The Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) funded Cash for Work programme in Yemen focuses on the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) and WASH sectors to build upon Islamic Relief Yemen’s previous programming and work with local communities in the targeted areas of Hudayda and Lahj.

This study aims to assess the inclusion and participation of different community members in Cash for Work programming in the FSL sectors in Hudayda. The study aims to understand participants’ needs and the most effective methods of inclusion and to identify any barriers in the participation of different community members, to learn lessons and identify best practice for future humanitarian programming in Yemen.

Individual interviews were conducted with 229 participants from Hudayda The study demonstrates that Cash for Work programmes delivers clear benefits for participants, most notably in relation to increased income and enabling participants to meet basic needs. The impact of Cash for Work in increasing community cohesion is less evident. The study also shows that participants in Cash for Work programmes do not have equal participatory access to community decision-making. Community committees can be dominated by powerful members and greater efforts need to be undertaken, prior to and during the implementation of Cash for Work programmes, to ensure the inclusion and participation of all members of the community, in particular women, the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs).