Yemen Pledging Falls Far Short of What is Needed to Help Yemeni People Survive
Following today’s High-Level Yemen Pledging Event, held in Geneva, INGOs working in Yemen are deeply concerned over the expected consequences of a major funding shortfall. World leaders pledged less than US$ 1.2 bn for a humanitarian response that requires more than triple that amount.
The reduced funding to help the Yemeni people access protection, food, shelter and other lifesaving services comes at a critical time. Last year’s six-month truce brought hope to millions as fighting, civilian casualties and conflict-related displacement decreased significantly. But failure to renew the truce after it expired last October means that the situation remains extremely volatile, and the humanitarian situation remains dire with no significant decrease in the number of people in need.
“The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is one of the worst and most complex in the world, affecting millions of civilians who are in urgent need of assistance. Without adequate funding, it will be impossible to provide life-saving assistance to those who need it the most. We cannot allow the people of Yemen to suffer any longer.”
“I urge the international community to recommit to their promises and to work together to ensure that the needs of the Yemeni people are met with the urgency and scale that the situation demands. Ending the conflict is key to reduce the impact of the crisis on Yemeni people and the international community must double diplomacy to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace,” said Action for Humanity Country Director Mohammed Bahashwan.
While donors at the conference clearly highlighted the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in Yemen, the signatories would like to emphasize the complexity of reaching a real political solution to Yemen’s long conflict and the role that addressing extreme levels of humanitarian need will play in that process.
Humanitarian actors have assessed that US$ 4.3 billion is needed to help more than 17.3 million Yemenis survive. Although fighting has reduced in many places, the economic crisis continues to push up prices of food and basic goods and services, making them increasingly out of the reach of many. Without steady sources of income, families remain dependent on humanitarian aid.
Over 4.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes, making Yemen the sixth largest displacement crisis in the world. Less than half of health facilities are currently reported to be functioning, with about 11 percent fully or partially damaged due to the conflict. There was an increase of an estimated 280,000 out-of-school children in 2022. Additionally, civilian victims of explosive remnants of war increased by 160 percent, even while the truce held.
Last year’s humanitarian response was only 52.5 percent funded and INGOs fear a continued downward trend will require aid agencies to further reduce life-saving assistance.
The gap in funding at this critical time will have not only an immediate negative impact on the lives of millions of civilians in Yemen, but on the long-term stability of the country. INGOs call on the international community to demonstrate its continued commitment to the people of Yemen by increasing the pledges towards the humanitarian response in the coming months.
Signatories:
ACTED/ Action Contre la Faim/Action for Humanity/ADRA/CARE/Catholic Relief Services/Center for Civilians in Conflict/Danish Refugee Council/ Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe/Direct Aid/ Handicap International - Humanity and Inclusion/Human Appeal/ Humanitarian Aid & Development Org/International Rescue Committee/Intersos/Islamic Help UK/ MEDGLOBAL/Mercy Corps/Norwegian People’s Aid/Norwegian Refugee Council/Oxfam/People in Need/Polish Humanitarian Action/Première Urgence – Aide Médicale Internationale/READ Foundation/Relief International/Saferworld/Save the Children/Search for Common Ground/ SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL/Vison Hope International/War Child Canada/War Child UK/ZOA