Popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt sparked events in Yemen when in January 2011 thousands of Yemenis took to the streets in Sana'a the capital and other cities to protest a controversial constitutional amendment allowing President Ali Abdullah Saleh to run for another term (continuing his rule since 1978). Since that time civil unrest has continued resulting in clashes between protestors, the government and various armed groups. This violence has displaced tens of thousands civilians from their homes and resulted in many deaths and injuries. As of early June it is estimated that 283 people have been killed, 3,617 injured and over 45,000 displaced since the beginning of the year.
Recent fighting in Sana’a have displaced an estimated 2,000 people, heavily damaged two neighborhoods and periodically shook the city for a few weeks until a cease fire was negotiated in early June. While violence was largely confined to discrete areas of the city, tensions remain in Sana’a as well as debilitating national petrol and diesel shortages, electricity outages and rising food prices. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that since January 2011 food prices of basic commodities have increased on average of 26 percent – with an additional seven percent in rural areas where the vast majority of Yemeni reside. Since late May, conflict between the central government and militant groups in Abyan have displaced tens of thousands of civilians, according to the UN, dramatically increasing humanitarian needs.
Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world and has one of the highest rates of malnutrition. Nearly half of the population lives on less than two dollars a day and an estimated 6.8 million Yemenis are food-insecure. Vulnerable groups particularly being affected include the over 300,000 people displaced by a series of conflicts between the government and militants in Sa’adah in the north of the country and nearly 200,000 refugees from primarily from Somalia, as well as marginalized sectors of the population. This grave situation may further deteriorate and continue if response efforts and international support is not significantly escalated.
Despite the many violent aspects of this transition period the commitment of many Yemenis to non-violence and peaceful change provides a beacon for successful long-term development and humanitarian efforts. Such factors warrant ramping up response efforts by national and international organizations, but also require increased support for positive social change and humanitarian response from bi-lateral, multi-lateral and private donors.
Within this complex context, CARE continues to operate and continually monitor the security situation and humanitarian needs. Most projects continue to operate, but with increased security measures and operational adjustments to ensure staff safety and quality of program delivery. The CARE Yemen team of 64 Yemenis and eight internationals (some working remotely from outside Yemen) plans to expand significantly delivering much needed humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian programming includes continued work with refugees, internally displaced people and other vulnerable groups addressing needs in food, water, sanitation hygiene and livelihoods. CARE is currently supporting the coordination of response efforts in Aden by the UN through a short-term secondment of two staff.
CARE has been operating in Yemen since 1992 and currently has four sub-offices in the country and headquarters in the capital. CARE’s commitment to humanitarian principles ensures that despite political, economic and operational challenges we continue to serve beneficiaries and are monitoring and planning for responses to increasing humanitarian needs in the country.