By Carlos Riaza
"Five years ago, when conflict broke out in Syria, the world looked away. We cannot allow the same situation to be repeated in Yemen. The needs are growing and it’s time the world realizes this and ends the humanitarian crisis in the country", said Daw Mohammed, director of CARE in Yemen. "This conflict must end, so that the amount of suffering of people decreases. Otherwise, humanitarian workers will continue to be unable to access the most vulnerable populations to find a solution to their needs, and Yemenis won’t be able to move freely or rebuild their lives.
Millions of people face the daily challenge of surviving the fights, finding enough food, or getting clean water, healthcare and housing. Yemen was already the poorest country in the Middle East and with this conflict, their needs and the number of deaths are increasing. Despite the magnitude of the crisis, the international response is not enough, due to limited funds, and limited efforts to find a political solution and to ensure that help reaches the victims.
The consequences of the crisis
Food insecurity is one of the main consequences of the crisis. 14.4 million people need food assistance and 7.6 million are in severe food insecurity. "The nutritional status of families is directly affected" explains Erin Hutchinson, director of Action Against Hunger in Yemen. "Ten of the 21 governorates of the country are in a level four emergency state, one step below famine. One in three children suffers from severe acute malnutrition in the governorate of Hodeidah. Children who are admitted into treatment centers arrive in very poor condition and are older than those we used to treat before the conflict. It’s a clear sign of the seriousness of the situation.
Oxfam reported the testimony of Galeb, a 30-year-old man who lives in a displaced camp near Al-Hawban, in the district of Taiz. "It’s very hard to return empty-handed when your family is waiting in the morning to eat". The national director of the organization, Mohammad Sajjad Sajid, has stated: "Livelihoods have been eliminated throughout the country because of the damage that infrastructure has suffered, the limited and intermittent supply, insecurity and the mass displacement. People need to earn their living to feed their families and find a dignified life".
The constant attacks by the different parties in conflict to civilian infrastructure such as schools or hospitals, have killed more than 3,000 civilians. Fighting and access restrictions set by the warring parties are a barrier for the humanitarian organizations to provide assistance to the population in need. The economical situation is deteriorating quickly, which further increases human suffering and hinders the population’s ability to cope with the impact of war.
The long-term effects
For Edward Santiago, director of Save the Children in Yemen, "twelve months of conflict have devastated the lives of millions of children, who have been deprived of food, clean water, health services and education. The fighting and obstacles to humanitarian aid endanger the lives of many children, who add to an already unacceptable list of 2,000 dead or wounded".
If the international community doesn’t take specific measures, the impact on the civilian population can only get worse, destabilizing the country and the region for many years. If the conflict continues, the world will witness a new human tragedy that will affect generations to come. The international Forum of International NGOs of Yemen calls upon the international community to increase pressure on the parties in conflict to achieve a permanent ceasefire and a sustainable and inclusive political solution.
Sources: The Dawn, Edited by Website Team
