This study provides some insights into the situation of disabled people in Yemen in the context of poverty and under resources. The study highlights the need for a comprehensive participatory strategy on disability to protect and promote the rights of disabled people. It is argued that the participatory research approach used in this study may facilitate the development of a sense of partnership between participating stakeholders serving as vehicle for the empowerment of disabled people and their organizations. Equally, such research may serve as a model for the development of a future participatory strategy on disability. The high political commitment of government towards disability in Yemen has greatly raised the profile of disabled people issues on public agenda. However, discussions with disabled people and their families in four governorates including the capital Sana’a showed that disabled people continue to experience discrimination in accessing services and resources including community support. The physical and institutional barriers continue to exclude disabled people from receiving services and perpetuate their passivity. Overall, support for the disability sector remains limited due to lack of a strategy on disability as well as poor coordination mechanisms. There are two major obstacles among others hindering the development of disability sector in Yemen identified within the course of this research. They are: the lack of accurate disability information necessary for planning, and the widespread poverty (ineffective poverty strategy). A poverty reduction strategy should take note of building human capacity to use scarce resources in the community (i.e. the use of community based rehabilitation approach) and not only building economic capacity, although the latter is particularly important in the context of the developing world. An effective poverty reduction strategy goes hand in hand with friendly safety nets measures and a national comprehensive strategy on disability so that the needs of disabled people are properly addressed and consequently, their rights are upheld.