Project Title: Enhancing Co-existence phase 2 at Sabir Al Mawadim District
Project Location: Qaradah village and Al Marzouh village, Sabir Al Mawadim District, Taiz Governorate
Report Period: From 01/August/2021 to 31/December/2022
Duration of Grant: From 01 – August - 2021 to 30 – September – 2022
Grant Agreement Reference #: 81273266
Funded By: The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)
Implemented By: Deem for Development Organization Date of Report: 31 – December - 2022
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
Sabir Al Mawadim district is located in Taiz governorate, with an area of 202 km². According to the 2015 estimated population statistics, the population of the district is 139,573 inhabitants. Qaradah and Al Marzouh villages are the main targets of the project. A conflict has broken out between the residents of the two villages because of a water source that flows from springs located in a mountain overlooking the two villages. Water goes down through the great waterway (Al Saila) that separates the two villages. Both sides in the two villages believe that they have the right to get the water. Through interviews conducted with the area leaders, this problem dates back to decades.
Since then, the conflict has still existed and not settled between the two villages. In 1997, a war broke out aggressively between them, which became bloody and dozens of people were killed and injured including children and women. Moreover, many families are displaced from the two villages. During that period, the conflict was temporarily settled by a customary arbitration that stipulated to divide the water between the two villages (two thirds to Qaradah and one third to Al Marzouh). However, the residents of Qaradah village were not satisfied with that arbitration for the following reasons:
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They have ordered about their ownership of water issued by Imam Yahya Hamid Al-Din (about 100 years ago) in addition to a court-order of their ownership of water, according to them.
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The residents of Qaradah village are approximately 478 households whereas the residents of Al Marzouh village only 152 households, in addition to the existence of more water springs in Al Marzouh village, opposite to Qaradah village.
Due to the complexity of the problem, Deem for Development Organization decided through its field experience to propose a set of solutions that will mitigate exacerbation and continuation of the conflict and find primary methods for the solution through three key phases. The first phase was implemented and the key output was a signed document and a memorandum of understanding between the conflicting villages with the participation of the local authority. In addition, elaborating the technical study of the water needs for the following villages: Qaradah, Marzouh, Al Quwaie, Al Jubbahh, Al Curraifat, and Al Shib.
Based on the outputs of the first phase, Deem for Development Organization will implement several activities to mitigate exacerbation and continuation of the conflict and achieve the overall objective of the project “Enhancing Coexistence at Sabir Al Mawadim district, Taiz Gov second phase”. This project works on the main roots of the conflict by rehabilitating and developing water resources and maintaining the existing water projects. Additionally, it will promote the local mechanisms to solve disputes among community members by forming the community and network committee and building their capacity to be more active to serve their villages, and finding solutions for the conflict between conflicting villages.
This project progress report presents a brief overview of project progress and describes the progress of the activities implemented in the targeted governorate Taiz that Deem for Development Organization has accomplished to enhance Coexistence at Sabir Al Mawadim district, which is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU) provided by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).