Yemeni Livelihoods: Resilience at Work

The European Union, in partnership with UNDP and UNESCO, stands with the people of Yemen as they rebuild sustainable livelihoods amid a prolonged crisis. Through investment in job creation, mediation, essential services, skills, and cultural heritage, the EU, UNDP and UNESCO help communities strengthen resilience, foster peace, and look to the future with greater confidence.

On 2 June 2026, a photo exhibition opened at the EEAS in Brussels, highlighting the partnership between the European Union, UNESCO and the UNDP in Yemen. Entitled "Yemeni Livelihoods: Resilience at Work", the exhibition presents compelling images and stories of hope from the ground. It highlights EU-funded initiatives, implemented by UNESCO and UNDP, that are helping to restore livelihoods, reinforce local institutions, and safeguard cultural heritage, creating concrete opportunities that reflect the aspirations of the Yemeni people.

Supporting Yemen's Recovery and Resilience

Since 2018, the partnership between UNESCO and the European Union has supported Yemen's recovery and resilience by generating employment opportunities for more than 11,000 vulnerable young women and men, with an estimated 80,000 people benefiting overall. The initiative has also delivered technical and vocational training to over 350 young people and engineers, rehabilitated more than 921 historic residential buildings, carried out emergency flood stabilisation works in three World Heritage sites and the Historic City of Aden, and restored over 25 public spaces, monuments, and museums across the country.

UNDP, 2026

Strengthening Cultural Governance and the Creative Economy

In addition to infrastructure and cultural heritage restoration, the programme has reinforced cultural governance and supported Yemen's creative economy. It has enabled the implementation of three UNESCO conventions, supported 35 submissions to Yemen's World Heritage Tentative List, and provided training and grants to cultural enterprises, civil society organisations, and cultural managers. Through seven Cultural Creative Spaces established nationwide, the initiative has engaged more than 2,000 artists and community members. At the same time, advocacy campaigns involving journalists and content creators have reached over 13 million people, promoting culture as a force for social cohesion and peacebuilding.

UNDP, 2026