nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
Conflict is undermining children's psychosocial well being. At least 35 per cent of child protection incidents reported to social workers in 2018 were related to mental health and psychosocial issues. In April 2018, an inter agency needs assessment found that 96 per cent of respondents noted significant changes in the behaviour, attitudes and psychosocial well being of children and childcare providers.18 These changes were attributed to the conflict. Children who have experienced stressful situations are more likely to show changes in social relations, behaviour, physical reactions, and emotional response, manifesting as sleeping problems, nightmares, withdrawal, problems concentrating and guilt. These negative effects are aggravated by uncertainty about the future and disruption of daily routine.
“There are currently limited pathways for migrants to return home from Yemen. Through the support of and close coordination with government authorities, partners and IOM teams, we have been able to ensure migrants can reach their countries of origin in a safe and orderly manner,' said David Derthick, IOM Yemen Chief of Mission.
He “categorically rejected' a call from the Saudi led coalition which is backing Yemeni Government to declare the ceasefire over or apportion blame to one party, for attempting to nullify the hard won Stockholm agreement.
He acknowledged that “we have seen the timelines for implementation extended, both in Hudaydah, and the prisoner exchange agreement. Such changes in timelines are expected. The initial timelines were rather ambitious. We are dealing with a complex situation on the ground.'
The conflict has taken a severe toll on children's access to education. Some two million children19 are out of school, depriving them of an education and exposing them to greater risks of recruitment to armed groups and child marriage. About 2,000 schools have been affected by the conflict due to damage, presence of IDPs or occupation by armed groups. In 2018, the Education Cluster estimates that 37 schools were hit by ground clashes or aerial attacks.
The six grave violations against children are: the recruitment and use of children; the killing and maiming of children; rape and other forms of sexual violence; abduction of children; attack on schools and hospitals; and the denial of humanitarian access.
Hostilities in Hajjah Governorate over the last three years have had a major humanitarian impact. In the last two months, escalated hostilities have killed tens of civilians and displaced hundreds of families from their homes especially in Haradh and Hayran districts.
Partners on the ground report that at least 300 families have been displaced in the last three weeks to Abs District where they live in difficult conditions. Displacement is also reported from Bani Hassan village in Abs and Al Hamrah village in Mustaba District, due to proximity to areas of fighting.
The hostilities in Hajjah intensified in mid December 2018, with armed confrontations and shelling in Haradh, mainly around the main town and in Abs and Hayran Districts. Abs District already hosts an estimated 23,000 displaced families, most of whom have been displaced multiple times over the past four years, sometimes more, and are living in dire conditions. According to the Shelter Cluster, a total of 18,800 displaced families are living in 102 spontaneous settlements and collective centres in the district.
YEMEN – As we enter 2019 and almost four years since the start of the war, Yemen continues to be torn apart by conflict, diminished purchasing power, currency fluctuations, collapsing public services, grave violations against children, cholera outbreaks, loss of livelihoods and famine. Today, the people of Yemen face dire living conditions, disease and displacement with an acute lack of access to basic services, food and water. The international response, however, has been unable to meet the ever increasing needs.
“This man made conflict remains the major driver of the humanitarian emergency. Today, millions of Yemenis rely entirely on humanitarian aid to survive and many face starvation. Humanitarian organisations are working hard to ensure people in need have quick and safe access to food, water, medicine, shelter and protection. It is crucial that humanitarian aid is supported and unimpeded access to Yemenis in need of assistance is granted so the people of Yemen can survive this brutal war,' said Christian Friis Bach.
More than 20 million Yemenis are now destitute and in desperate need of humanitarian assistance across the country with more than two million forced to flee their homes. Protracted displacement continues to put additional pressure on the already scarce resources and services, and with the economy besieged and in ruins, two thirds of Yemen's entire population is at risk of famine.
On 26 January, a collective centre for internally displaced people  ( IDPs )  was shelled in Bani Al Hadad, Haradh District, killing 8 people and wounding 30 others. The collective centre is located near an area where 6 children and 2 women were killed in another incident on 11 January.
From 10 to 16 of January, 20 civilian casualties were reported in two incidents in Haradh District. Of these, 15 were reported when shell fire hit a farm in Shalilah village, killing 8 civilians, including 3 children and 2 women, and injuring 7 others. The other 5 casualties including 2 fatalities, were caused by an airstrike that hit a residential house in Ash Shia'ab village.
During the week of 18 24 January, armed confrontations were reported in Almazraq and A'him Junction around the main town in the district. Partners on the ground reported that multiple airstrikes struck several locations in both Haradh and Midi districts, but no concrete information was available on civilian casualties. As mentioned above, 38 casualties were reported in one incident alone on 26 January in Bani Al Hadad.
Marginalized groups have existed in Yemen for centuries but are now increasingly struggling to survive. One such group is the Muhamasheen community who suffer from caste based discrimination and fall outside established Yemeni tribal and societal structures. Historically, the Muhamasheen have mostly lived in poor conditions in slum areas on the outskirts of cities. Many are unemployed, and those who do work are often confined to menial, low paid jobs.
Yemen is facing one of the world's worst Water, Sanitation and Hygiene  ( WASH )  crises, as deteriorating WASH infrastructure contributes to a cholera outbreak, and represents one of the underlying causes of malnutrition in the country.
( Beirut )  – TheSaudi led coalition and the Houthi armed group engaged in a conflict inYemenwhich have turned the country's humanitarian crisis into a full blown catastrophe, Human Rights Watch said today in itsWorld Report 2019.
People are seen near a bus destroyed by an airstrike that killed dozens of children, in a photograph taken on August 12, 2018 in Saada, Yemen.
