As the war in Yemen entered its tenth year this week, millions of Yemenis continue to suffer the long-term consequences of the devastating ongoing conflict. Nine years after Saudi Arabia launched its military offensive, Yemen remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. More than half of the country's population - an estimated 18.2 million people - are in need of humanitarian assistance this year. Among them are 9.8 million children.
To mark the grim anniversary, leading humanitarian organizations and human rights groups have called on the international community not to abandon millions of Yemenis living in the war-torn country, which lies in the south of the Arabian Peninsula.
The conflict between a Saudi-led coalition of Gulf states and the ousted Yemeni government against the Ansar Allah movement - also known as the Houthi rebels - began on March 26, 2015, when Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against the Houthis and Houthi-affiliated forces.
The military offensive was met with fierce international criticism and global condemnation as it triggered a devastating humanitarian catastrophe, killing hundreds of thousands of people. Military support for the coalition from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France fueled the conflict and exacerbated the humanitarian emergency.
Since the war broke out in 2015, more than 11,500 children have been killed or injured as a result of the violence. Beyond the conflict itself, Yemeni families across the country are grappling with economic decline, rising prices, and environmental shocks related to the climate crisis, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation.
Nearly two years ago, a six-month ceasefire was announced between the warring parties in Yemen. While the UN-brokered ceasefire has not been renewed, there has been a fragile continuation of truce-like conditions. As a result, the level of violence has decreased and progress has been made in political negotiations.
While the reduction in armed conflict since April 2022 has led to a reduction in civilian casualties and suffering amongst communities, the situation remains fragile without a sustainable political solution, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned.
The fragility is illustrated by the persistence of malnutrition in the country, where more than 2.7 million children are acutely malnourished and 49 percent of children under the age of five - some 2.5 million - suffer from stunting or chronic malnutrition, which causes irreversible damage to long-term physical and cognitive development.
"The vicious combination of years of protracted conflict, a shattered economy, and a failed social support system have had a devastating impact on the lives of the most vulnerable children in Yemen," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a statement.
"Far too many children continue to be deprived of basic necessities, including proper nutrition, which could threaten generations to come unless urgent action is taken to provide children with the preventive measures and treatment they so desperately need."
17.6 million people in Yemen will experience high levels of acute food insecurity in 2024, mainly due to conflict, economic decline and climate change. This figure includes 6.1 million people at emergency levels of hunger. Over the past two years, food security has improved slightly. However, this progress is extremely fragile and could be quickly reversed if aid agencies are forced to reduce or suspend programs due to funding shortfalls.
An estimated 6.7 million people are living in inadequate shelters and some 12.4 million people lack proper access to safe drinking water, increasing the risk of infectious diseases, while more than 4.5 million children are out of school. Limited access to essential services continues to worsen conditions for the most vulnerable groups, including women and children.
Although fighting has subsided, the country's health sector remains at risk of collapse, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly half of the country's health facilities are closed or only partially functional. Only 55 percent of health facilities are operational.
According to the WHO, the health crisis is being exacerbated by an increase in outbreaks of measles, diphtheria, dengue fever, cholera and polio. Children are particularly vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, while also suffering from alarmingly high rates of malnutrition.
“After 9 years of conflict, deteriorating health outcomes and destroyed infrastructure, emergency health and humanitarian needs control the lives of millions of Yemenis and limit their ability to achieve inclusive sustainable development,” said Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen.
“This is compounded by a significant decline in international support, leaving communities vulnerable to worsening conditions. Every day under such conditions affects the future of millions for many years to come.”
Despite severe resource constraints, WHO reports that it currently supports 96 therapeutic feeding centers - with a bed capacity to serve approximately 30,000 children per year.
Conflict, the extensive use of explosive weapons, and years of blockade have decimated civilian infrastructure and the local economy, while creating extreme poverty, alarming levels of hunger, and widespread displacement.
Across Yemen, 4.56 million people have been internally displaced by the conflict. Of these, 80 percent are children and women. While many have been displaced more than once, Yemen faces one of the largest internal displacement crises in the world. In addition, Yemen hosts some 70,000 refugees and asylum seekers, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
"While the reduction in active conflict since April 2022 has decreased civilian casualties, the situation remains fragile without a sustainable political settlement," said Marin Kajdomcaj, UNHCR’s Representative in Yemen.
"Humanitarian assistance, including cash support, remains a crucial lifeline for countless families."
The UN agency is calling for global solidarity to address Yemen's protracted crisis and for continued support for durable solutions and funding.
Yemen is also one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and one of the least prepared for climate shocks. The country is on the front lines of the global climate crisis, with recurring natural disasters such as floods and severe droughts threatening people's lives, safety, and well-being.
In 2023, climate-related factors, particularly heavy rains and flash floods, were the leading cause of new displacement in Yemen.
UNICEF urgently requires US$142 million in 2024 to respond to the humanitarian crisis and continue to provide humanitarian assistance, including nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, education and protection services.
UNHCR urgently requires US$354 million for its Yemen operations in 2024 to maintain and expand life-saving assistance to millions of people affected by the humanitarian crisis. WHO needs US$77 million in 2024 to provide essential health assistance.
The UN's 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) calls for US$2.7 billion to support millions of people across the country. In 2024, aid agencies plan to reach 11.2 million people in need, if they have sufficient funding. As of March 2024, the HRP was only 9 percent funded.
Meanwhile, on the ninth anniversary of the conflict, the international rights group Amnesty International renewed its call on the international community to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to investigate and publicly report on the most serious violations and abuses of international law committed over the past nine years.
“Although a de facto ceasefire has resulted in a decline in hostilities compared to previous years, parties to the conflict in Yemen continue to commit unlawful attacks and killings with impunity and to restrict the movement and delivery of aid,” said Grazia Careccia, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
“Yemen is already facing one of the worst ongoing humanitarian crises in the world and the recent military escalation in the country, following US and UK air strikes on Houthi targets, risks worsening an already grave situation for the civilian population.”
A further escalation could also undermine Yemen’s fragile peace process and longer-term recovery.
In December 2023, after a series of UN-brokered meetings in Saudi Arabia and Oman, the warring parties in Yemen agreed on important steps to end the devastating civil war. The agreed measures include the implementation of a nationwide ceasefire, the improvement of living conditions in Yemen and the resumption of an inclusive political process under UN auspices, which should lead to lasting peace in Yemen.
Further information
Full text: Yemen Crisis: 9 Years of Conflict, Economic Strain, and Environmental Challenges Push Displaced Families to the Brink, UNHCR, press release, published March 29, 2024
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-crisis-9-years-conflict-economic-strain-and-environmental-challenges-push-displaced-families-brink-enar
Full text: 9 years into the conflict in Yemen, millions of children are malnourished and stunted, UNICEF, press release, published March 26, 2024
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/9-years-conflict-yemen-millions-children-are-malnourished-and-stunted
Full text: Yemen conflict enters 10th year with over 17 million people in need of health aid, WHO, press release, published March 25, 2024
https://www.emro.who.int/media/news/yemen-conflict-enters-10th-year-with-over-17-million-people-in-need-of-health-aid.html
Full text: Yemen: Justice remains elusive and millions still suffering nine years since armed conflict began, Amnesty International press release, published March 25, 2024
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/03/yemen-justice-remains-elusive-and-millions-still-suffering-nine-years-since-armed-conflict-began/