Civil Society Organizations in Yemen Eastern Afromontane region CEPF-Yemen CSOs training needs assessment report TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT Prepared for: Majdi Salameh AMJAD & MAJDI SALAMEH COMPANY | JORDAN Contents 1 Contents Contents .......................................................................................................................... 1 About this Report.............................................................................................................. 2 Background...................................................................................................................... 3 About Yemen ................................................................................................................ 3 About the Study Area: CEPF Priority Conservation Corridor in Yemen.............................. 6 Project Rationale........................................................................................................... 6 Training Needs Assessment Link to CEPF Investment Strategy ....................................... 7 Project Approach........................................................................................................... 8 Expected Results ........................................................................................................ 10 Overview of Civil Society Organizations in Yemen ............................................................ 11 What is a Civil Society Organization (CSO) ................................................................... 11 CSOs governance in Yemen ........................................................................................ 11 Typology of Civil Society Organizations ........................................................................ 12 CSOs' Statistics and Distribution in Yemen ................................................................... 14 Environmental CSOs in Yemen .................................................................................... 15 Constraints to CSOs Performance in Yemen................................................................. 16 Private Sector - Civil Society Relations ......................................................................... 16 CSOs in Yemen EAM Region....................................................................................... 16 Institutional Set-Up of CSOs' in Yemen EAM Region.................................................. 18 Employees and Volunteers ....................................................................................... 18 CSOs Scope of Work and Achievements................................................................... 19 Previous and Current Training Programmes Targeting Yemeni CSOs' ............................ 21 CSOs Perception of Priority Environmental Interventions Needed................................... 23 Capacity Gaps and Training Needs.................................................................................. 25 CSOs SWOT Analysis ................................................................................................. 25 CSOs Overall Capacity Gaps ....................................................................................... 27 CSOs Perspective of Training Needs............................................................................ 29 Priority Training Needs ................................................................................................ 30 Theme (1): Institutional Development ........................................................................ 31 Theme (2): CSOs' Planning, Management and Sustainability...................................... 31 Theme (3): Environmental Safeguards, Policy and Advocacy...................................... 32 Theme (4): Research, Information Management, Analysis and Reporting .................... 32 Theme (5): Nature Conservation and KBAs' Management .......................................... 33 Theme (6): Environmental Outreach.......................................................................... 34 Theme (7): Engagement with Businesses and the Private Sector ................................ 34 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 35 References .................................................................................................................... 36 Appendices .................................................................................................................... 37 About this Report 2 About this Report This report is submitted to the CEPF by Amjad and Majdi Salameh Company (Enviromatics) in fulfilment of a Project Funding Agreement signed between the two parties for the assessment of training needs of CSOs' in the East Afro-Mountain region in Yemen. The subject project aims at helping CSOs' in Yemen to identify their needed skills and resources they need to maximize their positive impact for improved conservation of biodiversity especially in critical ecosystems. At an individual level and for staff working in CSOs', the assessment identified professional development needs for building motivation and increasing effectiveness. At an institutional level, the Project targeted CSOs' eligible for CEPF funding and identified skills development needs with regard to institutional set-up, organizational and development, in addition to skills needed to mobilize resources needed for implementing KBAs conservation actions. Suggested capacity development solutions may take the form of mentoring and coaching, in- door training, information sharing and exchanges, and outdoor training. Training needs for CSOs in Yemen have been identified at all functional levels to achieve the conservation of KBAs within the highlands of Yemen, hence helping to achieve the long term conservation outcomes identified for Yemen in the EAM investment strategy, as a long term sustainable plan. Strengthening networking and build partnership between CSOs have been also addressed in this report as such capacity to building strategic alliances between groups would motivate more efficient participatory efforts toward improved flow of information, skills and resources which will be leading to more successful conservation. Such arrangements might encourage CSOs/NGOs in Yemen to develop joint projects to approach CEPF and other donors interested in the conservation of KBAs in the country. A SWOT analysis of conservation NGOs in Yemen was also carried out to identify CSOs' positive internal and external factors which should be capitalized on, and also their internal constraints and external threats (capacity gaps) which need to be addressed through capacity building, overall to enhance and bring momentum to biodiversity conservation within Yemen EAM region. Addressing identified capacity gaps will not only help CEPF achieve their conservation outcomes, but will also improve the country’s capacities to meet its obligation towards implementing MEAs. With CEPF funding to build capacities in conservation, enough qualified and trained national staff would positively contribute to ensuring successful implementation of conservation projects, which is a win-win situation for both CSOs and CEPF as a conservation donor and this will ensure sustainability of CEPF investment in Yemen. Background 3 Background About Yemen Located on the south-western corner of Arabian peninsula, and occupying one of the world most strategic positions, Yemen is blessed with breath-taking landscape, extraordinary biodiversity and deep-rooted history of mankind civilizations. The Republic of Yemen, is an Arab country in Western Asia, and with its coastline stretches for about 2,000 km and more than 200 islands, it is bordered by the Red Sea from its west, and the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea to the south. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia from the north and Oman from the south. It is separated from the Horn of Africa by the strait of Bab-el- Mandeb which is considered a critical gate on the ancient and globally important silk route, and connects strategic link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea across the Red Sea. Administratively, Yemen consist of 22 governorates having two of which (Al Mahrah and Hadramout) occupying about 50% of country land (Figure 1). Sana'a is the capital city of the country. 22. Soqatra (ﺳﻘﻄﺮى) Figure 1: Administrative regions of Yemen (source: Wikipedia website) Yemen community is a conservative tribal one, this social character is reflected in all sides of Yemenis way of living and relations, including the socio-political and security conditions. Demographic features of Yemen shows that it has young and rapidly growing community having total population in year 2013 of about 23,852,400, of which about 48% are under age of 15 years (UNICEF, 2014). With a population growth rate of 3.2 (average for the period 1990 to 2012); Yemen’s population could grow from 23 million today to 50 million sometime between year 2035 and 2040 (United Nations-World Urbanization Prospects, 2011), forcing enormous pressure on its natural resources and challenging the sustainability of its environment. Table 1 provides summary of demographic indicators for Yemen. It is important to note that statistics related to Yemen should always be read with caution as different worth-trusty sources presents different results for the same indicator. For instance, according to UNICEF urbanized population forms about 39.2% while United Nations-World Urbanization Prospects: