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After 9 years into the conflict in Yemen half of the population needs lifesaving support by Norwegian Refugee Council, OCHA, UNICEF, agencies June 2025 YEMEN: More than 17 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity. (IPC) Yemen is facing alarmingly high levels of food insecurity, with pockets of the population projected to face IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) by September 2025. Nearly half the population for both the Government of Yemen (GoY) and Sana'a Based Authorities (SBA) controlled areas are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, translating to over 17 million people classified in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between May and August 2025. Over 5.2 million people are experiencing Emergency levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) and 11.9 million people (34 percent of the analysed population) are experiencing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of acute food insecurity. The food security situation is projected to worsen between September 2025 and February 2026 with an estimated 18.1 million people expected to face Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse), representing 52 percent of the population. This marks a surge of one million additional people in Crisis or worse compared to the May to August 2025 period. Yemen’s food security crisis stems from shocks—conflict, floods and economic issues—exacerbated by poverty and other structural vulnerabilities. While external aid and strong social ties previously mitigated severe food insecurity, these safeguards are now weakening and insufficient to prevent further deterioration. http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1159662/ http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-129/en/ Mar. 2025 Yemen marks a Decade of War and Humanitarian Despair (IOM, Oxfam) As Yemen enters its eleventh year of conflict, the country remains in the grip of relentless suffering. Close to 20 million people rely on aid to survive, with many having endured repeated displacement, rising hunger, and the collapse of essential services. An estimated 4.8 million people remain displaced across Yemen, many living in makeshift shelters that offer little protection against harsh weather and minimal access to basic services. Women and children are among the most affected, exposed to heightened risks of violence, malnutrition, and poor health. At the same time, floods, droughts, and extreme weather are worsening the already dire situation. Stranded migrants face brutal conditions with little chance of escape. Yet, as funding shortfalls worsen, humanitarian efforts are unable to keep up, leaving countless people in urgent need. “The war in Yemen has faded from global attention, but for those living through it, the suffering has never stopped,” said International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope. “After more than a decade of conflict, displacement, and economic collapse, Yemen remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. However, as global attention shifts elsewhere, funding is dwindling. Now, more than ever, global solidarity is needed to prevent millions from being left behind.” Now, as the holy month of Ramadan unfolds, the weight of this crisis is even heavier. For many in Yemen, iftar will not be a time of gathering and abundance, but another night of going to sleep hungry, uncertain of what tomorrow will bring. While families around the world prepare for Eid, Yemenis will mark yet another holiday in the shadow of war, where loss, hunger, and hardship have become the norm. Despite ongoing efforts to provide aid, severe funding gaps are making it harder to reach those in greatest need. In many areas, displaced communities are surviving with barely any assistance. As needs grow, resources continue to shrink, leaving millions at risk. “The people of Yemen cannot afford to be forgotten,” DG Pope added. “As families break their fast with barely enough to eat, as parents face another Eid unable to provide for their children, and as migrants remain stranded with no way home, the world cannot turn away. Every day without action means more suffering, more lives lost, and less hope for the future”. As Yemen marks another year of war, IOM calls on the international community to act now, before more lives are lost. Humanitarian needs remain vast, and the consequences of inaction will be severe. The already dire situation is at risk of becoming even more neglected, as global crises compete for attention and resources. http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/116-aid-organizations-call-immediate-action-pull-yemen-back-brink-catastrophe-enar http://www.iom.int/news/iom-chief-sounds-alarm-yemen-marks-decade-war-and-humanitarian-despair http://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2025/03/104732/yemen-one-two-children-severely-malnourished-after-10-years-war http://www.msf.org/alarming-rise-numbers-malnourished-children-yemen http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/yemen-faces-economic-freefall-and-devastating-aid-crisis-after-decade-conflict-oxfam http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/yemen-us-abrupt-and-irresponsible-aid-cuts-compound-humanitarian-crisis-and-put-millions-at-risk http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-addendum-2025-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-hnrp-urgent-funding-requirements-enar Dec. 2024 Millions of Yemenis will bear the brunt of attacks on Yemen's critical civilian infrastructure. (Reliefweb, agencies) International and national organisations delivering humanitarian aid in Yemen are deeply concerned about the airstrikes on critical civilian infrastructure, including Sana’a International Airport, power stations in Sana’a and Hodeidah Governorates, and seaports in and near Hodeidah on Thursday 26 December. These attacks on vital infrastructure serve as a stark reminder of the importance of respecting international humanitarian law, particularly the need to protect critical civilian air and maritime gateways that are indispensable to the survival of millions of Yemenis. Sana’a airport remains a crucial lifeline for Yemenis seeking to travel - including for lifesaving overseas medical treatment - only made possible when limited flights resumed in May 2022 following almost six years of blockade. The airport is also a much-needed delivery point for humanitarian aid in a country where around half of the population (anticipated to rise from 18 million to 19.5 million people in 2025) are in need of assistance - 77 per cent of whom are women and children. Thursday’s airstrikes on Sana’a Airport departures terminal, runway and control tower came at a time when scores of civilian passengers, humanitarian workers, and a high-level UN delegation were present, resulting in civilian casualties. Damaging electricity infrastructure is of particular concern in a country suffering from one of the world’s lowest levels of electricity connectivity, with millions of Yemenis relying on costly private electricity supply. Targeting power stations in and around Sana’a and Hodeidah, will place a heavier burden on Yemeni households, water infrastructure, livelihoods sources and the already fragile health system including hospitals. With ensuing power cuts in Hodeidah, the main kidney dialysis centre was incapacitated for hours, demonstrating the immediate consequences on human lives. Seaports in Hodeidah Governorate are essential import terminals for lifesaving and life-sustaining humanitarian aid, basic food items such as wheat and rice on which millions of Yemeni civilians rely on for survival, as well as fuel. Yemen depends overwhelmingly on imports through vital ports, including in Hodeidah, with nearly 90 per cent of people in Yemen relying on food imports. After devastating flooding this summer severely impacted crop production, Yemenis are even more reliant on food imports and emergency aid to combat crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). We call on all actors to adhere to international humanitarian law, to ensure the protection of civilian infrastructure that provide critical essential services indispensable for the survival of millions of civilians in Yemen. The consequences of attacks on civilian facilities will be severe and long-lasting for Yemeni civilians, already