Attachments
Appeal highlights
- In its eighth year of conflict, Yemen's deteriorating economy and collapsing basic services continue to be the main drivers of people's needs in all sectors. Critical water and sanitation conditions put children at a higher risk of malnutrition, cholera and death from common infections. Escalating conflict in 2021 and 2022 resulted in civilian casualties, increased displacement and further disrupted public services. More than 23.4 million people (including 12.9 million children) need humanitarian assistance and protection. With more than 4.3 million internally displaced people since 2015, Yemen remains home to one of the largest internal displacement crises globally. If the United Nations-mediated truce collapses, it is feared that further displacements due to intensified conflict, along with the disruption of fuel imports through the Port of Al Hodeidah, would have significant consequences on food and fuel supply flows, including for humanitarian purposes. The result would be even greater levels of acute humanitarian need.
- UNICEF’s humanitarian strategy in Yemen focuses both on providing direct life-saving assistance and on building systems to strengthen the link between humanitarian action and development/resilience programming.
- UNICEF requires US$484.4 million to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen in 2023. Lack of predictable funding for urgent interventions challenges the continuity of key services, putting children’s lives and well-being at risk.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND NEEDS
After eight years of conflict, the national socioeconomic systems of Yemen remain on the edgeof total collapse, driving major increases in needs across all sectors. More than 23.4 million people, including 12.9 million children, need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2023. This is almost three quarters of the entire population. And, with more than 4.3 million internally displaced people since 2015, Yemen remains one of the largest internal displacement crises globally.
Negotiations continue for the extension of the United Nations-mediated truce that came into effect in April 2022 and ended in October 2022. The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, cited important progress that was made during the truce, such as the increased availability of fuel, the resumption of commercial flights from the Sana’a airport and the reduction in civilian casualties. As a result, the country continues to experience regular outbreaks of cholera, measles, diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Conflict, large-scale displacement and recurring climate shocks are creating an environment conducive to communicable diseases outbreaks. More than 17.8 million people, including 9.2 million children, lack access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. Yemen’s health system is extremely fragile: only 50 per cent of health facilities are functional, leaving 21.9 million people without adequate access to health care. Immunization coverage has stagnated nationally, with 28 per cent of children under 1 year of age missing routine vaccinations.
Food insecurity and malnutrition continue to be principal challenges, with pockets of the country experiencing extreme hunger. More than 19 million people in Yemen are expected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity between June and December 2022. This includes 161,000 people in a state of extreme food insecurity. In addition, 2.2 million children under 5 years of age are wasted, including more than 500,000 children (50 per cent girls) who are suffering from severe wasting.
The current humanitarian crisis in Yemen has increased the vulnerability of children and women to exploitation, violence and abuse, child labour, killing and maiming, recruitment and use of children by parties to the conflict as combatants and in various support roles, domestic and gender-based violence, child marriage and psychosocial distress. More than 8.8 million children need child protection services, and nearly 8.5 million children require educational support.