Highlights
• One year after the internationalization of the conflict in Yemen, on 26 March 2015, Yemen continues to be pushed to the brink with children paying the highest price. Almost 10 million children are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Despite violence, access restrictions and funding shortages, UNICEF continues to deliver integrated response across the country.
• Parties to the conflict have agreed to declare a nation-wide cessation of hostilities beginning on 10 April. An upcoming round of peace talks will start on 18 April. Meanwhile, on 15 March at least 22 children were killed in one of the deadliest attacks since March 2015, with probably the greatest number of civilian casualties.
• UNICEF and partners continue to provide life-saving assistance in conflict-affected districts in Taiz and Sa’ada. In March, out-patient therapeutic nutrition programmes were stablished; over 9,400 hygiene kits, 8,400 school supplies and 2,182 humanitarian cash transfers were distributed.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
One year has passed since the escalation of the conflict in Yemen. Extensive hostilities and violations of international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict, have been reported across the country. Despite efforts and repeated calls from the international community for a political solution and urgent cessation of hostilities, since late-March 2015, over 6,200 people have lost their lives, half of them were civilians. To date, at least 900 children were killed and more than 1,300 were injured in Yemen’s conflict. More than 2.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes, a six-fold increase compared to pre-crisis figures.
The crisis increased the number of people with humanitarian needs from 15.9 million in December 2014 to 21.1 million in June 2015. By the end of 2015, the Yemen Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) estimates 21.2 million people in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance. Most pressing needs are related to limited access to health and nutrition services, safe water and sanitation, protection against violence and abuse, education and livelihoods.
On 23 March, the United Nations Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, announced that the parties to the conflict have agreed to a nation-wide cessation of hostilities beginning at midnight on 10 April, in advance of the upcoming round of the peace talks, which will take place on 18 April in Kuwait. Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed also urged the parties to maintain good faith, flexibility and a spirit of compromise and patriotism, to enable a political solution and a way out of the present conflict. Just a few days before this announcement, on 15 March, Hajja governorate suffered one of the deadliest attacks since the escalation of the conflict, with over 119 deaths, including 22 children.