suffering exhaustion from a decade-long conflict. We call on all parties to prioritize dialogue and negotiation, refraining from attacks that endanger civilian lives, destroy crucial civilian infrastructure, and deepen regional instability. We further urge every actor to de-escalate, recognizing that it is civilians in Yemen who pay the ultimate costs. http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/millions-yemenis-will-bear-brunt-attacks-yemens-critical-civilian-infrastructure-enar http://www.unocha.org/news/un-deputy-relief-chief-urges-security-council-push-lasting-political-resolution-yemen http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159036 http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-2025-january-2025 Apr. 2024 9 years into the conflict in Yemen, millions of children are malnourished and stunted. More than half of the population needs lifesaving support. (UNICEF) Nine years into the conflict in Yemen, almost 10 million children remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. While the reduction in active conflict since April 2022 has led to a decrease in civilian casualties and distress across communities, the situation remains fragile without a sustainable political settlement - especially critical at a time when more than half of the population - 18.2 million people, including 9.8 million children – remain in need of lifesaving support. The fragility is most clearly demonstrated by persistent malnutrition in the country, where more than 2.7 million children are acutely malnourished and 49 per cent of children under the age of five suffer from stunting or chronic malnutrition. This condition hinders children from growing to their full potential with irreversible damage to long-term physical and cognitive development. “The vicious combination of years of protracted conflict, a shattered economy, and a failed social support system have had a devastating impact on the lives of the most vulnerable children in Yemen,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Far too many children continue to be deprived of basic necessities, including proper nutrition, which could threaten generations to come unless urgent action is taken to provide children with the preventive measures and treatment they so desperately need.” In 2024 UNICEF aims to reach more than 500,000 children with treatment for severe acute malnutrition, a critical measure in contributing to a reduction in under-5 mortality. Despite the truce-like conditions, intermittent fighting and exchanges of fire continue in many parts of the country with children being the victims of landmines and explosive remnants of war. “UNICEF and partners will continue our life-saving work in Yemen to help ensure that children who have suffered so much will have brighter days – and futures – ahead,” said Russell. “To do this, we need continued support, commitment and solidarity from our partners and the international community.” The considerable investment in meeting the humanitarian needs of the population over the past 9 years has helped save, protect and improve the lives of women and children, but it is imperative that this support continues in order to restore and build the resilience of communities, including through improved access to quality basic services. UNICEF urgently needs US$142 million in 2024 to respond to the humanitarian crisis and continue to deliver humanitarian support, including nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, education and protection services. http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/acute-malnutrition-surges-government-yemen-controlled-areas-extremely-critical http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/9-years-conflict-yemen-millions-children-are-malnourished-and-stunted http://www.unicef.org/yemen/reports/ipc-acute-malnutrition-analysis http://www.msf.org/numbers-malnourished-women-rise-yemen http://www.nrc.no/news/2024/march/nine-years-on-economic-downturn-plunges-millions-into-poverty-in-yemen/ http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/joint-statement-190-humanitarian-organisations-yemen-humanitarian-partners-urge-donors-remain-committed-millions-need-yemen-enar Feb. 2024 The humanitarian community appeals to donors to help millions in need in Yemen. (OCHA) After more than nine years of conflict, 18.2 million people in Yemen require support. 17.6 million people are estimated to face acute food insecurity in 2024. In 2023, child mortality slightly improved following years of sustained humanitarian assistance. However, Yemen is experiencing some of the highest malnutrition rates ever recorded—with nearly half of all children under five years experiencing moderate to severe stunting—and the situation continues to worsen. An estimated 6.7 million people are living in inadequate shelters. Limited access to critical services continues to worsen the conditions for the most vulnerable groups, including women and children. 12.4 million people lack sufficient access to safe drinking water, increasing the risk of infectious diseases, while more than 4.5 million children of school age (5 to 17 years) do not attend schools. An estimated 4.5 million people are currently displaced in Yemen, one-third of whom have been displaced more than once, eroding their coping capacity. The United Nations and its partners released the 2024 Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) today to reach millions of people with lifesaving assistance and protection services. Given the critical needs, 219 humanitarian partners are appealing for urgent support for over 18.2 million women, girls, boys and men. “The HNO and the HRP give voice to civilians in Yemen, who have faced tremendous suffering daily for more than nine years due to conflict, economic deterioration, severely disrupted public infrastructure and services, as well as climate change,” said Peter Hawkins, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. “They demonstrate our collective and coordinated efforts to save lives, reduce risks and support resilience.” The Humanitarian Response Plan for 2024 is based on consultations across the country with affected people, authorities and institutions, humanitarian actors, and development partners at both local and national levels. It also reflects the way the humanitarian community will adapt its response in view of limited funding and access constraints. “Yemen is facing a critical juncture and has a unique opportunity to take a decisive step away from the humanitarian crisis by addressing the drivers of need,” Mr. Hawkins said. “While regional conflict dynamics have introduced additional risks, the humanitarian community remains committed to stay and deliver.” “We must not turn our backs on the people of Yemen. I am appealing to donors for their continued and urgent support to save lives, build resilience, and also to fund sustainable interventions,” said Mr. Hawkins. http://www.unocha.org/news/yemen-ocha-urges-security-council-choose-path-de-escalation-and-peace http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/humanitarian-community-appeals-donors-help-millions-need-yemen-enar Oct. 2023 Millions still struggling to survive in Yemen, as the cost of food soars 300%, humanitarian actors warn. (Reliefweb) One year since the non-renewal of the formal truce in Yemen we, the undersigned 48 organizations, call for urgent action to address the deteriorating economic crisis affecting civilians across Yemen, but particularly in areas controlled by the Internationally Recognized Government (IRG). For the last eight years and since the conflict escalated in 2015, Yemen’s economy has steadily declined. Today, it is on the verge of collapse. While economic challenges are rife across the country, rising inflation and the deterioration of public services are making life unbearable for hundreds of thousands of families in IRG-controlled areas. Power stations are shutting down due to a lack of fuel and high prices as refineries are not operating. As a result, power outages in Aden are reaching 17 hours per day, amid soaring temperatures, impacting service provision and economic activity. The irregularity and delays in the payment of public wages remains a major issue across the country. Across southern governorates, schools struggled to reopen in September because of teacher strikes over pay, disrupting access to education for thousands of children. While protests have been ongoing the past eight years, in recent weeks, they have gained renewed momentum with demonstrators taking to the streets to protest severe living conditions, calling for "bread, water, and power." As of August 2023, more than 50% of households in IRG-controlled areas are unable to meet their basic food requirements as the price of a minimum food basket – food a family needs to survive for a month - has increased by nearly 300% in the past five years. Basic food prices have also surged exponentially. As families struggle to put food on the table, malnutrition increased in 2023 compared to 2022. The economic downturn has led to high levels of unemployment and poverty. Hundreds of businesses have been disrupted or destroyed during the conflict, leaving many without livelihoods opportunities. With the average monthly salary at 60,000 YER - approximately US $42 - families are struggling to cover half of their food needs for a month, even before costs such as water, fuel, and medical care. Across the south, the value of the Yemeni Riyal (YER) has dropped more than 28 percent against the dollar in the past 12 months alone. This is further impacting the affordability of essential food and medical care.. The absence of a comprehensive social protection system has reduced the ability of families to cope with economic shocks and compounded the crisis. As conflict parties fail to agree on measures to stabilize the economic situation, including the payment of public salaries, thousands more households could experience further suffering and face extreme hunger. Across the country, women and children are disproportionately impacted. Women often eat least and last, giving priority to children and other family members, and are further exposed to risks and experience the highest levels of all forms of violence. Girls are at increased risk of early marriage to reduce the number of family members to feed. Increasingly, people in Yemen are being forced to adopt negative coping mechanisms such as begging for food and money. While children are at increased risk of child labour and begging and may be forced to drop out of school. To address the deteriorating economic crisis, and alleviate the suffering of civilians, we call for the following urgent actions to be taken: * The IRG, with support from the international community must take concrete measures to resolve the power crisis and ensure access to basic services, including healthcare, sanitation, water, and education, in coordination with local actors. This must include funding and support for social protection systems, especially for those at risk of food insecurity. * Parties to the conflict should cooperate to respond to the needs of all Yemenis, including regular public sector salary payments nationwide, affordable basic commodities, the resumption of exports, a functional banking system and facilitating commercial activity. * The international community should support a fully funded economic recovery plan to stabilise the economy and prevent further food price rises, as well as provide foreign reserves to subsidize commercial imports of food and fuel. * Donors must fund the 70 percent gap in the humanitarian response for critical sectors including protection, health, education, and disburse existing pledges. Donors should operationalise a humanitarian-development nexus approach and support durable solutions to strengthen resilience and self-reliance. * Parties to conflict should continue to negotiate towards an inclusive, sustainable peace to prevent further deterioration of the economy. Yemen is at a critical juncture. Concerted efforts by parties to the conflict and the international community are needed now to support stability, peace, and prosperity. http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/millions-still-struggling-survive-yemen-cost-food-soars-300-humanitarian-actors-warn-enar http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/jan/16/usuk-airstrikes-force-aid-agencies-to-suspend-operations-in-yemen http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-escalation-spells-disaster-civilians-still-reeling-crisis-say-ingos http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/press-releases/airstrikes-in-yemen-limit-humanitarian-access-to-17-million-food-insecure-people-threaten-to-escalate-hunger-crisis/ Mar. 2023 In Yemen, funding cuts are forcing us to triage the vulnerable - Jan Egeland, Secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council As a veteran humanitarian aid worker, I have seen some of the worst conflicts and disasters in the world. But I have rarely witnessed a situation as dire as Yemen, where two-thirds of the population needs aid. The recent pledging conference for Yemen’s humanitarian crisis was a sobering reminder of how far we are from being able to adequately support the Yemeni people, who have been brought to their knees by eight years of conflict. It also sends a signal that some lives are less valuable than others. Baheyah Abdu comes to my mind. The 40-year-old mother of 10 has been displaced for the full eight years of this crisis, fighting for basic services in a makeshift camp in the southern city of Taiz. With prices skyrocketing, her husband’s daily wage of less than $1 now buys only bread and sometimes tomatoes for their family. At the end of last year, funding gaps meant the little aid they received was halted, forcing her to stop sending her children to school and leaving her unable to pay for medical care. Baheyah is now left to her own devices. Like millions of other Yemenis, it is unlikely she will get any aid this year. The numbers speak for themselves: A mere quarter of the $4.3bn needed for the humanitarian response this year has been promised and less than 5 percent has actually been provided. This means that aid organisations are being forced to triage the vulnerable in an emergency ward of despair. This is unacceptable, and we must call out the countries responsible for this deadly funding gap. Many of the countries that have been directly or indirectly involved in this war through bombing, fighting or arms sales have promised less funding than before – and some nothing at all: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. We are also disappointed that those who willingly provided arms in this terrible war – the United States, the United Kingdom and other European nations – did not give more. In the years when the conflict they provided the tools for was causing mass casualties and ripping through the social fabric of the country, funding was relatively forthcoming. Now that the world’s interest in Yemen has dimmed, key actors in the war that caused the suffering slash funding and seem to turn their backs. This neglect comes at a crucial moment for Yemen when the warring parties are in the midst of truce negotiations. World powers, therefore, are sending the entirely wrong message at a critical time when we all could and should be giving Yemen the final push towards an end to the conflict and long-lasting stability. We will not sit by and let them get away with this unnoticed. Nations that were willing to provide billions to wage war are now committing Yemen’s most vulnerable to another year of suffering, another year without enough food on their plates, without the support they need to live a dignified life. This is not a problem of finite resources; it is one of political will. My Norwegian Refugee Council colleagues in Yemen will keep reaching out to people in need and documenting the impact of the funding cuts on families terrified by the prospect of not getting aid. We will make it clear that funding cuts now are forcing us to make impossible decisions about which vulnerable children to help and which to strike off our list. Eight years of this man-made disaster should have led us to a turning point of hope. While the fragile ceasefire has not yet been extended, the relative calm across the country helped us all believe that the end of this nightmare was near. Now we do not know if the most vulnerable will survive starvation as the funds start to dry up. Baheyah hopes her voice is heard by regional and world leaders who have seemingly abandoned Yemen. We want to let her and millions of her fellow Yemenis know that we will not leave them behind. http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/open-letter-yemeni-parties-conflict-141-ngos-restore-and-renew-truce-and-build-lasting-peace-enar http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/8-years-crushing-conflict-yemen-leave-more-11-million-children-need-humanitarian http://www.unfpa.org/press/126-million-women-and-girls-yemen-need-life-saving-support http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-response-plan-2023-january-2023-enar http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/eighth-anniversary-yemen-conflict-tens-millions-need-assistance http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-73/en/ Oct. 2022 UN chief urges Yemen rivals to avoid new violence and renew ceasefire. (news wires) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Yemen’s warring parties on Monday to refrain from any provocations that could escalate violence. The move follows the failure to extend a nationwide cease-fire and to engage with each other to renew the truce. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the secretary-general is disappointed that the internationally recognised government and Houthi rebels didn’t reach an agreement before the Oct. 2 deadline. But he stressed: “We in no way see it as the end of the road.” The initial two-month truce agreed to on April 2 and extended twice brought the longest lull in fighting since the devastating civil war began in 2014. The failure to renew it for an even longer period as the UN sought has raised fears of renewed clashes and a worsening of the already dire humanitarian situation in the Arab world’s poorest country. Dujarric said UN special envoy Hans Grundberg is still in negotiations with the government and the Houthis and will continue to explore “options that are acceptable to both parties.” Yemen’s civil war which began in 2014, has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than 18 million people suffering acute food insecurity. Last Friday, Guterres urged both sides to prioritize the national interests of the Yemeni people, expand the truce and “choose peace for good.” His statement followed a stark warning three days earlier from UN envoy Grundberg that the risk of a return to fighting “is real.” Dujarric, said there’s still time for the parties to "do what they need to do to benefit the people of Yemen.” “The truce has directly benefited Yemeni civilians,” he said. “Major military activity stopped, including Saudi-led coalition airstrikes and Houthi cross-border attacks. Fuel imports through Hodeida ports eased shortages, and international commercial flights out of Sanaa airport to Amman and other destinations resumed.” http://www.nrc.no/news/2022/october/yemen-failure-to-renew-truce-deeply-disappointing/ http://www.nrc.no/news/2023/february/53-ngos-call-for-full-and-equitable-funding-to-address-root-causes-of-the-crisis-in-yemen/ http://www.care.org/news-and-stories/press-releases/failure-to-extend-the-un-brokered-truce-in-yemen/ http://www.savethechildren.net/news/disappointment-and-concerns-renewal-violence-yemens-truce-fails-be-extended http://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2022-press-releases/yemen-children-demand-new-truce-as-one-child-killed-or-injured-every-day-in-2022 http://www.oxfam.org.nz/news-media/oxfam-reacts-to-failure-to-extend-the-truce-in-yemen/ http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1155479/?iso3=YEM http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-needs-overview-2023-december-2022-enar http://www.acaps.org/country/yemen/crisis/complex-crisis http://unocha.exposure.co/fawaz-a-story-of-survival-against-all-odds http://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/middle-east/yemen http://www.icj.org/on-international-human-rights-day-yemen-is-a-critical-test-of-global-commitment-to-human-rights/ Sep. 2022 Support, sustain and expand the truce agreement in Yemen - Norwegian Refugee Council, agencies After enduring more than seven years of brutal conflict the people of Yemen have finally had the opportunity to experience what it means to feel hopeful. An unprecedented truce, now in its sixth month, brings with it the possibility for longer-term peace and the chance to rebuild lives and livelihoods. But while the conflict has slowed, humanitarian needs continue to increase, and the humanitarian response remains under and unequally funded. Millions remain displaced, children cannot attend school, livelihoods have been shattered, and the country is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate. Yet almost half of all available funding goes towards food assistance at the expense of other types of aid that can help build resilience and address the underlying and root causes of the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The truce offers a critical window of opportunity for the international community to enhance concrete returns on their humanitarian investments in Yemen. A focus on closing the unequal humanitarian funding gap and resourcing programs that can help move the Yemeni people away from aid dependence and increase resilience will help ensure the long-term recovery and stabilisation of Yemen. However, the unprecedented opportunity and hope for the future brought by the truce risks being lost if lifesaving programming is reduced due to underfunding. Now is the time for action. The international community must redouble their efforts to support both a long-term truce and a full and equitably funded humanitarian response, in order to allow people to rebuild and recover their lives. In March 2022, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly, called for sustained humanitarian assistance to stave off famine and to support an integrated humanitarian response for millions of people; through protection, clean water, basic health care, and access to critical services. Today, however, as we approach the final quarter of 2022, the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan is only 47.2 per cent funded. More than half of those resources go to food and nutrition, while funding to address other needs remains severely limited, including programming that is critical to increasing resilience to famine and food insecurity like water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives, protection interventions and livelihoods projects. During the last Yemen Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in June 2022, stakeholders recognized Yemen as a protection crisis, yet despite this, funding for protection programming is at just 36.9 per cent (of the 47.2 percent available). The current level of hunger in Yemen is indeed unprecedented. Despite ongoing humanitarian assistance, 17.4 million Yemenis are food insecure and in need of assistance to ward off the risk of famine and this number is set to rise to 19 million by December 2022. Malnutrition rates among women and children in Yemen remain among the highest in the world, with 1.3 million pregnant or breastfeeding women and 2.2 million children under 5 requiring treatment for acute malnutrition. Within this fragile context, women and girls are experiencing increased risks of violence and exploitation as families take up negative coping mechanisms. In order to address this crisis, we must understand the root causes of food insecurity. Conflict remains the primary underlying driver of hunger in Yemen. For example, conflict-related limitations on access to basic needs and services run all the way across Yemen. Attacks on hospitals and clinics and the lack of fuel availability before the truce went into effect, weakened Yemen's already fragile healthcare system. As a result, access to lifesaving treatment, that is so critical in addressing malnutrition and nursing children back to life, has been severely disrupted. Moreover, the impacts of climate change and natural hazards are cited as key drivers of food insecurity in Yemen, with extreme weather like high temperatures, droughts and floods impacting Yemen’s economy, agriculture, households and health. Likewise, it is also estimated that 17.8 million people lack access to safe water and adequate sanitation services. The current water network reaches less than 30 per cent of the Yemeni population. Unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are directly linked to undernutrition yet WASH programming remains only 22.5% funded. As millions of Yemenis, including women and children, need to walk for miles to fetch clean water they expose themselves to further risks related to conflict. Increased funding for WASH, protection and sustained peace are all required