Five years of conflict, severe economic decline, and the COVID-19 pandemic, are driving Yemen to the brink of famine and exacerbating needs in all sectors. As highlighted by the most recent Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), of Yemen’s 30.5-million-person population, a staggering 24.1 million are in need.
Current support interventions are not sufficient to address this; as of January 2021, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) was only 55% funded, leaving millions still in desperate need of emergency life-saving assistance. Loss of employment and income, major decline in overseas remittances, inflation, and the collapse of public services, are aggravating the already fragile socio-economic context in Yemen.
Economic factors are the key drivers of household level instability and food insecurity, with households lacking the means to pay for food without any income sources or assets to liquidate. Short to medium term interventions to support people with vulnerable livelihoods are required to overcome the challenges that have come with COVID-19 mitigation measures and loss of income opportunities. The potential of a high quality coffee sector in Yemen represents a true sustainable opportunity; agriculture (including coffee) forms a large share (63%+) of the working force, with more than 75% of farmers being women. By creating quality standards and access to international markets, it has the potential to diminish the impact of food insecurity for a large group of the Yemen population, by creating sustainable livelihoods. For many Yemenis still facing a life altered by the tragedy of the ongoing conflict, ‘coffee is a pathway to sustainable income and a way for Yemeni families to access critical basic services to survive’.
Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps has been responding to long-term development challenges in Yemen since 2010, and continues to address the severe humanitarian and economic crises exacerbated by the crisis. Through a team of approximately 100 staff in both the north and south of the country, Mercy Corps is addressing critical humanitarian needs of vulnerable, displaced and conflict-affected households.
Their work focuses on providing food, clean water, supplies and education about diet and sanitation to families that have no access to food or clean water. Additionally, Mercy Corps has extensive experience providing cash and voucher assistance, which is one of the most effective ways to get aid directly into the hands of people who need it the most while also helping to support the local economy. Mercy Corps has also been one of the few INGOs to focus on supporting livelihoods as part of its work in Yemen, which focuses on creating a more conducive environment for trade, investments, business development, and employment through strengthened enterprises. Previously, Mercy Corps provided support to smallholder farmers and the value chain of sesame seeds. Currently, Mercy Corps is supporting 275 small businesses to recover from- and prepare for conflict-related shocks and stressors
Mercy Corps maintains strong relationships with local and international partners, as well as government institutions. The majority of national staff work in the communities where they are from, building on their community relationships.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
The health system in Yemen has largely collapsed during the years of war. Health facilities – including those run or supported by MSF – have been destroyed in the fighting.
Following the outbreak of the war, the imposition of a blockade by the Saudi-led coalition in 2015, import restrictions, high inflation and the division of the country into areas ruled by different authorities have crippled Yemenis’ access to healthcare and other essential services.
War and violence
MSF teams and facilities supported by MSF have treated more than 80,000 patients wounded by violence across 12 governorates since the conflict began in March 2015. According to the Yemen Data Project, more than 22,000 air raids had been recorded by November 2020.
Neglected health needs
Even where medical facilities are operational, most people are no longer able to afford the transport costs to go to them. This prevents them from seeking timely care, allowing easily curable health conditions to become severe or deadly. Women often give birth at home and seek care only when complications occur. Malnutrition among children remains high.