Yemen
Yemen
Yemen remains one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. After seven years of devastating and unrelenting conflict, some 23.4 million Yemenis (73% of the country's population) depend on humanitarian assistance to survive, including 4.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). The country has the fourth-largest IDP population due to conflict in the world.
Escalation of conflict, ongoing insecurity, embargoes and a collapsed economy have pushed an estimated 80% of the population below the poverty line. The protection environment throughout the country remains dire, and civilians keep bearing the brunt of the conflict.
Yemen hosts 95,815 refugees and asylum-seekers, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia. It remains the only country in the Arabian Peninsula signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and a geographic crossroad for migratory and transitory movements from the Horn of Africa and beyond.
UNHCR leads the Protection, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), and Shelter/Non-Food Items clusters as part of the inter-agency humanitarian response to assist those most in need in Yemen. In addition, UNHCR remains the only agency addressing the protection and well-being of refugees and asylum-seekers across the country. UNHCR's response focuses primarily on protection interventions, shelter support, CCCM services, cash assistance, peaceful coexistence and social cohesion projects, and comprehensive refugee response.
Today, the Operation has a well-established presence across the country. It covers most of its 22 governorates and 333 districts through its Country Office in Sana'a, a Sub-Office in Aden, field offices in Marib, Al-Hudaydah, Sa'ada and Ibb, and a field unit in Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj Governorate. A summary of the 2022 Operation's response strategy is available on Global Focus.
At this critical time, humanitarian action in Yemen and the support of the international community to save lives, alleviate suffering, and give a sense of dignity and hope to the displaced remain imperative.
Additional information
For information about our work in Yemen:
For up-to-date information about our programmes and operations in Yemen, including funding level and donor contributions, visit Global Focus, UNHCR's reporting portal.
For legislation, case law and UNHCR policy relating to claims for international protection, visit Refworld.