to end this declin More than seven years of conflict have decimated Yemen’s economy and left many unable to afford to feed their families, even while food is readily available. The depreciation of the currency in IRG-controlled areas of Yemen, together with conflict-related restrictions on trade and investment, the war in Ukraine and the ensuing disruption of the global food supply chain, has resulted in rising food prices. At the same time, many people are struggling to find livelihoods, and public sector salaries have not been paid regularly -if at all- since 2016. Greater support towards enabling livelihood opportunities is essential to allow ordinary Yemenis to feed their families, now and in the long term. The truce between parties in Yemen has been holding broadly since 2 April 2022. Neither confirmed airstrikes inside the country have occurred, nor cross-border attacks from Yemen. However, while this offers a welcome respite after over seven years of active conflict, people across Yemen continue to face a dire humanitarian situation and daily, critical risks to life. While civilian casualties dropped by more than 50 per cent during the first three months of the truce, compared to the three months prior, casualties as a result of landmines and UXOs have continued to rise, even while the truce holds. Increased funding to support a scaled-up Humanitarian Mine Action response across the whole of Yemen is urgently needed, not only to address the immediate critical risks but also as an integral component of Yemenis’ route to stability. And finally, over 8.5 million girls and boys need education assistance, with 2.42 million estimated to be out of school in many instances because teachers are not receiving salaries and must find livelihoods opportunities elsewhere. Limited and unequal education access is destabilising and impedes peacebuilding and development. Despite this, education programming remains only 5.6 per cent funded. With the truce set to expire on 2 October now is a critical moment both for the people of Yemen, and for the future of the country and region. The international community must do everything in its power to ensure the truce is extended, and at the same time, commit to a full and equitably funded humanitarian response, to allow humanitarian actors to build on gains made by the truce and ensure the long-term recovery and stabilisation of Yemen. The international community must take immediate action to: Engage all parties to the conflict to support and sustain an expanded truce and find a fully inclusive and sustainable political solution to the conflict, Deliver on their funding commitments to ensure a full and equitably funded humanitarian response that is designed to address the root causes of humanitarian crises in Yemen, Support the meaningful and active engagement Yemeni civil society, including women and youth, as part of the ongoing truce discussions and across all tracks of any future peace process. Visit the related web page |
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Conflicts push forcibly displaced over 100 million for first time by Filippo Grandi UN High Commissioner for Refugees, agencies June 2024 Forced displacement surged to historic new levels across the globe last year and this, according to the 2024 flagship Global Trends Report from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The rise in overall forced displacement – to 120 million by May 2024 – was the 12th consecutive annual increase and reflects both new and mutating conflicts and a failure to resolve long-standing crises. The figure would make the global displaced population equivalent to the 12th largest country in the world, around the size of Japan’s. A key factor driving the figures higher has been the devastating conflict in Sudan: at the end of 2023, 10.8 million Sudanese remained uprooted. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar, millions were internally displaced last year by vicious fighting. UNRWA estimates that by the end of last year, up to 1.7 million people (75 per cent of the population) had been displaced in the Gaza Strip by the catastrophic violence, most of whom were Palestine refugees. Syria remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 13.8 million forcibly displaced in and outside the country. “Behind these stark and rising numbers lie countless human tragedies. That suffering must galvanize the international community to act urgently to tackle the root causes of forced displacement,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “It is high time for warring parties to respect the basic laws of war and international law. The fact is that without better cooperation and concerted efforts to address conflict, human rights violations and the climate crisis, displacement figures will keep rising, bringing fresh misery and costly humanitarian responses.” The largest increase in displacement figures came from people fleeing conflict who remain in their own country, rising to 68.3 million people according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre – up almost 50 per cent over five years. The number of refugees, and others in need of international protection, climbed to 43.4 million when including those under UNHCR and UNRWA’s mandates. The vast majority of refugees are hosted in countries neighbouring their own, with 75 per cent residing in low- and middle-income countries that together produce less than 20 per cent of the world’s income. The report showed that worldwide, more than 5 million internally displaced people and 1 million refugees returned home in 2023. These figures show some progress towards longer-term solutions. “Refugees – and the communities hosting them – need solidarity and a helping hand. They can and do contribute to societies when they are included,” Grandi added. “Equally, last year millions of people returned home, representing an important glimmer of hope. Solutions are out there – we’ve seen countries like Kenya lead the way in refugee inclusion – but it takes real commitment.” The report also offered new analysis on the climate crisis and how it increasingly and disproportionately affects forcibly displaced people. Given the immense challenges facing 120 million forcibly displaced people outlined in the Global Trends report, UNHCR remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering new approaches and solutions to help people forced to flee their homes, wherever they are. http://www.unhcr.org/global-trends-report-2023 http://www.unhcr.org/global-trends http://www.unhcr.org/news-and-stories http://www.unhcr.org/emergencies http://www.nrc.no/feature/2024/can-the-world-afford-another-crisis/ http://reliefweb.int/report/world/ration-cuts-taking-hungry-feed-starving http://press.un.org/en/2024/ecosoc7173.doc.htm May 2024 Conflicts drive new record of 75.9 million people living in internal displacement, reports the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Conflict and violence in Sudan, Palestine and elsewhere drove the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) around the world to 75.9 million at the end of 2023, a new record, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), which published its annual Global Report on Internal Displacement today. Of the total, 68.3 million were displaced by conflict and violence and 7.7 million by disasters. Almost half, 46 per cent, of all IDPs live in sub-Saharan Africa. In Sudan, the 9.1m people displaced at the end of the year was the most ever recorded in a single country since records began in 2008. Sudan's 6 million internal displacements, or forced movements, by conflict during 2023 were more than its previous 14 years combined and the second most ever recorded in one country after Ukraine's 16.9 million in 2022. In the Gaza Strip, IDMC calculated 3.4 million displacements in the last three months of 2023, which was 17 per cent of total conflict displacements worldwide during the year. Alexandra Bilak, IDMC director, said the millions of people forced to flee in 2023 were just the "tip of the iceberg", adding to the tens of millions of IDPs already displaced from previous and ongoing conflicts, violence and disasters. "Over the past two years, we've seen alarming new levels of people having to flee their homes due to conflict and violence, even in regions where the trend had been improving," said Ms Bilak. "Conflict, and the devastation it leaves behind, is keeping millions from rebuilding their lives, often for years on end." In the past five years, the number of people living in internal displacement as a result of conflict and violence has increased by 22.6 million, or 49 per cent, with the two biggest increases in 2022 and 2023. "Millions of families are having their lives torn apart by conflict and violence. We have never, ever recorded so many people forced away from their homes and communities. It is a damning verdict on the failures of conflict prevention and peace-making," said Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council. "The suffering and the displacement last far beyond the news cycle. Too often their fate ends up in silence and neglect. The lack of protection and assistance that millions endure cannot be allowed to continue." Floods, storms, earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters triggered 26.4 million displacements in 2023, the third highest annual total in the past ten years. The 7.7 million IDPs at the end of 2023 displaced by disasters is the second most since IDMC began recording this metric in 2019. The 148 countries reporting disaster displacement include high-income countries such as Canada and New Zealand which reported their highest figures ever. Climate change is making some hazards more frequent and intense, such as cyclone Mocha in the Indian Ocean, Hurricane Otis in Mexico, storm Daniel in the Mediterranean and wildfires in Canada and Greece last summer. It is also making communities more vulnerable and addressing the underlying drivers of displacement more urgent. "No country is immune to disaster displacement," said Ms Bilak. "But we can see a difference in how displacement affects people in countries that prepare and plan for its impacts and those that don't. Those that look at the data and make prevention, response and long-term development plans that consider displacement fare far better." As in previous years, floods and storms caused the most disaster displacement, including in south-eastern Africa where cyclone Freddy triggered 1.4 million movements across six countries and territories. Earthquakes and volcanic activity triggered 6.1 million displacements in 2023, as many as in the past seven years combined. The earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria triggered 4.7 million displacements, one of the largest disaster displacement events since records began in 2008. http://story.internal-displacement.org/2024-mid-year-update/ http://www.internal-displacement.org/news/conflicts-drive-new-record-of-759-million-people-living-in-internal-displacement/ http://www.internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2024/ http://www.internal-displacement.org/focus-areas/conflict-and-violence/ http://www.nrc.no/feature/2024/the-worlds-most-neglected-displacement-crises-2023 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/number-displaced-children-reaches-new-high-433-million http://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-internally-displaced-persons http://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/ahrc5647-planned-relocations-people-context-adverse-effects-climate http://disasterdisplacement.org/news-events/ Oct. 2023 UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi statement to the UNHCR Executive Committee in Geneva on 9 October 2023 (Extract): The shocking images of the appalling attacks carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians have filled our screens in the last 48 hours. We are now witnessing another war in the Middle East, the escalation of which will inevitably cause more suffering to civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians; risks bringing grave instability to a region already plagued by tensions; and is another, very dangerous piece in a growing mosaic of crises which — if not addressed courageously — spells doom for world peace. UNHCR is not mandated to deal with the immediate — and indeed tragic — humanitarian consequences of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but it is present and active in the region. And it is present and active wherever war forces people to flee. Bear with me, therefore, if I start my annual statement to this Committee with some reflections on war. Because it is mainly conflict that has driven forced displacement to unprecedented numbers — 110 million refugees and displaced people, the highest in decades. As conflicts grow, so does disrespect for international humanitarian law. Therefore, civilians are the most impacted. Innocent people must flee to stay alive, must run with their children, leave behind everything, often family members who are too sick or too old to make the arduous journeys. And the words that some of the refugees fleeing the devastating conflict in Sudan told me when I visited Egypt, South Sudan and Chad this summer are telling: destruction; death; torture; rape. They recounted how they had to run from the brutal violence that erupted without warning on 15 April. Their lives upended as suddenly as were those of the Ukrainians the year before — and of many Ukrainians now, facing every day the death and destruction resulting from the Russian invasion. These stories are those of all 110 million people around the world who have been forced from their homes by conflict, violence, and persecution. We often hear about the need to stop irregular movements. I understand, but let us not forget that 110 million people had no choice but to run from men who chose to fight; to kill; to persecute. 110 million people whom we at UNHCR are tasked to help protect, assist, and find solutions for. Yet, the task with which you have entrusted UNHCR is at one of its most difficult moments in our history. The world is increasingly divided, fragmented, and inward-looking. Far too many politicians portray cooperation as capitulation. They foment culture wars to divide into ‘us and them’. They tolerate (if not espouse) racism, xenophobia, misinformation, disinformation, religious hatred and hate speech. But the world today — divided as it is — is smaller than ever. The climate emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic shocks show this. And yet, talk and action continue to be selfish and short-sighted. My borders. My country. My resources. And so, instead of telling you about solutions resulting from peace agreements and good governance, from respect for human rights, from progress on education, health, protecting the planet, and other Sustainable Development Goals, I come here year after year and have to speak about an ever-growing number of refugees and displaced people fleeing violence and wars. Sudan today. Ukraine last year. Or Ethiopia the year before. Or Syria, Myanmar, the Sahel, South Sudan, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and many others all before that. The global situation is indeed dire, and it is getting worse. People are suffering, and humanitarians are being asked to pick up more pieces in more parts of the world; and to try to hold them together for longer. We are frequently asked to do this alone in the absence of political solutions. Engaging with those in control of territory and sometimes of entire countries, necessary as it may be, is often made difficult by geopolitics. I appreciate the challenges and am sadly aware of today’s divided context — and divisive politics. But I am asking — quite solemnly — that you focus at least on the areas on which we can agree and especially that people forced to flee their homes due to conflict or persecution have rights — as human beings and as refugees and displaced. And that a strong, well-resourced UNHCR remains necessary, perhaps more than ever before. Since we met last year, UNHCR — under the able guidance of Assistant High Commissioner for Operations Raouf Mazou — has responded to 44 new emergencies in 31 countries, capping off an awful record of number of crises in one year. The latest emergency saw 100,000 refugees arriving in Armenia from Karabakh just a few days ago. We are helping Armenia with the humanitarian response, including the identification of those with specific needs, and a humanitarian appeal was launched on Saturday. We also stand ready to assist in the search for solutions — which, when the time comes, should include addressing the voluntary, safe and dignified return of refugees and other displaced people. But we have seen violence continue in many other places, such