Yemen is suffering from an acute humanitarian crisis. Rising food and fuel prices, deterioration of basic services and protracted conflict have exhausted Yemenis’ normal methods of coping with hardship.
Almost half of Yemen’s population—approximately ten million people—are food insecure. Five million are severely food insecure and unable to find enough food to feed themselves on a daily basis. These figures are double the alarming numbers from 2009. In urban areas, where insecurity was prominent in 2011, almost 24 percent of households reported difficulty in accessing sufficient food.
Acute malnutrition rates are 13 percent nationwide and as high as 28 percent in Hudaidah Governorate. Almost one million children are victims of acute malnutrition. An estimated 267,000 children are severely malnourished and could face death; many more are at risk of long-term impairment. Malnutrition and the breakdown of health services increases the risk of measles outbreaks and other life-threatening diseases. Since the beginning of the outbreak, 170 children have died from measles and 4,500 cases were reported; measles could claim up to 5,000 lives if left unchecked. These health issues and malnutrition among children under 5-years old are partly attributed to diarrheal diseases due to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene practices. Approximately 48 percent of the Yemeni population does not have a clean water supply or adequate sanitation.
Ongoing fighting has displaced more than half a million Yemenis within the country. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) have a wide range of needs, including shelter, income generation, education and healthcare because basic services were disrupted. Yemen also hosts 219,000 refugees and received a record high of 103,000 refugees and migrants in 2011, an influx that continues to grow in 2012.
Children are among the victims of extreme violence. In 2011, 159 children were reported to be killed and 363 children were reportedly maimed. The increasing risk of child victims of mines and unexploded ordnance is a particular concern this year. Approximately 13 children were reported to have been killed and 18 children maimed in the first quarter of the year. The humanitarian community requires an additional US$262 million in 2012 to address the most severe humanitarian needs. If we do not act today, the costs tomorrow will be much higher. For every month we wait, the crisis gets bigger.
The cost for the transition
Gaps in the humanitarian response would undermine Yemen’s political transition and prospects for peace and long-term development. Yemen requires a broad range of support, but rapid interventions are now the most critical.
Approximately 42 percent of the population lives below the national poverty line and youth unemployment stands at 53 percent. In 2011, a quarter of all food purchases were made on credit, often from money lenders, while nearly half of food insecure households have debt specifically to buy food. This debt will continue to impact families’ economic welfare in the future. Evidence shows that these immediate economic problems are a severe threat to long-term stability and kick-starting livelihood opportunities is crucial.
Conflict continues to displace families, creating additional protection risks and assistance needs and placing further pressure on the social and economic fabric of the country. Ongoing conflicts in the north and south caused 95,000 more people to be displaced since mid-February 2012 alone. No meaningful or lasting resolution to these conflicts can be achieved without addressing the plight of Yemen's IDPs. Experience around the world underscores that securing safe and durable solutions for displaced persons is essential to national and regional stability.
As a result of conflict, 300,000 more children now lack access to quality education. Many schools were destroyed, are being used by armed groups, are housing IDPs or have been rendered inaccessible by the fighting. The Ministry of Education estimates that 221 schools were destroyed or damaged by conflict. Among those who go to school, drop-out rates for girls are high. In Abyan Governorate, only 30 percent of grade 9 girl students are preparing for national exams in June. More girls than boys have to work; early marriage and early pregnancy are common. In 2010, only 72 percent of girls ages 15-24 have learned how to read and write. Maternal mortality is high (370) and not improving.
Children were recruited or used to support military goals by all sides involved in conflict. While the government expressed their commitment in ending the use and recruitment of children, further support to the government is needed to ensure that a concrete action plan is implemented. Without immediate intervention, this could have long-term implications for social and economic development. It is estimated that the current crisis has pushed back Yemen’s development by a decade. Further resources are required to jumpstart the economy and basic services to provide a sustainable basis for development. In addition, international organizations have committed to working with Yemeni governmental and non-governmental bodies to increase local capacity to deliver aid according to international standards and withstand future shocks.
We can deliver
National and international aid agencies, together with the Government of Yemen, have continued to reach populations in need throughout the crisis and security problems.
Innovative responses and partnerships have been successful. Following multi-lateral efforts to improve access for aid agencies in the conflict-affected North, the recent measles campaign achieved 93 percent coverage in the region. In addition, local INGOs and international organizations were quick to identify and respond to the needs of those displaced due to fighting in the South. A network of local NGOs and community-based protection networks were established to provide critical life-saving assistance and protection monitoring in areas where humanitarian access is restricted due to insecurity.
Between November 2011 and April 2012, the number of international staff within UN agencies and international NGOs increased by 55 percent, while the number of national staff increased by 44 percent. There are now more than sixty international agencies and organizations based in Yemen actively responding to the country’s acute humanitarian crisis.
If pledges are made to immediate response, the humanitarian community is ready to expand operations to reach more communities in need across the country. The map below shows where Yemen’s humanitarian agencies and organizations currently work.
reasons wives cheat on their husbands
why men cheat all wives cheat