On 14 August 2026
On 13 August, Nobel Peace laureate Tawakkol Karman was prevented from briefing the United Nations Security Council on Yemen after Member State objections to her participation.
Karman had been invited by Denmark, which holds the Security Council presidency in August 2026, to bring a civil society perspective to the Council at a critical moment for Yemen.
Nobel Women's Initiative (NWI) strongly condemns efforts to prevent independent civil society voices from being heard by the United Nations Security Council. Excluding women peacebuilders and human rights defenders weakens the Council's own commitment to inclusive peace and undermines the credibility of international efforts to resolve conflict. This decision reflects a troubling pattern of shrinking civic space within international institutions, where women human rights defenders and independent civil society leaders continue to face political efforts to silence their voices.
Tawakkol Karman made clear that preventing her from entering the Council chamber would not prevent her message from being heard:
“Yemenis are not asking the international community to build their future for them. They are asking it to stand with them as they reclaim their country and build their own future.
Fifteen years ago, I was honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for standing alongside my country and its brave people in their peaceful struggle for freedom, dignity, democracy, and human rights.
Today, I invite the Security Council to stand with them—not only because they deserve peace and freedom, but because a united, sovereign, democratic, and stable Yemen is essential to protecting international navigation and trade, energy security and global supply chains, and, ultimately, regional and international peace and security.
The Yemeni people are ready to be active partners with the international community in building that future.”— Tawakkol Karman, UN Security Council Media Stakeout, 13 August 2026
Denmark also publicly expressed its concern over the decision:
“We deeply regret and were genuinely surprised to have received strong opposition to a civil society briefer today, Tawakkol Karman, who we are certain would have offered a valuable perspective on how to advance prospects of an inclusive political settlement. This requires revitalizing the peace process, justice and accountability for crimes committed during the conflict, and empowering women and youth as core decision makers.” — Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, UN Security Council, 13 August 2026
Karman warned that Yemen faces renewed risks of full-scale war and stressed that lasting peace requires addressing the political causes of the conflict—not simply managing its consequences:
“Peace in Yemen cannot be reduced to a ceasefire, nor to the division of power and influence among armed groups and their external backers. Sustainable peace means restoring the Yemeni state: one united, sovereign, and democratic state that is governed by the rule of law, and is accountable to its people.”
Her message to the Council calls for an inclusive, Yemeni-led political process that restores Yemen’s sovereignty and state institutions; ensures justice and accountability; dismantles the war economy; protects civilians; secures the release of those arbitrarily detained or abducted; and guarantees women’s full and meaningful participation in peacebuilding and decision-making, consistent with Security Council Resolution 1325.
Read Tawakkol Karman’s full statement prepared for the UN Security Council:
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Bill Omondi
Nobel Women’s Initiative is led by eight women Nobel Peace Prize laureates - Jody Williams (USA), Shirin Ebadi (Iran), Tawakkol Karman (Yemen), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Rigoberta Menchú Tum (Guatemala), Narges Mohammadi (Iran), Maria Ressa (Philippines) and Oleksandra Matviichuk (Ukraine). Women are crucial to attaining lasting peace, and yet in times of war and conflict they are seen as victims, and too often excluded from formal peace-building processes. The laureates know the importance of women peacebuilders, and the challenges they face firsthand. At NWI they work together to use the platform and access that the Nobel Peace Prize offers to elevate the voices and support the work of women peace activists around the world.