Rain of hope: Yemen's fight for water in a time of war

Through a collaborative partnership among various organisations in Yemen, the Urban Rainwater Harvesting (URaHa) project develops solutions that will bring relief in major cities such as Sana’a, Taiz and Aden. Supported by IHE Delft’s Water and Development Partnership Programme, the project seeks to alleviate water shortages by reviving ancient rainwater harvesting practices and integrating them with modern technologies.

The three-year project involves training trainers who will, in turn, educate urban water and wastewater utilities, water user associations and groups on rainwater harvesting. It will also support the start-up of small-scale pilot projects, facilitate joint planning for water utilities, and invest in small-scale research on rainwater harvesting for drinking water, agricultural use and groundwater recharge in urban areas.

This women-led project has a promising approach, but as expected in a war zone, implementation is challenging. Those involved must deal with significant social, economic and operational challenges that affect progress.

The long-standing societal norms that limit women’s mobility and actions have become even more strict during the war. Official restrictions on women’s movement, in place prior to the war, have been tightened even further since the conflict started.

Travel within and outside the country often requires women to obtain permission from a male relative or husband. Women without male guardians frequently face harassment at checkpoints and, in some cases, are prohibited from travelling altogether. These are among the challenges faced by the women who are part of the project team. In addition, armed men, seeking bribes, sometimes stop women and demand to know why they are travelling without a male companion.

“They would be on the roads with guns, asking women, ‘Where are you travelling without your husband?’” one Yemeni team member said. “They are looking for money. This is part of the war tactic.”

These restrictions create significant delays for the project, limiting when and how women can carry out essential work, such as field visits, community training and attending project meetings.

Concerned about international organisations promoting foreign values, local authorities sometimes question the women working with partner organisations. This creates a sense of fear among these women and adds another layer of complexity to an already challenging work environment, where the women find themselves precariously balancing the needs of the project and the realities of living with these restrictions under war conditions.

The isolation felt by Yemeni academics and students involved in this project, due to the war, has been another significant challenge. Conducting fieldwork is difficult, and opportunities to attend international conferences or engage in knowledge exchange programmes abroad are limited. 

"It is quite difficult for water scholars in Yemen to conduct research in the field or go outside Yemen to attend conferences because research can be a very political issue. But we feel it is very important to stay connected to the outside world," said one Yemeni researcher contributing to the project.

Certain research topics are considered too sensitive—for example, masters research that require GPS data collection, are often rejected by government officials due to national security concerns.

The isolation has stifled academic inquiry and made it harder for researchers to collaborate and stay connected with the global scientific community.

URaHa is committed to fostering knowledge exchange, supporting its women team members and involving Yemeni academics in capacity development activities, and is already making good progress in these areas. Despite the challenges brought by the conflict, these organisations and academics will do all they can to carry forward the skills and insights gained. 

“I am saddened and also incredibly inspired by this project. The project leaders get on with their work, doing their best in very challenging circumstances, often without having a secure outcome—given the potential for project infrastructure, or partners, to be affected by the conflict,” said project member Michelle Kooy, IHE Delft Associate Professor of Water Governance.

“Yemen needs healing, and this project is working towards peace between residents, and peace between water and society,” Kooy said. 

Through the perseverance and shared hope demonstrated in the project, Yemenis may realise a better and more sustainable water future.