as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where nearly 1.5 million people have been newly displaced this year alone, 78,000 of whom fled within the country in just one day last week. Or in Central Sahel, where — amidst growing political instability — violence perpetrated by armed groups is forcing more people to flee, including to coastal states. Or in Somalia, where the climate emergency coupled with conflict has forced nearly 900,000 from their homes. Or in Myanmar, where hundreds of thousands have been and are being displaced by fighting. We, and other UN agencies, international and national NGOs, the Red Cross movement, as well as a growing number of refugee-led organisations – are literally on the frontlines of these and other crises. I am proud to be associated with my UNHCR and UN colleagues, and our partners, as we carry out our work in line with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, even in the most difficult circumstances. I saw, for example, the dire conditions in which humanitarians live and work alongside refugees in eastern Chad, close to the border with Sudan. Where day after day, night after night, colleagues help protect, support and provide the basics, including much-needed psychosocial support, to traumatized refugees. I listened as they told me how — at great risk — they also deliver supplies across the border into Darfur to Sudanese people in desperate need. I saw the aftermath of the earthquake in southern Türkiye and in Syria — a level of destruction I have never witnessed before – and how humanitarians, despite losing their homes, possessions, and in many cases, family, friends and dear colleagues, were working hard to support the authorities and others in need, in a situation in which a natural disaster occurred in an already fragile area, such as we saw with the devastating earthquake in western Afghanistan on Saturday. By being with affected people in the most remote locations, we also see how climate change adds fuel to the embers of unresolved grievances — poor governance, inequity, inequality — and combines with conflict, violence, and persecution to displace more people, including across borders. Moreover, many of the world’s displaced already live in highly climate-vulnerable settings and in countries which find it challenging to adapt and build resilience, like in the Sahel or in the Horn of Africa. As these areas become increasingly uninhabitable, the displaced and their hosts will further struggle to access water, energy, livelihoods — everything that would enable them to adapt to further environmental stresses. Against this stark reality, we are focusing on ensuring that climate-related displacement is an element of national adaptation plans, including through early warning systems, and that services and assistance provided are environmentally sustainable. We work with partners to help governments strengthen resilience, prevent displacement where possible, or support the displaced withstand the massive shocks and stresses arising from the climate emergency alongside their host communities. Climate-related displacement can generate protection challenges. This is why climate action must also be seen through a human rights and legal perspective. In this context, UNHCR’s expertise and its mandate for refugee protection are useful. We are providing technical and legal advice and guidance to States to ensure that international protection norms are upheld in situations of climate-related displacement. But of course, it is addressing the root causes of climate change which is the most urgent — and we all expect leaders to take the right decisions. As they deliberate at COP28 in Dubai later this year, I hope that space will be given to listen to those most affected by the climate emergency, including refugees and displaced people, so that action — and especially the allocation of resources — is also guided by lived experience. Given this backdrop, I am extremely worried about the underfunding of UNHCR and, broadly speaking, humanitarian operations. More worried than I have been in almost eight years in which I have held this office. The Humanitarian Response Plan inside Sudan, which includes the more than four million internally displaced since April, is — for example — just one-third funded. The Regional Refugee Response Plan for refugees from Sudan, which calls for $1 billion, is just one quarter funded. Host governments and humanitarians are doing their best, but with vastly insufficient resources to stabilise populations, nobody should be surprised that we are already witnessing the movement of people embarking on onward, dangerous journeys. Among those reaching Tunisia and Italy today are Sudanese nationals who have recently fled the fighting and have moved on from countries neighbouring Sudan where assistance is vastly insufficient. This reminds us, sadly, of the situation in 2015, when thousands of Syrian and other refugees moved from the Middle East to Europe as assistance started declining — and by the way, the number of Syrians attempting to cross the Mediterranean now is also increasing at a time when humanitarian aid in Syria and in neighbouring countries like Jordan and Lebanon is experiencing, again, drastic reductions. In Ukraine, humanitarian needs persist. Anyone who has visited Ukraine since the war began knows that the stoicism and resilience of the people are truly inspiring. International support does not just save lives. It also buoys the strength of the people to adapt to the changing circumstances. But aid fatigue grows fast these days. Allow me to emphasise again that humanitarian support to Ukrainians — including those internally displaced who remain the focus of our large operational presence in support of the Government — must continue and must not falter, especially as people face another looming winter. And allow me also to underline how important it is for all refugees and displaced people around the world to know that they have support – material, financial, moral, political. I appreciate the challenges and pressures that donors are facing. Their citizens are also confronted by inflation, unemployment, economic stagnation and other challenges. Therefore, I am grateful for the humanitarian funding we have received. All support is appreciated. But the reality of today’s world is that there are more humanitarian needs than humanitarian resources available. Some key donors are telling us that their humanitarian budgets — despite more crises — are being reduced. Funding levels this year and projections for 2024 are dangerously low. The outlook for 2024 is even more worrying, and it is most concerning for us and our closest partners, like the World Food Programme, which plays an indispensable role in providing food to refugees. The consequences of financial shortfalls are stark, affecting refugees and displaced people and putting pressure on host countries (which remain the largest donors to refugees). We have already seen worrying cuts to food assistance in Bangladesh and Jordan, and several African countries, resulting in increased onward movement for some and negative coping mechanisms for others, with funding shortfalls leading, for example, also to reduced protection services — like in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the places where these protection services are most dramatically needed. http://www.unhcr.org/news/unhcr-forced-displacement-continues-grow-conflicts-escalate http://www.unhcr.org/news/speeches-and-statements/high-commissioner-s-opening-statement-executive-committee-high Dec. 2022 The number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution has now crossed the staggering milestone of 100 million for the first time on record, propelled by the war in Ukraine and other deadly conflicts. “One hundred million is a stark figure – sobering and alarming in equal measure. It’s a record that should never have been set,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. “This must serve as a wake-up call to resolve and prevent destructive conflicts, end persecution, and address the underlying causes that force innocent people to flee their homes.” According to new data from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide rose towards 90 million by the end of 2021, propelled by new waves of violence or protracted conflict in countries including Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In addition, the war