Yemen, a country located at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, has been facing a protracted political, humanitarian and developmental crisis since uprisings broke out in 2011. The conflict has escalated into a full-scale war since 2015, involving a Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi movement, as well as other armed groups and regional actors. The war has resulted in widespread violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, including indiscriminate attacks, sieges, blockades, forced displacement, arbitrary detention, torture, recruitment of children, and sexual and gender-based violence.
The humanitarian impact of the war is devastating. According to the UN’s Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023, 21.6 million people in Yemen – that’s two-thirds of the population – are going to need some kind of humanitarian assistance and protection services during the course of 2023. This includes 13.4 million people in acute need, who face a heightened risk of death, disease, hunger, and violence. The situation is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has overwhelmed the already fragile health system and increased the vulnerability of millions of people.
Some of the most pressing humanitarian needs and challenges in Yemen are:
Food insecurity and malnutrition: Yemen is on the brink of famine, with 16.2 million people facing acute food insecurity and 5 million people at risk of starvation. Nearly 2.3 million children under the age of five are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2023, including 400,000 who could die without urgent treatment. The main causes of food insecurity are the conflict, the economic collapse, the disruption of commercial and humanitarian imports, the loss of livelihoods, and the reduced access to basic services.
Health care: The health system in Yemen is collapsing, with only half of the health facilities functional and facing severe shortages of staff, supplies, equipment, and electricity. An estimated 19.7 million people lack access to basic health care, and 14.4 million people have no access to safe water and sanitation. Yemen is facing multiple outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as cholera, diphtheria, malaria, measles, and COVID-19, which have claimed thousands of lives and pose a serious threat to public health.
Protection: The protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure is a major concern in Yemen, as the parties to the conflict continue to disregard their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. More than 4.5 million people have been displaced by the conflict, living in overcrowded and unsafe conditions, and facing multiple protection risks, such as exploitation, abuse, trafficking, and recruitment. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence, as well as harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation. Migrants and refugees, mainly from the Horn of Africa, are also among the most marginalized and vulnerable groups in Yemen, facing grave human rights violations and abuses by smugglers, traffickers, and armed groups.
Education: The education sector in Yemen has been severely affected by the conflict, with more than 2,000 schools damaged, destroyed, or used for military purposes. An estimated 2 million children are out of school, and another 3.7 million are at risk of dropping out. The lack of access to quality education has a negative impact on the physical, mental, and social development of children, as well as their future prospects and potential.
Climate crisis: Yemen is also facing the adverse effects of climate change, which exacerbate the humanitarian situation and undermine the resilience of the population. Yemen is prone to natural hazards, such as floods and droughts, which have caused widespread damage and displacement, as well as increased the risk of disease outbreaks and food insecurity. Yemen is also one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, with per capita water availability well below the threshold of water poverty. The depletion and contamination of water resources pose a serious challenge for the survival and well-being of millions of people.
The humanitarian response in Yemen is coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in partnership with national and international humanitarian organizations, donors, and authorities. The response is guided by the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023, which requires $4.3 billion to assist 16 million people with life-saving and life-sustaining aid. However, as of December 2023, only 36 per cent of the required funding has been received, leaving a huge gap in the humanitarian response.
Yemen is a humanitarian catastrophe that cannot be ignored. The people of Yemen deserve peace, dignity, and justice. The international community must act urgently and decisively to end the conflict, ensure respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, and provide adequate and timely funding for the humanitarian response. Yemen needs our attention and action now more than ever.
Mahboob Azam 