YEMEN HUMANITARIAN CRISES ANALYSIS 2017 February 2017

Transcription

1 YEMEN HUMANITARIAN CRISES ANALYSIS 2017 February 2017 Each year, Sida conducts a humanitarian allocation exercise in which a large part of its humanitarian budget is allocated to emergencies worldwide. This allocation takes place in the beginning of the year as to ensure predictability for humanitarian organizations and to allow for best possible operational planning. In an effort to truly adhere to the humanitarian principles, Sida bases its allocation decisions on a number of objective indicators and parameters of which the most important are related to the number of affected people, vulnerability of affected people and level of funding in previous years. One of the indicators is also related to forgotten crises in order to ensure sufficient funding to low profile crises. Besides this initial allocation, another part of the humanitarian budget is set aside as an emergency reserve for sudden onset emergencies and deteriorating humanitarian situations. This reserve allows Sida to quickly allocate funding to any humanitarian situation throughout the year, including additional funding to (name of Country/Crisis). For 2017, Yemen is allocated an initial 164,5 MSEK in January Close monitoring of the humanitarian situation in Yemen will continue throughout the year to determine whether additional funds should be allocated. 1. CRISIS OVERVIEW Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked 168 out of 188 countries (2016 UNDP Human Development Index), and it is the poorest country in the MENA region. Yemen also continues to be one of the worst most humanitarian crises (severity and complexity) in the world, having been affected by civil strife, conflict and political unrest since unification in 1990 coupled with poor economic performance, chronic underdevelopment, poverty and high levels of food insecurity and high levels of malnutrition. As one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, Yemen has been suffering tremendously since the Saudi-led coalition was launched in March During 2016, Yemen continued to be besieged by multiple armed conflicts and other situations of violence, with the insecurity escalating in many parts of the country, between the al Houthis and the coalition that supports the internationally recognized Yemeni government. According to the global INFORM index, Yemen is ranked as number six out of 191 countries. Furthermore, Yemen has a hazard and exposure index of 8,2, a vulnerability index of 6,9 and a lack of coping capacity index of 7,8. The war in Yemen is a reflection of the unsuccessful transition deal in 2011, which eventually drove the Yemenis to the streets in protest against economic conditions, corruption and unemployment. In September 2014, the Houthis took control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and gained ground towards the second largest city, Aden. As a result of these advances, a coalition of Arab states launched a military campaign in March 2015 to defeat the Houthis in order to restore the Government of Yemen. Since then, several attempts of brokering a peace deal were tried but all without success however what is certain is that the chances of a political solution will need to ensure the participation of all parties. In the meantime, tensions continue to grow and the political transition is at a critical cross-road. Whether Yemen will be able to recover from its current political, social, economic, and humanitarian crisis is still very much unknown. Millions were impacted by the current crisis and few have escaped the tensions between the Houthis and their allies, and military response of the Saudi led coalition bombing of Yemen. First efforts to bring the parties together have failed and the chances of a political solution will need to ensure the participation of all parties. Attempts to end the war by resolving only national level disputes have failed because both local and regional actors and tensions continue to contribute to the conflict. The most recent ceasefire on November 17 collapsed, however, the Houthis and the coalition has agreed on a roadmap for peace talks although several main issues remain (such as the selection of and transition of power to a consensus leader, the control of terrain and disarmament of forces). After nearly two years after the escalation of the conflict, the resilience of people of Yemen continues to decrease. Prior to the crisis, almost half of the Yemeni population lived below the poverty line, with a high rate of unemployment and the basic social services on the verge to collapse. Violations of international 1

2 humanitarian law and human rights law are widespread, in addition to a long history of food insecurity, malnutrition, and lack of access to water, sanitation and poor healthcare. In addition to the conflict in Yemen the Ministry of Public Health and Population confirmed 15 cholera cases (11 in Sana a and 4 in Al Bayda) on the 6 October By the 24 November, the confirmed cases had increased to 103 in 12 governorates across the country. The number of cholera cases in Yemen continued to increase. The number of suspicious cases has already reached some 6,000. WHO estimates that 7.6 million people live in high risk areas, with projected case estimates up to 76,000 people. The cholera outbreak poses a significant threat given the deterioration of the health system since the escalation of the conflict coupled with intensified violence, limited access and import restrictions. According to WHO, only 45 % of all health facilities across the country are currently functioning and failure to respond adequately to the outbreak will have immense public health implications. 1.1 Geographical areas and affected population Almost 20 months have passed since the Coalition initiated the military offense in Yemen where the overall situation in the country continues to deteriorate in the majority of the 22 governorates of Yemen. The United Nations has reported approximately 11,000 conflict-related deaths since the conflict escalated in March 2015 due to instability and violence. According to the 2017 Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview an estimated 18,8 million people are in need of humanitarian and protection assistance which is an increase of some 20 per cent since Out of these, 10,3 million people are in acute need, requiring immediate and life-saving assistance. The12 th report of the Task Force on Population Movement (January 2017) validated a total number of 2,007,216 internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to the current conflict across 21 governorates with the majority in Hajjah, Taiz, Amanat Al Asimah and Sana a (50 per cent). In addition, 1,027,674 returnees were identified in 19 governorates with the majority in Aden, Amanat Al Asimah and Taiz (68 per cent). Furthermore, the report revealed that 17,844 people remain displaced due to natural disaster in 15 governorates, with 54,924 returnees across eight governorates. Below is a summary of the most acute humanitarian needs in Yemen: 1. Access to basic services, including healthcare and water, sanitation and hygiene: According to the Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview, November 2016, some 14.4 million people, more than half the population of Yemen, are in need of access to safe drinking water and sanitation including 8,2 million who are in acute need. Approximately 600 health facilities are no longer in a functional status due to conflict related damage of lack of fuel, staff and supplies. Some 14, 8 million lack access to basic health care including 8,8 million people who are in acute need in a country with only 45 percent of all its health facilities functioning. The United Nations reports that 274 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed in the conflict. There is also a major shortage of medical supplies in-country. 2. Food Security: Some 14 million people are now food insecure, including seven million who are severely food insecure. The current conflict and restrictions on importation have negatively affected food imports and its affecting the functionality of markets, transportation and distribution as Yemen imports more than 90 per cent of its stable foods (wheat and rice). As of September 2016, the average price of the monthly minimum food basket was 20 percent higher than before March According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) conducted in June 2016, some 51 percent of the population is suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition. Nine governorates are fall under the Emergency (Phase 4) category while ten governorates are classified as Crisis (Phase 3). According to the 2016 IPC analysis, the population under Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and Crisis (IPC Phase 3) has increased by 9.4 percent compared to the results of the June 2015 IPC analysis. 2

3 3. Nutrition: Prior to the conflict, the nutrition situation in Yemen was already alarming due to food insecurity and limited access to health care services. Some 3,3 million children and pregnant and lactating women are estimated to be acutely malnourished, including 462,000 children under five of age who are severely malnourished. The number of children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) has increased by 200 percent since The Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rates are a high as 31 percent in some areas which is above the emergency levels (WHO threshold >= 15 percent). The deteriorating food security situation coupled with reduced access to WASH and health services are the main causes for the deterioration and will inevitably have a direct impact on the nutritional status of the Yemeni population. 4. Protection: An estimated 11.3 million people require protection assistance, including 2,9 million people in the most acutely affected areas. More than 11,000 civilian casualties have been reported since the escalation of the conflict, including 4,125 deaths and some 7,200 injuries. According to the United Nations, 8,031 incidents of gender- based violence (GBV) have been reported in 2016 while 699 verified incidents of grave violations of child rights. Some of the most vulnerable groups in Yemen include: 1. Internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities: approximately 2.2 million people are currently classified as IDPs in Yemen out of which 77 percent (1,2 million people) are either residing with host communities or are in rented accommodation (480,000 people). The majority of the IDPs have been displaced for more than 10 months including 85 percent who have been displaced for more than one year. Around 19 percent of the IDP population live in public buildings, collective centres or spontaneous settlements. Since the level of services available is limited in this category, protection (exploitation, GBV, harassment) is a major concern. One million people have returned to their place of origin which now live under very harsh conditions such as damaged houses which are no longer liveable. 2. Children: in any conflict, children belong to one of the most vulnerable groups which is also the case in Yemen. The verified number of children killed in the conflict between January 2015 and September 2016 is 1,309 cases, this is an increase of 19 percent compared to the same period in Moreover, 1,275 cases of child recruitment by armed groups are reported for the same period of time (an increase of 35 percent) Some 2 million children are also reported to be out of school. 3. Women and girls: The general conditions for women and girls continue to deteriorate during 2016 exacerbating the vulnerabilities of women and girls. The actual crisis, coupled with entrenched gender inequality, has left women and girls extremely vulnerable to violence, abuse and exploitation. GBV risks and threats from living in overcrowded and exposed shelters pose further risks to women and girls. Child marriage remains a serious issue with 52 percent of girls marrying before the age of 18 and 14 percent before the age of 15. Dowry payments as an additional source of income have contributed to the increase of child marriages. 4. Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants are yet another group of concern in Yemen. The refugee and asylum seeker population is around 300 to 400,000 while the migrants are thought to range between 1,7 to 2 million people. In the first nine months of 2016, almost 98,000 new arrivals were observed which are in dire need of humanitarian and protection assistance. Some 35 percent of this population consists of unaccompanied minors. Despite the ongoing conflict, new refugees and migrants continue to arrive in Yemen. Upon arrival, many migrants and refugees arrive impoverished and require life-saving assistance in the shape of food, water, sanitation, shelter, NFIs, healthcare and protection. As of October 2016, some 460,000 refugees and migrants need some kind of humanitarian assistance. 1.2 Critical Assumptions, risks and threats Humanitarian access in many parts of Yemen is still a major issue. The deteriorating security situation has exacerbated an already difficult environment, especially in the northern and central parts of Yemen, access to areas along the frontlines challenging. Access in the southern governorates (Abyan, Shabwah and Hadramaut) is also restricted due to the presence of armed groups such as Al Qaeda (AQAP) or Islamic 3

4 State. The situation in the southern parts of the country is extremely volatile and the likelihood of a battle for control is high since these governorates are currently ruled by tribal militias, In general, severe restrictions on the movement of people and humanitarian goods are imposed on by the parties of the conflict. These include security and logistics challenges and bureaucratic impediments imposed by authorities at the central and district levels e.g. detention of staff, harassment at checkpoints, delayed visa process, local interference in delivery and monitoring of programmes. Furthermore, restrictions on imports since the beginning of the crisis due to the air and sea blockade imposed by the Coalition have contributed to the reduced commercial imports into the country. About 90 per cent of Yemen s food requirements were imported pre-crisis. Food, fuel and other commodities are all scares since the restrictions were initiated. Disruptions to the regular commercial activities, shipping restrictions and incountry insecurity have led to an increased need of humanitarian assistance. Since August 2016, the Coalition and Government of Yemen have posed a ban on commercial flights from using the Sana a airport. It is estimated that one third of passengers were travelling abroad to seek medical care especially for chronic disease for which treatment in Yemen is almost now non-existent. About 6,500 people are now in directly affected by this ban in country while some 18,000 people are stranded abroad without any means of transportation for their return to Yemen. The escalation and continuation of conflict have contributed to a serious economic decline with a serious liquidity crisis. People, traders and humanitarian partners all face major difficulties in transferring cash into and around the country. Destruction of infrastructure including production sites and main ports such as Al Hudaida have contributed to the economic status of Yemen. In September 2016, the Government of Yemen made the decision of relocating the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) from Sana a to Aden. The move has had a pronounce impact on the ability to finance imports of food, medicine and other supplies. For traders, the situation has been extremely difficult to operate in the absence of a financial system. Another effect of the relocation of the CBY has been the delay of salaries for public civil servants across the country, some 1,2 million civil servants have not received salaries since August which has had a direct impact on services such as health care facilities/hospitals and schools. The social and basic services in Yemen have been severely impacted by the conflict. The Ministry of Public Health and Population (MoPHP) has reported that they can no longer cover the operational costs of the health services increasing the burden on humanitarian community to fill the gap. Only 45 percent of the health facilities in Yemen are reported to be functional. There is a lack of medical supplies and fuel leading to shortages and electricity cuts in hospitals. This can have a serious impact on the Yemeni people in the case of a health epidemic e.g. cholera outbreak which currently being battled in the country. The fighting between the Houthis and the Hadi government has continued in Several cessation of hostilities agreements were made during the year however not fully respected since fighting and airstrikes continued in some parts of Yemen. To date, no sustainable solution or peace agreement has been made between the Houthis and the Hadi government however, if a deal is a made within the near future, postconflict recovery and reconstructions should be high on the agenda. The UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, continues to pursue a peace agreement, which includes the withdrawal of Houthis from Sana a and the surrender of their weapons to a third party. Humanitarian organizations have also been directly affected by the conflict. Prior to the current crisis, the security situation in the country was volatile and limited aid workers. The humanitarian community has been facing an increased risk in their attempt to deliver assistance and attacks of this nature will only further limit their access and capacity to provide the much needed humanitarian assistance needed in Yemen. As of October 2016, 13 health staff workers have been killed and 31 injured in direct link to the conflict. A generic risk in all countries with humanitarian needs is the risk of corruption. With general challenges in all societal pillars including law, order, stability and justice - the area of checks and balances also becomes fragile. Yemen ranks on number 154 out of 168 on Transparency Internationals Index for

5 1.3 Strategic objectives identified in the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) The Yemen HRP for 2017 which aims to assist 12 million people which will include a range of critical lifesaving and protection programmes. The immediate requirements of the appeal stand at 2.1 billion USD. The 2017 Yemen HRP aims to address the following strategic objectives: 1. Provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people in Yemen through an effective, targeted response. 2. Ensure that all assistance promotes the protection, safety and dignity of affected people, and is provided equitably to men, women, boys and girls. 3. Support and preserve services and institutions essential to immediate humanitarian action and the promotion of livelihoods and resilience. 4. Deliver a principled and coordinated humanitarian response that is accountable to and advocates effectively for the most vulnerable people in Yemen. 2. IN COUNTRY HUMANITARIAN CAPACITIES 2.1 National and local capacities and constraints The conflict has had a serious impact on the operational capacity of the national line ministries in Yemen in terms of capacity and response. Most ministries are struggling to respond to the crisis including in the health, nutrition and social protection sectors. The situation in regards to health is seriously alarming where the health system is barely functioning and lack availability of essential drugs in addition to maintain an appropriate vaccination chain. Lack of fuel seems to hamper the functionality of the health care facilities. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour who was running social programmes is no longer functioning. 2.2 International operational capacities and constraints As of the October 2016, the operational capacity in Yemen stands at 106 organizations which is an increase of 14 organizations since the previous month including nine UN agencies, 32 international organization and 65 national organizations. Several hubs are now in place throughout the country in five strategic locations however, these hubs still host a limited number of international staff. Despite the increase in capacity of the humanitarian actors, there are certain restrictions on the presence of international staff in the country due to the prevailing security situation. The national staff and national organizations have had a key role to play in responding to the humanitarian crisis especially in areas prohibited for international staff. The presence of UN agencies has been limited to national staff in the past however, during 2016 presence of international staff has been prioritised (weekly visits conducted by several international workers from Djibouti). 2.3 International and Regional assistance There are several regional donors and organizations providing funding both local and international organizations in Yemen. Approximately 440 MUSD was reported as funding outside the Yemen HRP with the majority coming from the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In order to have optimal funding available that does not contribute to overlaps or duplications of funds, better understanding, knowledge and coordination is needed. Although, significant efforts have been made by OCHA and the UN country team to secure regional funding and coordinate the response for the humanitarian situation in Yemen, the desired coordination is yet to materialise. The main humanitarian donors are the UAE, US, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, European Commission, Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Sweden and Canada. Additional funding has also come through the Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund (YHPF) and the CERF (14 MUSD). As of 12 December 2016, 948 MUSD has been provided against the 1.6 BUSD appeal (58 per cent funded). Sweden has contributed to the HRP appeal with approximately 26 MUSD. 5

6 3. SIDAs HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN 3.1. The role of Sida Sida has in the past few years supported programmes targeting malnutrition and with a multi-sectoral angle including the other relevant sectors such as health and WASH. Although the number of people affected by the nutritional crisis has increased dramatically since the end of 2014, malnutrition and food insecurity have been an issue in Yemen previously. Furthermore, a continued focus on protection needs (including child protection), with special focus on those most vulnerable is vital (women, children, the displaced and other conflict affected communities and households, migrants, refugees). Sida also prioritizes on coordination, emergency response and capacity building which contribute to better preparedness and response. Sida has had a flexible approach to partners and programmes enabling actors to respond to urgent needs where and when possible (and by doing so extending access when possible). Sida s own capacity and presence is restricted however this is the case for the majority of donors. The initial allocation for Yemen in the beginning of 2016 stood at 148 MSEK and as of 12 December 2016, funding to partners has increased to 224 MSEK including the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) allocations which cover secondments as well as financial support Response Priorities 2017 During 2016, Sida focused on providing support to basic services including multisectoral approach for the basic essential service to the population in need to tackle malnutrition (together with WASH and health services), protection and humanitarian coordination. In 2017, Sida will continue to focus on the same sectors and prioritize the following sectors: Protection Some 11,3 million people are in need of protection, GBV and child protection assistance to protect their safety, dignity or basic rights including 2,9 million people living in acutely affected areas. The crisis is characterized by widespread violations of human rights and IHL by the various groups. Activities that strengthen the identification and access to all vulnerable individuals, including women, girls, children, displaced, migrants and returnees are crucial. Shelter and Non Food Items (NFIs) During 2017, the United Nations estimates that some 4,5 million people need emergency shelter or essential household items, including IDPs, host communities and initial returnees. Access to Basic Services (WASH, Health and Nutrition) The population in affected areas encounter challenges in accessing basic services such as health care and schools. Due to the ongoing crisis, services within the host community are overstretched catering to the IDPs. The additional burden on the collapsing national systems will inevitably contribute to increased vulnerability and tension between the host community and the IDPs. Access and provision of basic social services for all people living in the affected areas is a priority. Sida s development programme for Yemen will be phased out during The country will be part of the regional MENA strategy through which potential areas of support will be sought. The ongoing programme includes a contribution to Oxfam which will be ending in January Oxfam is currently implementing programmes with focus on water governance, protection and local governance participation Partners In the last few years, Sida has been emphasizing on a strong operational focus on combatting the malnutrition crisis, forced and mixed migration, protection, and coordination and emergency response. In line with these priorities and previous partnership, Save the Children, Action Contre la Faim (ACF), International Rescue Committee (IRC), Islamic Relief (IR) and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) have again submitted concept notes for a continuation of funding in Furthermore, the Swedish Red Cross (SRC) will be a new partner to collaborate with in Yemen. 6

7 In regards to Save the Children, it is Sida s assessment that with its long presence in the country, as well as its engagement across sectors, access to large parts of the country, and partnership with local NGOs, it continues to be a relevant partner to Sida in the response to the protection (child protection). Sida has been partnering with ACF in the areas health, nutrition and WASH since Though ACF only established a presence in Yemen in 2012, it is Sida s assessment that the project is reaching its main results. IRC s experience in Yemen since 2012 has strengthened the organization s humanitarian response capacity, particularly in the areas of health, nutrition and WASH, resulting in its current position as co-lead of the health and WASH sub national clusters in southern Yemen. NRC remains an important partner and has scaled up its humanitarian programme in the south, centre and north Yemen with focus on the areas of WASH, shelter, food security and education. IR will continue its work in the sectors of Food Security, Livelihood and WASH to address the needs in line with the HNO/HRP for Since the start of the conflict in March 2015 Islamic Relief s humanitarian assistance has worked in 19 governorates in Yemen. SRC works through the Yemeni Red Crescent Society which operates in areas of the country. The support for 2017 will mainly focus on strengthening the capacity of the YRCS in order to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in Yemen. ICRC due to their mandate and presence which will be expanding in 2017, is proposed as an organization to support. UNICEF is proposed as a partner in the country who leads several clusters which are in line with the Sida priorities including combating the malnutrition crisis, as well as addressing child protection needs. UNHCR leads the Shelter/NFI cluster will important to support UNHCR continues to lead the response related to forced displacement, including addressing the needs of refugees, IDPs, and returnees in the Shelter/NFI clusters, which is an area that will continue to need attention. OCHA is one of Sides partners and plays an important role in the coordination of the humanitarian response in Yemen, therefore, is essential to support. The Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund (YHPF) managed by OCHA which will be yet another channel for support reaching local NGOs and other organizations who are not Sidas strategic framework partners including local organizations. IOM is also proposed for their wide presence in the country and for the various sectors that they cover including the response to migrants. Sida s humanitarian assistance to Yemen in 2017 Recommended partner for Sida Sector/focus of work (incl. integrated Proposed amount support or multi sectorial programming ) (MSEK) Action Contre la Faim (ACF) Nutrition and WASH 15 Save the Children (SC) Child protection 14 Islamic Relief (IR) WASH and food security 10 Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) WASH, shelter, food security and education 10 International Rescue Committee (IRC) Health and WASH 9 Swedish Red Cross Capacity building 4,5 ICRC Protection, assistance, health 10 UNICEF Multi-sector 17 UNHCR Multi-sector 15 OCHA Coordination 5 OCHA YHPF Multi-sector 45 IOM Multi-sector 10 Total: 164,5 MSEK 7