Justice4Yemen Pact Coalition
21 September 2025
On the International Day of Peace, the Justice4Yemen Pact Coalition reaffirms that dialogue is the gateway to peace in Yemen and that Yemenis deserve a dignified life and prosperity, just like the peoples of neighboring countries. It is time for all to summon their resolve, take a stand, and rally for peace. The Justice4Yemen Pact Coalition renews its call on all parties in Yemen: try silencing your guns for 24 hours — you are certainly capable of doing so.
On this occasion, it has become evident that Yemen’s sovereignty has been compromised and that all parties in the country suffer from weak political independence. Yemenis can no longer bear the burden of conflict and destruction that has been brought upon their land. The protracted war between the Houthis and the forces of the internationally recognized government, coupled with the intensifying military intervention by the Arab Coalition since March 2015, has led to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Vital infrastructure has been devastated, and human suffering has worsened across all governorates. After eleven years of conflict, the voices fueling the war remain the loudest, while the cries of Yemenis have yet to reach their leaders. The raging fire cannot be extinguished without building circles of peace, instilling respect, and uprooting violence and hatred from the minds of war leaders.
Yemenis now face direct threats to food security – driven by conflict – economic instability, and climate change. In the coming months, 50% of the population living in government-controlled areas will face food insecurity due to rising prices and declining humanitarian aid. Nationally, food assistance has dropped from 3.6 million beneficiaries in 2024 to just 2.8 million in 2025. Red Sea ports under Houthi control recorded a 27% decline in fuel imports compared to the average, reaching their lowest levels since September 2024, due to infrastructure damage caused by Israeli airstrikes.
Tragically, war has created a vast field of profiteers who thrive on people’s suffering, exploit them, and enrich themselves at the expense of the poor. With weak state institutions, it has become increasingly difficult to curb these war profiteers. Ending the war and establishing peace is the only guarantee for restoring Yemenis’ economic and financial security.
This year’s Peace Day also coincides with the start of the new school year in Yemen. There is pride in seeing Yemeni children heading to their schools each morning, for respecting life and ending violence begins with education. Yet, 3,970,157 children in Yemen remain out of school due to the prolonged conflict and its intertwined consequences. This reality must compel all Yemeni parties to rethink their choices — Yemen’s children are more important than any interests and greater than any war.
The Coalition stresses that arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances targeting activists, journalists, and civil society staff must end. The public climate cannot endure more hatred and discrimination. Recently, the Houthis carried out arrests targeting UN staff and humanitarian workers, including storming UN offices in Sana’a and Hodeidah in August, detaining 11 staff members on fabricated charges. These arrests follow a similar wave from May 2024, which included the detention of UN and civil society staff, among them women, who were denied access to lawyers and their families — reflecting a repeated pattern of torture and ill-treatment.
True peace in Yemen cannot be achieved without courageous will. It will not be sustainable in the absence of justice and while impunity persists. All must recognize violations, compensate victims, and ensure non-repetition. The Coalition emphasizes that transitional justice is the fundamental pathway toward comprehensive national reconciliation that puts an end to cycles of violence and revenge.
As part of its peacebuilding efforts, the Coalition produced the study “The Road to Peace”, which presents a comprehensive vision for achieving a just and sustainable peace in Yemen through transitional justice, accountability for perpetrators, and enhancing the role of victims and civil society in any future political arrangements. Real peace cannot be achieved without justice, and transitional justice is the essential entry point to inclusive reconciliation that acknowledges violations, compensates victims, and ensures they are not repeated.
On this occasion, the Justice4Yemen Pact Coalition calls for: