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Current Requirements (US$)$4.27 billion
Analysis of the context and crisis, needs and response
The crisis in Yemen remains extremely severe, with over 20.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The crisis is fuelled by conflict and is further exacerbated by the economy’s decline, natural hazards such as floods or drought, and epidemics, notably COVID-19. Though Yemen had pre-existing vulnerabilities, the conflict’s increasingly protracted nature has resulted in economic collapse, increased poverty and the breakdown of national social-protection systems and community safety nets. It has exacerbated long-standing vulnerabilities and severely frayed Yemen’s social fabric. Loss of revenues, depreciation of the Yemeni rial and import restrictions resulted in loss of income and rising prices for most basic household items, including food. Millions of people are now in a situation where they can no longer meet their basic needs, with potential serious detrimental impacts on groups in society with limited social capital and protection mechanisms. This increases risks of adopting harmful coping strategies, such as debt, selling of assets, early/forced marriages, school dropout and child labour, with grave long-term impacts especially on women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities and marginalized communities.
In 2021, the conflict escalated in several areas along fluid lines of control, with continued breaches of international humanitarian law and consequent impact on the protection of civilians. As of October, 48 districts across Yemen are crossed by active front lines, an increase from 45 in 2020 and 35 at the end of 2019. Escalated hostilities and shifting front lines continue to challenge sustained humanitarian programming and resulted in aggravated humanitarian needs and increasing levels of new displacement. As of the end of September 2021, there were an estimated 1,498 civilian casualties in Yemen, including 401 children and 228 women, and at least 16 attacks affecting schools and hospitals. Large-scale destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure has created shelter needs, including for internally displaced persons (IDPs) who may consider returning to their place of origin.
Dar Saad, Yemen
A 13-year-old girl in the Amin Bin Yassar informal settlement in Dar Saad. She said: “I live with my father and my seven brothers and sisters. My mother passed away a year ago. That was the most difficult thing for us. Since then, our life has changed. The eight of us live in a tent. We do not feel safe in the tent because it is exposed, and anyone can steal from us. What makes us happy is having food. I love cooking and science. I do not study but I like to learn. I cannot study now because I am the one who plays the role of my mother in the house. I want to be a doctor when I grow up.”
OCHA/Giles ClarkeThe conflict has displaced around 4 million civilians, including at least 158,000 in 2021. Some of the highest levels of vulnerability are concentrated among the estimated 1.3 million IDPs living in some 2,000 IDP sites, after being subjected to multiple displacements. In most sites few services are available, leading to precarious living conditions and continuous threats of eviction. An estimated 141,000 asylum seekers and refugees are at extreme risk, with shrinking asylum and protection space, and they remain highly reliant on humanitarian aid.
In addition, flooding devastated southern communities and fuelled the spread of diseases such as cholera, dengue, malaria and diphtheria. More than 34,000 families, most of them IDPs who fled conflict areas, lost their shelters, incomes and livelihoods. Floods are becoming annual events that will require contingency planning and response. Current projections show that locusts pose an unprecedented threat to agriculture-based livelihoods and food security.
The operating environment in Yemen has remained extremely challenging in the first nine months of 2021. During this period, 870 cases involving bureaucratic impediments were reported. Despite such impediments, there has been significant progress in authorities’ approval of projects and assessments, which enhances the timely delivery of principled humanitarian aid.
Taiz City, Yemen
An injured man in Al Thawra hospital, Taiz City. Rebel fighters have targeted the hospital many times since 2016; it is located just 1 km from the front line that ran through the city.
OCHA/Giles ClarkeDespite continued efforts to mitigate the risk of famine, food insecurity continues to remain a key challenge. It is most severe in areas of active conflict and surrounding areas where humanitarian access is limited by the security situation. The Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis of acute food insecurity (conducted in 2020, projected Jan - June 2021) projects that 16.2 million people in Yemen face high acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and above) in 2021, driven by conflict, environmental shocks, economic collapse, and weak social, economic and governance systems. Even with the current levels of humanitarian assistance, 40 per cent or more of the population have inadequate food consumption. Humanitarian partners are currently collecting data for a new IPC analysis, which is expected to be finalized by early 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to place additional pressure on Yemen’s already fragile health system, where only 50 per cent of health facilities are functional. By mid-October 2021, nearly 9,635 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Yemen, with above 1,831 associated deaths and 6,143 recoveries. These numbers represent only a small fraction of total infections, given limitations in testing and other surveillance mechanisms. Some 470,000 people are at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 in Yemen.
Projected situation in 2022 and beyond
In 2022, the situation is expected to deteriorate further, and the severity of needs is expected to increase unless there is conflict de-escalation, improvements in the economy, revenue collection to sustain the public sector, and available humanitarian funding.
Marib, Yemen
Three displaced children in front of their tent with their family goats. They live in an IDP settlement recently built near Marib.
OCHA/Giles ClarkeWith the grave humanitarian situation combined with economic collapse, sustained scale-up of humanitarian assistance is needed now and in 2022. Aid agencies’ famine-prevention efforts were succesfull, but lack of sustained support now and in 2022 could aggravate the situation further by losing the progress achieved. Sectors such as health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, protection and other critical sectors remain severely underfunded. Fuel shortages could impact the provision of water and the capacity to run hospitals. Proportionate to the needs, funds for food insecurity remain critical in mitigating the effects of seven years of conflict, as the underlying drivers of hunger continue to deteriorate. In parallel, the international community must seize immediate opportunities to stem Yemen’s economic collapse. Robust economic support is feasible in Yemen and could quickly and substantially reduce the scale of humanitarian needs.
Response priorities in 2022
During 2022, more than 170 partners across Yemen plan to assist 16 million people. Until the end of August 2021, an average of 10.9 million people were reached with humanitarian assistance in Yemen per month. On a monthly average, 10.2 million most vulnerable food insecure people are receiving life-saving emergency food assistance. However, most of these beneficiaries have been receiving assistance every two months instead of monthly. Over 3.48 million people received WASH services; 530,000 people were supported by Health Cluster partners; 773,750 received nutrition services; more than 275,000 people were reached through different protection services and engagement, despite access challenges and capacity gaps in specialized services; almost 600,000 people were supported by humanitarian actors in some 440 IDP sites through services and maintenance work; and 1.1 million people, including IDPs, returnees and vulnerable host-community members, received shelter and NFI support.
Yemen HRP
The humanitarian response in 2022 will continue to focus on preventing famine and disease outbreak; reducing mortality and morbidity; malnutrition; restoring livelihoods; improving the housing situation; enhancing access to basic and public services; and providing specialized protection services and assisting civilians in need.
With the protracted displacement, it is equally critical to analyse, strategize and support progress towards durable solutions to displacement, where feasible. Humanitarian partners will also escalate global advocacy for robust economic support to reduce humanitarian needs – including the risk of famine – more sustainably.
Further reading
Source: OCHA
Source: Humanitarian Insight
Source: Financial Tracking Service
References
- Figures for people in need, people targeted and requirements are pending the finalization of the 2022 HNO and HRP.