Yemen, 10 Years Without Peace

Half the population is in need of humanitarian aid

Yemen is experiencing a prolonged crisis that will continue to affect the population for years. The conflict, which began in 2014 and significantly escalated from March 2015, has produced substantial economic and social costs for the country and its people. The economic progress made in 2022 following the truce has largely vanished, and currently, 80% of the Yemeni population lives below the poverty line.

While the continuation of the truce into 2024 has led to a further decrease in conflict-induced displacement and the reopening of several roads, improving civilians’ freedom of movement, the flow of commercial goods, and access to public services, civilian casualties continue to be reported due to mine-related incidents and ongoing localised conflicts. At the same time, the ongoing escalation in the Red Sea and the wider region is exacerbating insecurity in the country and endangering the flow of essential food, fuel, and other imports, as well as threatening livelihoods such as fishing and infrastructure.

Across Yemen, conflict and climate change-related events have severely compromised crucial public services and civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, water supply systems, and housing infrastructure. Over half of the country’s population lacks sufficient access to food, clean water, and healthcare.

In 2025, it is estimated that 19.5 million people across Yemen will need humanitarian assistance and protection services – 1.3 million more than last year. 40% of health facilities are not functioning or only partially functioning due to shortages of staff, funding, electricity, medicines, and adequate equipment and infrastructure. Millions of people do not receive sufficient healthcare, and Yemen has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the region due to severely limited reproductive health services.

Approximately 7.5 million vulnerable people, including internally displaced persons, returnees, and host communities, need shelter and essential household items. Many of these people live in catastrophic housing conditions.

The Effects of Climate Change

Yemen is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change and among the least prepared to manage its impact. Primarily caused by global warming, extreme weather events such as floods, prolonged droughts, and desertification are expected to increase and worsen in the coming years. In Yemen, climate-related emergencies have become the leading cause of internal displacement, and competition for scarce water resources causes localised conflicts in various regions.  

In 2024, floods affected 1.3 million people, over 60% more than the previous year, causing more than 480,000 displacements and 427 deaths.

Unlimited groundwater extraction for agricultural and economic purposes, recurring droughts, and rising temperatures are leading to severe aquifer depletion and water scarcity in Yemen, already one of the most water-scarce countries globally. 

Climate change represents a growing risk factor for the agricultural sector and is exacerbating Yemen’s already severe food insecurity. In this country, 70% of the population lives in rural areas, and agriculture is their main source of livelihood.

Half of the population faces alarming levels of food insecurity: this year, more than 17 million people are expected to experience acute food insecurity, while 5 million will face emergency levels. It is estimated that 3.5 million children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women suffer from acute malnutrition in the country.

These levels of food insecurity are unfortunately linked to serious phenomena such as child labour, child marriage, and school dropout, which families are forced to resort to to have some form of economic sustenance.  

The Displaced Population

There are 4.8 million people currently displaced in the country, many of whom have been displaced more than once over the years. Many of these displaced people have sought refuge in already overcrowded camps with inadequate shelters and limited access to water and sanitation. Over 40% of sites for internally displaced persons lack latrines, leading to open defecation, increased risk of disease, increased protection risks, especially for women and girls, and serious environmental health problems. These camps, already precarious and often built on floodplains, are also frequently hit by severe floods, causing extensive damage and loss of life. The approximately 1.6 million internally displaced persons residing in displacement camps are among Yemen’s most vulnerable communities.