Operations

2016 Plan Summary

The humanitarian situation in Yemen remains challenging. Since March 2015, armed conflict, shelling and airstrikes throughout the country have caused an unprecedented level of displacement, including among the refugee population. The gravity of the conflict prompted the activation of a system-wide Level 3 emergency response on 1 July 2015. Since the start of the conflict, over 122,000 individuals had fled Yemen to neighbouring countries by 1 September 2015.
 
Yemen is the only country in the subregion to have signed the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol, and UNHCR has been operational in Yemen since 1987. Despite the severe challenges imposed by the conflict, the Government of Yemen continues to show hospitality towards refugees and to honour the 2013 Sana’a Declaration. In addition, Yemen also remains a destination and transit country for those travelling as part of mixed movements. Since January 2015, some 59,000 people have arrived by sea seeking international protection. The conflict has compelled UNHCR to shift the focus of its strategy from solutions to immediate emergency assistance, while pursuing protection activities such as reception, refugee status determination (RSD), and legal counselling. Throughout the country, the lack of security has severely hampered humanitarian efforts. Access to basic services such as water, health, food, livelihoods opportunities, shelter and relief items, and protection interventions has been limited, and 80 per cent of the overall population needs humanitarian aid. Although operating in a difficult security environment, UNHCR has continued to provide life-saving assistance and critical protection support for more than 2.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), a major increase from the 2014 recorded population of 290,000 IDPs, and 264,600 refugees in Yemen.    
 
The violence and insecurity prompted a temporary evacuation of international staff, some of whom have gradually returned to cover key positions, with appropriate security measures. The UNHCR Representative in Yemen is also the Yemen Humanitarian Coordinator. As the situation remains uncertain and insecure, UNHCR will continue to focus on delivering emergency assistance to IDPs and refugees, and on providing protection services for the entire population of concern, while collaborating with other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and governmental entities.