in Ukraine has displaced 8 million within the country this year, and more than 6 million refugee movements from Ukraine have been registered. At over 1 per cent of the global population, the overall figure is equivalent to the 14th most populous country in the world. It includes refugees and asylum seekers as well as the 53.2 million people displaced inside their borders by conflict, according to a recent report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). “The international response to people fleeing war in Ukraine has been overwhelmingly positive,” Grandi added. “Compassion is alive and we need a similar mobilization for all crises around the world. But ultimately, humanitarian aid is a palliative, not a cure. To reverse this trend, the only answer is peace and stability so that innocent people are not forced to gamble between acute danger at home or precarious flight and exile.” http://news.un.org/en/story/2022/12/1131957 Oct. 2022 UN refugee chief warns of ‘severe cuts’ without urgent funding. (UNHCR) The UN refugee agency will have to make deep cuts with dire consequences for displaced people around the globe unless it quickly receives $700m in new funding, the head of the agency said this week. The war in Ukraine has created millions of refugees, and there are now more than 100 million people who have been forcibly displaced in the world, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi said. He said the crisis has undermined the agency’s existing budget. “I regret to inform you that for the first time during my tenure, I’m worried about UNHCR’s financial situation,” Grandi said. “If we do not receive at least an additional $700m, especially for our most underfunded operations between now and the end of this year, we will be forced to make severe cuts with negative and sometimes dramatic consequences for refugees and host communities,” he said. “In the strongest of terms to all donors, please do more.” He said the Ukraine conflict had spurred “the largest and fastest displacement crisis” in Europe since World War II and added more than $1bn to the UNHCR’s budget this year. More than 7.6 million Ukrainians have fled their country since Russia’s invasion began on February 24. Grandi said he was worried about the impact of cold weather during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter on 6.2 million people internally displaced in Ukraine. “I share the government’s concerns about the looming winter,” he said, adding that the elderly and disabled were especially vulnerable. Grandi said that most of the funding his UN agency receives from countries is heavily earmarked for particular projects, making it difficult to respond to where it sees the greatest needs. This has left its response dramatically underfunded for dire refugee crises in places such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and the Sahel region. Funding to help the millions of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries is “at its lowest level ever”, he warned. “If we do not maintain focus on all crises, if we do not adequately resource all responses, we are dooming refugees and their hosts to further hardship, loss of hope and the risk of onward movement,” Grandi said. * Out of the Spotlight, a UNHCR special feature looks at the mounting hardships millions of refugees and internally displaced people are facing in forgotten corners of the globe: http://bit.ly/3DSNzjH http://www.unhcr.org/news/stories/2022/10/63568d9e4/data-shows-impacts-rising-prices-shrinking-aid-forcibly-displaced-people.html http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2022/11/636e125c6/un-refugee-agency-warns-extreme-hardship-forcibly-displaced-families-winter.html http://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2022/6/62a9d2b04/unhcr-global-displacement-hits-record-capping-decade-long-rising-trend.html http://www.unhcr.org/unhcr-global-trends-2021-media-page.html http://www.wfp.org/news/escalating-needs-rising-hunger-refugees-caught-eye-perfect-storm http://www.wvi.org/publications/report/hunger-crisis/hungry-and-unprotected-children-forgotten-refugees http://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2022/11/638066eb4/unhcr-warns-rising-tide-hunger-insecurity-underfunding-worsening-gender.html May 2022 Global Report on Internal Displacement 2022. (IDMC) The number of people living in internal displacement around the world reached a record 59.1 million at the end of 2021, up from 55 million a year earlier. The unprecedented figure is the result of new waves of violence and protracted conflict in countries ranging from Ethiopia and Afghanistan to Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)'s annual global report. “The situation today is phenomenally worse than even our record figure suggests, as it doesn’t include nearly eight million people forced to flee the war in Ukraine. We need a titanic shift in thinking from world leaders on how to prevent and resolve conflicts to end this soaring human suffering,” said the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland. Around 38 million internal displacements, or movements, were reported during 2021, the second highest annual figure in a decade after 2020's record-breaking year for disaster displacement. Conflict and violence triggered 14.4 million movements, an increase of almost 50 per cent on the year before Sub-Saharan Africa was the most affected region, with more than five million displacements in Ethiopia alone, the highest figure ever for a single country. The DRC, Afghanistan and Myanmar also registered unprecedented numbers in 2021. The Middle East and North Africa recorded its lowest in ten years as conflict in Syria, Libya and Iraq de-escalated, but the region's overall number of internally displaced people (IDPs) remained concerningly high by the end of the year. "The trend toward long-term displacement will never be reversed unless safe and sustainable conditions are established for IDPs to return home, integrate locally or resettle elsewhere," said IDMC's Director, Alexandra Bilak. "Peacebuilding and development initiatives are needed to resolve the underlying challenges that hold displaced people's lives in limbo." Disasters continued to trigger most internal displacements globally, with 23.7 million recorded in 2021. Weather-related hazards accounted for 94 per cent of the total, many of which were pre-emptive evacuations in the face of cyclones and floods that struck densely populated areas of Asia and the Pacific region. China, the Philippines and India recorded their highest figures in five years at six million, 5.7 million and 4.9 million, respectively. Conflict and violence collided with disasters in many countries, forcing people to flee several times. Be it in Mozambique, Myanmar, Somalia or South Sudan, overlapping crises had severe knock-on effects on food security and heightened the vulnerability of millions. Covid-19 also aggravated inequalities and made IDPs' lives even more precarious. Around 25.2 million of the world's IDPs are under the age of 18 and the effects of their displacement go well beyond their immediate safety, wellbeing and education. A healthy and happy child is more likely to contribute to an equitable society and a functioning economy. More data is needed to better understand these broader and longer-term impacts, but it is clear that protecting and supporting displaced children and young people not only safeguards their rights, but also contributes to a more stable future for all. "Children and young people are agents of change. Recognising them as such is vital to protect development gains and reduce the risk of future crises," said Alexandra Bilak. "Preparing the world of tomorrow must start with their active participation and leadership." http://story.internal-displacement.org/2022-mid-year-update/index.html http://www.internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2022/ http://www.internal-displacement.org/expert-opinion http://www.undp.org/press-releases/humanitarian-aid-alone-cannot-overcome-record-levels-internal-displacement http://www.nrc.no/shorthand/fr/the-worlds-most-neglected-displacement-crises-in-2021/index.html http://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/hammer-blow/ http://www.wvi.org/publications/report/coronavirus-health-crisis/hungry-and-unprotected-children-forgotten-refugees Visit the related web page |
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