Yemen (IOM): It is now one year since the escalation of the conflict in Yemen, which has led to a massive deterioration of the political, social, security and humanitarian situation in the country.
Many cities have been engulfed by armed clashes; 2.4 million civilians have been displaced; basic goods are in short supply due to air and sea blockades; and millions of people are facing severe shortages of food, water, medical services, fuel and electricity.
Some 6,400 people have been killed, half of them civilians, and more than 30,000 have been injured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In response, IOM has provided non-food (NFI) relief and shelter items to 48,000 people; primary and secondary medical care for over 173,000 people; and 15 litres of water a day for over 586,000 people.
Affected by war and cyclone
The conflict has also affected migrants in Yemen, compounding their desperate situation and leaving many of them stranded in the country.
“In the last year, several thousand migrants have come to IOM for medical care, non-food items, temporary shelter and a way to return home,” says Chissey Mueller, an IOM Yemen migrant assistance and protection officer.
Since the beginning of the conflict, IOM has evacuated 2,000 migrants by air and 2,500 by sea.
In addition to the conflict, two cyclones – Chapala and Megh – hit the country for the first time in decades along the southern coast and the island of Socotra in November.
IOM distributed 2,000 shelter and NFI kits to a total of 2,000 cyclone-affected households (14,000 individuals).
IOM also operated a mobile medical clinic in Socotra to provide health assistance to 1,507 people, including 533 medical consultations.
Peace talks scheduled
On 23 March Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced that parties to the conflict have agreed to cease hostilities by 10 April and hold a round of peace talks on 18 April in Kuwait.
After a year of intense conflict, this encouraging news indicates that peace may be a step closer, with more focus on dialogue and a political solution to this complex crisis, which has affected the lives of some 21 million of Yemen’s 25 million people.
IOM aid has targeted half of Yemen’s governorates, including Aden, Taiz and Sa’ada, all of which were conflict frontlines at some point.
IOM has also activated its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) to systematically capture, process and disseminate information on internally displaced people (IDPs).
The data informs IOM and other humanitarian actors, enabling immediate provision of direct assistance, including NFI distributions, water trucking and medical services.
IOM’s activities in Yemen have made possible by the support of donors including DFID, ECHO, the US State Department, OFDA, Japan, Sida, Finland, UN-CERF, UN-HPF and USAIM.
