Human Rights

Guide to media sustainability in Yemen for the year 2007

With the participation of 14 male and female journalists, who represent members of the Guide Board in Yemen, led by Mr. Ali Saif Hassan, Chairman of PDF, the Political Development Forum issued in Arabic and English (the Media Sustainability Guide in Yemen). The PDF also announced the results of the Guide for the year 2007, where the media sustainability rate reached in Yemen 1.6 for the year 2007, compared to 1.4 for the previous year, 2006.
It is noteworthy that the guide is prepared annually by the International Research and Exchange Council in Washington and is implemented in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and sub-Saharan countries by about 500 experts, including members of the guide’s body in Yemen. The project was implemented in July-September 2008 in cooperation with the Gulf Forum for Citizenship

White voices towards freedom of expression and media

The (White Voices) project is a comprehensive advocacy, capacity-building and communication program with the aim of invoking and defending freedom of expression and media, and strengthening the capacities of a selected number of relevant local NGOs as well as numerous civil rights and media activists from Sana’a Municipality and from the other five main Yemeni governorates (Taiz, Aden, Lahj, Hadhramaut, and Al-Dhalea).
The project was implemented by the Political Development Forum with funding from the European Union through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights initiative during the period from January 2012 to December 2013, and its ultimate goal is to integrate – at least – minimum or higher standards of freedom of expression and media in Yemen.

Sub-objectives of the (White Voices) project:

Putting freedom of expression and media at the top of the priorities of the political agenda and the national dialogue agenda at the central level.
Strengthening the capabilities, ethics and morale of 31 local non-governmental organizations and activists in the field of civil rights and media in the city of Sana’a and five governorates.
Preparing and advocating for a set of better alternative articles to the current media law and other relevant laws related to freedom of expression and media in Yemen.

The PDF’s local partners in implementing the activities of the White Voices Project:

Rawaa Youth Foundation for Development, Aden and Lahj, (Maeen Center for Community Development, Taiz) (Araa Foundation for Civil Development, Hadhramaut) (Contemporary Democracy Forum, Al Dhalea).

Project activities

Building the capabilities of non-governmental organizations and local activists

This project includes providing 15 training workshops for 31 local organizations – the target group – (civil society organizations and local individuals, especially women and youth) from the five selected governorates – in order to enhance their capabilities to defend human rights values, human rights, promotion and protection, especially freedom of expression and media at the local level and thus at the national level. The Political Development Forum implemented 14 training workshops to meet the target number of trained youth and activists.

Establishing a local advocacy network

Establishing a local advocacy network in each of the targeted governorates and electing a network coordinator and assistants, in addition to the possibility of their continuation during and after the duration of the project. The project included the implementation of two dialogue workshops in each of the five targeted governorates. The first is about the importance of freedom of expression and media and the second is about alternative articles to the law. The outcome of the two advocacy workshops was a summary report consisting of problems, obstacles, recommendations and proposals that was submitted to the General Secretariat of the Development Center

Preparing articles on alternative laws.

The team began their work by studying all Yemeni laws that address the issue of freedom of expression and media. The team worked with the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate and conducted interviews with some members of Parliament, such as Ahmed Saif Hashid. They also used all available materials from Yemen and successful experiences from similar countries. The team was also encouraged to seek the assistance of regional and international experts in this field if necessary

Advocacy Symposium for Alternative Laws

November 20, 2013 More than 100 people were invited to attend and participate in the symposium, including members of the team that prepared the alternative articles. Invited participants were selected to best support and defend alternative articles and to include individuals and members who might criticize them. Members of political parties, civil society, journalists, judges, lawyers, legal and human rights activists, as well as journalists/individuals who have been subjected to violations were invited to attend.

You can download the White Voices training manual from the library on our website

Towards rationalization of the death penalty in Yemen:

Funded by the European Union through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights initiative during the period January 2011 to June 2013. The project to rationalize the death penalty aims to contribute towards reducing the extremism and excessive cruelty of the death penalty in the articles of the Yemeni Penal Code and during the litigation process in order to reduce death sentences and implement the death penalty, especially against those under the age of maturity.

You can download the guide to rationalizing the death penalty from the library on our website