Justice Without Courts

Title: Justice Without Courts: Reconciliation and Child-Centered Approaches in Yemen’s Conflict Zones 

Yemen’s fragile context, defined by a “no war, no peace” reality, a weakened judiciary, and competing authorities, has fueled deep-rooted social fragmentation, a crisis of trust in institutions, and widespread impunity. In this volatile landscape, local actors are leading innovative efforts to reimagine justice from the ground up, anchoring peacebuilding in restorative justice, community reconciliation, and the protection of the most vulnerable. 

This session will spotlight two complementary initiatives led by DT Institute, SPARK, and SAFE, that demonstrate how grassroots justice and accountability initiatives can bridge peacebuilding, development, and security in fragile and contested environments. 

At the core is the Consultation and Reconciliation Community Committee (CRCC), established under the SPARK program in Taiz. Rooted in tradition, local legitimacy, and informal justice practices, the CRCC provides a powerful model for community-centered reconciliation. It has mediated prolonged tensions between military actors and historically marginalized communities, using culturally grounded dialogue to de-escalate conflict, promote inclusion, and restore social cohesion. 

Building on this foundation, the SAFE program expands the justice lens to focus on grave violations against children, especially child recruitment, detention, and disinformation. SAFE tackles harmful social norms that associate child soldiering with manhood, raises awareness among military actors and communities, and exposes how warring parties manipulate narratives to justify violations. The program also explores victim-centered reparations mechanisms that elevate the voices of child survivors in shaping Yemen’s justice and peacebuilding future. 

Session themes will include: 

• Locally grounded reconciliation through CRCC: how informal justice mechanisms restore social trust, de-escalate tensions, and offer alternatives where formal justice systems are absent or distrusted. 
• Restorative justice in active conflict: CRCC’s use of dialogue, mediation, and culturally relevant practices to address long-standing grievances. 
• Countering harmful norms and narratives: How SAFE combats cultural drivers of child recruitment and counters disinformation used by conflict parties to obscure violations. 
• Justice for child victims: Centering children’s experiences and participation in shaping reparations and accountability mechanisms. 
• Bridging peacebuilding, development, and security: Linking transitional justice efforts with institutional engagement, social healing, and the protection of vulnerable populations. 
• Survivor- and community-led models of justice that adapt to Yemen’s complex, fragmented landscape. 

Yemen’s experience underscores the importance of empowering local actors, not only to resolve conflict but also to build resilient, rights-based systems of justice that protect future generations. This session will offer practical insights for peacebuilders, development practitioners, and policymakers working in protracted crises where state-centered models are insufficient. 

Moderator: Feras Hamdouni, Senior Program Manager, DT Institute 

Speakers: 

• Amat Al Samal AL Haj, CEO of Abductee Mothers’ Association 
• Tawfik AL Houmaidi, CEO of SAM for Rights & Liberties 
• Iman Houmaid, CEO of INSAF Organization 
• Mutahar Al Bathaji, CEO of Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violation