EU, CFI launch YMER+ project to support humanitarian journalism in Yemen

Hundreds of Yemeni journalists from across the country will benefit from the different activities of this intervention. The project will also seek to build synergies between journalists and humanitarian actors in Yemen to improve access to humanitarian information.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, the Head of EU Delegation to Yemen Hans Grundberg said: "We are excited to support this project, which is by far the EU's most important support to the media sector in Yemen. This is particularly relevant for the EU, given that the EU's Human Rights Strategy for Yemen highlights journalism as a priority area. Yemen is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises throughout its history. Raising awareness about this humanitarian situation through accurate, reliable information is of paramount importance."

Ambassador Grundberg underscored during a meeting with the 12 Yemeni journalists who undertook training of trainers (ToT) in Amman that an empowered, reliable and conflict sensitive media is essential to supporting the humanitarian efforts and the peace process in Yemen. "Ensuring that the local media outlets are able to cover and disseminate reliable information is incredibly important, particularly when it comes to providing humanitarian operators in Yemen with the information they need to respond to the humanitarian crisis and to inform beneficiaries about available aid."

CFI's Mediterranean Asia Deputy Director, Florence Minery pointed out: "How valuable information is in a context of conflict, how targeted it can be, with journalists as the first victims. In such a context, media can play a positive role by avoiding exacerbation of tensions and supporting the humanitarian effort and the peace process. To do so, we believe more synergies and collaborations between journalists and humanitarian stakeholders are a significant contribution to deliver accurate humanitarian information on a journalistic perspective".

Background

The YMER+ project is funded by the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), an EU funding instrument that supports peace-building initiatives. In Yemen, the IcsP is funding a number of projects related to supporting the peace process, empowerment of women and rapid city and urban neighbourhoods profiling.

YMER+ builds on the first phase of the project, which was funded by the government of France. Under the first phase of the project, 12 Yemeni journalists covered the peace talks in Stockholm.

CFI is teaming up with Amman-based Arab reporters for Investigative Journalism (Arij), and UNESCO to implement this project.