the WFP employee. These violations persist largely due to the lack of effective international pressure, enabling the Houthis to continue suppressing freedoms, targeting civilians, and persecuting aid and humanitarian workers. Such actions clearly violate international humanitarian law, which requires all parties to an armed conflict to respect and protect humanitarian workers from harassment, ill-treatment, and unlawful arrest and detention. These arrests have had a devastating impact on the families of the detainees, who have endured the loss of their main breadwinner for an entire year, in addition to the psychological and social damage caused by media smear campaigns against the detainees, who have been accused of spying and conspiring against the country’s interests. As a result of the arbitrary arrest of staff from UN agencies and international and local organizations, many international organizations working in the humanitarian and community sectors have suspended their activities and operations in Houthi-controlled areas, depriving millions of Yemenis living in extremely harsh conditions of urgent humanitarian services and assistance. This has further exacerbated the dire humanitarian situation in Houthi-controlled areas, where more than 18 million people, including 14 million women and children, are in need of humanitarian support. The Yemeni Coalition for Human Rights and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies reiterate their demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees and an end to the targeting of humanitarian, human rights, and development workers in Yemen. We also call on the UN and governments with influence over the Houthis to intensify pressure and redouble efforts to secure the release of all UN agency and civil society organizations staff detained by the Houthis and to ensure the protection of humanitarian and other civil society workers in Yemen.

Announcement of Withdrawal by PASS Foundation – Peace for Sustainable Societies from the Global “Catalyst Now” Network PASS Foundation – Peace for Sustainable Societies announces its complete withdrawal from the membership of the global Catalyst Now network, including its Yemen chapter under the Middle East and North Africa region. This decision comes in protest of the martyrdom of our colleague, Engineer Samar Sadeq, a member of the Catalyst Now Palestine – Gaza chapter, and in response to the silence on human rights violations in Palestine. It is also a firm rejection of any attempts to normalize the presence of the occupying entity within the network and a complete refusal of the inclusion of entities and individuals from the Israeli occupation in the global network — a stance that contradicts the principles of justice and equity we uphold. Below is the full text of the withdrawal letter sent to the network’s leadership: ⸻ To the Co-Chairs of the Ethics Committee and the Governing Council at Catalyst Now, We read your response to the letter from the Middle East and North Africa members with the eye of the heart that sees injustice, and the soul that knows that truth is indivisible. Your reply, unfortunately, reflected a choice of political convenience over the moral and ethical commitment that Catalyst Now is meant to stand for. We thank you — for you have made us look in the mirror. Transferring the Israeli member to the European regional chapter — while it may appear to be a “neutral solution” — is an implicit admission that injustice exists, but rather than being addressed, it is merely managed. Yet we believe that justice is like water: if denied to some, it quenches no one. Catalyst Now cannot claim to promote social innovation while geographically dividing its sense of justice. This decision is akin to rearranging the chairs on the Titanic! The issue is not the geographical placement of chapters, but the legitimacy of having a chapter that represents an occupying entity. For that reason, we reject — as a declaration of our very being — the reduction of human rights causes into “regional files,” or the measurement of justice by distances. Palestinian blood is African, European, and Asian blood. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. Truth is not allocated on colonial maps, and human dignity is indivisible. We understand that your decision may stem from good intentions. But “good intentions” — in times of injustice — are not enough. Justice is not built through compromise, but through courageous stands against oppression. We do not reject your decision because we are “Easterners,” but because we reject injustice being weighed with double standards. Accordingly: • We refuse to be mere numbers in the records of regional chapters. We are partners in a justice that knows no borders. We say clearly: “Whoever stands for justice — from any land — is of us, and we are of them.” • We refuse to be tools in a system that fragments rights or reduces human issues to administrative matters. • We categorically reject all forms of normalization with human rights violations, or dealing with them as geographical matters. • We collectively announce our withdrawal from the network as members of the Yemen chapter of Catalyst Now, because justice is not negotiated in the corridors of regional chapters, but in the arenas of human conscience. We will not respond to fear, but to the call of conscience that says: “Truth cannot be erased, blood cannot be divided, and justice cannot be locked in drawers.” Yemen Chapter – Catalyst Now catalystnow.net

led by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor and Local Authority in Aden governorate, with UNDP Yemen, under the supervision of the National Planning, Coordination and Follow-up Team for the National Plan - NAP for Women, Peace and Security Agenda - WPS, and implementation by the governorate working group (Aden) For the National Plan WPS - NAP, PASS Foundation - Peace for Sustainable Societies in Cooperation with Aden Security Department has concluded “The Communication Skills Training for Documentation Officers and Inference Collection” to Enhance the capacity of female police officers to communicate effectively with citizens.

The expanded consultative meeting for reviewing the outcomes of the National Plan on the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda NAP-WPS concluded in the Aden Governerce. The meeting was organized by  NOON Feminist Coalition in partnership with PASS Foundation - Peace for Sustainable Societies, with supported by Youth Without Borders Organization  for Development and Saferworld, Sponsored by Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Zauri, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Chairman of the Advisory Committee for the National Plan. During the two-days meeting, the outcomes of the first generation of the plan (2022–2024) were reviewed by  the local expert Abeer Noman representing UNDP, Soha AL-Sakkaf representing SOS Foundation, and Shahnaz Bamosa from PASS Foundation. Participants were divided into six working groups to draft the final recommendations, emphasizing the importance of building on past achievements and expanding the scope of work to include all liberated governorates. The meeting's recommendations included enhancing the sustainability of programs and activities, empowering women, and increasing their participation in decision-making at local, regional, and international levels. It also stressed the need to strengthen partnerships among all segments of society in civil work and unify efforts between ministries, government sectors, and civil society organizations concerned with women's issues. This meeting marks an important step toward enhancing women's role in peacebuilding and reinforcing the values of partnership and cooperation among various societal actors.

PASS Foundation– Peace for Sustainable Societies and Medalah Foundation inaugurated the Open Day event for the "365 Days Campaign to Combat Violence Against Women" under the slogan Together Towards a Full Year of Combating Violence Against Women. The one-day event, held via Zoom, featured women who have made a significant impact in their communities, discussing the histories and realities of Syria, Lebanon, and Sudan. It also included the participation of influential young activists and a distinguished group of female leaders from civil society organizations in Aden Governorate. The campaign, led by the teams of the two organizations, included: Ms. Bahia Hassan Al-Sakkaf, Chairwoman of PASS Foundation – Peace for Sustainable Societies Ms. Athar Ali Mohammed, CEO of PASS Foundation. Eng. Mohammed Yassalam, Program Manager representing Medalah Foundation. Ms.  Bahia Al-Sakkaf emphasized the importance of inauguration the "365 Days Campaign to Combat Violence Against Women" under the slogan Together Towards a Full Year because violence is not confined to a specific time frame. She pointed out that women in the region suffer from the ongoing effects of violence, displacement, and annihilation throughout the year. She highlighted the need for sustainable and continuous efforts to raise awareness and support women's rights.   She added that violence against women is a global crisis affecting humanity, with statistics showing that one in three women worldwide has experienced violence at some point in her life. She noted that the suffering of women in the Arab region is compounded by the ravages of war and conflict, as seen in Palestine, Lebanon, and Sudan, where women bear the brunt of these crises. She concluded by saying, “Sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence are not enough; we need 365 days to support and bring about the change women in the Arab region are waiting for amid the current circumstances.” Contributions from Regional Voices via Zoom Ms. Naamat Koko (Sudan): A researcher in development issues and alternative policies, and a gender expert. She spoke about the impacts of regional and international interventions in Sudan’s wars and conflicts. Koko emphasized the need for solidarity in ensuring that perpetrators of violence during wars and conflicts are held accountable and brought to justice. Ms. Hanan Osman (Lebanon): Head of the Women’s Committee at the Nowruz Cultural and Social Association in Beirut. She highlighted the severe consequences of war on women, noting that the number of female fatalities had reached half a million. She also addressed how systematic and creative uses of violence as a weapon of war have been employed to intimidate and oppress women in Lebanon. Ms. Nuha Al-Eryani (Yemen): A human rights defender, stressed the importance of the 365 Days Campaign, stating that the voice of advocacy for women should not be limited to specific periods. She saw the campaign as a form of resistance for women to assert their presence and defend their rights, especially since women constitute nearly 50% of the population and seek their basic rights. Ms. Bushra Ali (Syria): General Coordinator of the NADA Regional Alliance, discussed the plight of Kurdish women and the violence they face. She called for solidarity and collective efforts to address and curb the widespread violations against women through coordinated action across countries. Ms. Rawan Ehab Abbas: Representing PASS Foundation -Peace for Sustainable Societies. she Foucesd on the reality of violence against women in Yemen. She detailed the various forms of violence—verbal, physical, and psychological—and emphasized the importance of enhancing women’s value in society. She invoked historical examples, such as Queen Arwa and Balqis, to highlight the significance of empowering women. Presentation and Discussions The event included discussions, interventions, and a film presentation that illustrated the reality of violence against women and strategies for advocacy. It also underscored the importance of breaking the silence around any violation against women by reporting incidents through a hotline, preventing them from escalating into more severe criminal acts. Artistic and Cultural Segment In a festive atmosphere, the campaign featured segments of songs and showcased four artistic forms: design, painting, photography, and short stories. Attendees voted on the best pieces, under the supervision of a judging panel: Ms. Khawla Al-Yamani: Painting Committee. Mr. Amr Al-Eryani: Short Story Committee. Mr. Ali Najeeb: Photography Committee. Mr. Osama Naaman: Design Committee. The winners in each category were announced and awarded certificates of appreciation and cash prizes. Closing Remarks The winners expressed their gratitude to PASS and Medalah for their encouragement and moral support in showcasing their work, which raised awareness of the importance of combating violence against women. The event closed with a group photo to commemorate the occasion.

As part of “Yemen SOUT” project, implemented by a group of young Alumni of cultural exchange programs in partnership with PASS Foundation - Peace for Sustainable Societies and funded by the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF2023), Cohort 03 of the training program "Yalla Podcast" has ended an intensive training journey for (60 hours), for Adeni artists from different fields (Drawing and Design, Literature and Writing, Public Speaking, Audio Engineering...), the Training Program's journey focused on all the preparation, design, production, industry and audio engineering needs of podcast makers to create a Podcast Episode, and the training concentrated on 4 main topics: (Ethics of Journalistic Work and Research Methodology, Visual Identity Design, Script Writing, Audio Engineering). Each group of artists in Cohort 03 - with a total of 4 groups - have produced their own podcast episode under the supervision of the trainers, starting from creating the concept, to searching for supporting resources, writing and reviewing scripts and scenarios, designing visual identity, in addition to recording and editing the audios of the podcasts. The Output of the production phase is that 4 podcasts are now created and produced in Adeni accent made by the participants with concepts and backgrounds from the Adeni art and culture, entitled (Dozan, 26, Hadaka, Haraaf) Podcasts.

Led by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour and Local Authority in Aden, supported by UNDP Yemen , Under the Supervision of the National Planning, Coordination and Follow-up Team of the NAP National Plan for the Women, Peace and Security Agenda WPS, and implement the NAP by the Governorate's Action Group (Aden), PASS foundation- Peace for Sustainable Societies and Collaborating with Security Dept Aden are Closing the third batch and the last training for 19 individual / Officer from Varies Aden Governorate's Police Centers on ( Police Corps Act - Criminal and Penal Code - Code of Criminal Procedure: Duties of police officers, inferences Stage - gender-based violence - communication skills - code of professional conduct - Explanation of the police man and Criminal and Penal Code) to empowering Police Staff from Male and Female knowledge, Skills and Policing Responsive Directions to Gender Intersectionality "Men, Women, Children".

Ms. Bahia Al-Sakkaf, Chairwoman of PASS - Peace for Sustainable Societies, discussed with Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, in the presence of women leaders, a number of issues related to civil and feminist work in Yemen, at a recent meeting. During the meeting, Al-Sakkaf focused on the effects of the detention and closure of civil society organizations' offices in Sana 'a by Ansar Allah group, noting that their media narrative casts a negative shadow on the work of organizations throughout the country. Al-Sakkaf called on the need to facilitate the movement of civil society organizations from Sana 'a to Aden and provide them with the necessary protection and facilities, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation and partnership between the various parties to counter any harassment that may confront civil work, whether official government institutions or local and international civil society organizations. From his side, the Prime Minister heard a detailed explanation of the challenges faced by Yemen's civil work and promised to study the proposals made and provide the necessary support to the organizations working in this area.