“The Saudi led coalition and Houthi forces have indiscriminately attacked, forcibly disappeared, and blocked food and medicine to Yemeni civilians,' saidSarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Governments around the globe can either do nothing while millions sink closer toward famine or use the leverage at their disposal to press the warring parties to end their abuses and impose sanctions on those obstructing aid.'
In the 674 pageWorld Report 2019, its 29thedition, Human Rights Watch reviewed human rights practices in more than 100 countries. In hisintroductory essay, Executive DirectorKenneth Rothsays that the populists spreading hatred and intolerance in many countries are spawning a resistance. New alliances of rights respecting governments, often prompted and joined by civic groups and the public, are raising the cost of autocratic excess. Their successes illustrate the possibility of defending human rights – indeed, the responsibility to do so – even in darker times.
Yemen's armed conflict has taken a terrible toll on the population. Fighting has killed and wounded thousands of civilians. Millions suffer from shortages of food and medical care, yet the warring parties continue impeding aid. Across the country, civilians suffer from a lack of basic services, a spiraling economic crisis, and broken governance, health, education, and judicial systems.
One cost of Yemen's war has been the closing space for civil society groups. Warring parties have arrested, harassed, threatened, and forcibly disappeared Yemeni activists, journalists, lawyers, and rights defenders. Women activists, who have played a prominent role documenting abuses and advocating for their end, have been threatened, subjected to smear campaigns, beaten, and detained. Humanitarian aid workers have also been killed, wounded and detained.
PIN  ( People in Need )  for Shelter/NFI/CCCM assistance increased by 24 percent to 6.7 million people including 78 percent increase in the people of acute needs.
Due to developments and shifts in the conflict, the severity of needs and number of people in need  ( PIN )  for Shelter/NFI/CCCM assistance have increased to 6.7 million people including 4.5 million people in acute need for Shelter/NFI/CCCM assistance based on the results of 2019 HNO  ( Humanitarian Needs Overview )
Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster estimates that there are over 76,000 vulnerable families who are exposed to the extreme weather conditions in affected locations during the winter months.
Residents of hosting sites often report a lack of access to dignified assistance, feeling unsafe, lack of privacy, limited representation of their needs, limited freedom of movement and harassment from other IDPs or the host community.
Partners reported huge needs for winterization support in locations that have very low temperatures during the winter months. Unconfirmed report indicated the death of two children due to the harsh cold temperatures. Limited funding deprived many people in need for this type of assistance.
Wheat silos in Yemen's port city of Hodeidah have been damaged by a fire caused by suspected mortar shelling, threatening food supplies for millions of hungry people, the United Nations said.
The blaze damaged two silos at the Red Sea Mills grains facility, which holds 51,000 tonnes of World Food Programme  ( WFP )  wheat   enough to feed 3.7 million people for a month in the war torn country.
The WFP has been unable to access Red Sea Mills on the eastern edges of the city since September due to fighting between the Iranian aligned Houthi movement that controls Hodeidah and other Yemeni forces backed by a Saudi led coalition that are massed on the outskirts.
The 74 per cent of IDPs outside hosting sites are living in rented accommodation  ( 43 per cent )  or with host communities  ( 22 per cent ) . This represents a change from 2017, when more IDPs were staying with host families. Protracted displacement is likely straining host families' ability to cope. IDPs in rental accommodation often face difficult circumstances in which they must pay rent but lack income. An increasing number of families report they owe landlords large sums of money for rent. Families are reporting increases in evictions or threats of eviction due to rent arrears.
As a result of conflict, as many as 4.3 million people have been displaced in the last three years, including approximately 3.3 million people who remain displaced and one million returnees.16 More than half are living in Amanat Al Asimah, Hajjah, Taizz, Al Hudaydah and Sa'ada governorates17, and about 60 per cent have been displaced since conflict escalated almost four years ago.
An estimated 74 per cent of IDPs outside hosting sites are living in rented accommodation  ( 43 per cent )  or with host communities  ( 22 per cent ) . This places a continued and prolonged burden on hosting families and the wider community as well as on IDPs paying rent and those sheltering in spontaneous settlements. In avoiding collective centres, many families find themselves intensely indebted from paying rent. IDPs in hosting sites are considered the most vulnerable due to limited alternatives.
Malnutrition in Yemen has three main underlying causes:  ( i )  inadequate access to food or poor use of available food;  ( ii )  inadequate childcare practices; and  ( iii )  poor water, sanitation and health services. The past three years of conflict in Yemen have further exacerbated the impact and severity of these factors.
IOM had previously suspended VHR airlifts after the escalation of the conflict in 2015. During the suspension, IOM transported migrants on chartered boats across the Gulf of Aden. In 2018, IOM provided VHR to more than 1,000 vulnerable migrants.
After a period of relative calm in north Abs, intense fighting over the past several days has forced 18,000 people to flee their homes. There are now 50,000 displaced people living in Abs and the surrounding area, with more people expected to arrive if the situation deteriorates further. In MSF's hospital in Abs, medical teams saw a marked increase of war wounded patients. This facility is the only structure providing secondary healthcare and life saving medical services to over 1.2 million people living in the region.
The main humanitarian needs of the newly displaced people are urgent: an increase in medical assistance is needed, as well as access to clean water, shelter, food and basic relief items. The provision of water and sanitation services is of particular importance, given that Yemen is suffering an increase in cholera cases, aggravating the already weakened medical condition of the population. MSF has a fully functioning cholera treatment centre in Abs and is currently setting up an additional facility should cases continue to rise.
After several days of intense fighting, more than 18,000 newly displaced people have arrived in Abs and the surrounding areas. We also saw an increase of war wounded in our hospital in Abs, which serves an area with more than 1.2 million people in Abs and the surrounding districts. In total, there are more than 50,000 displaced and the situation could get worse if there are new clashes.
Sanaa, April 8, 2019 – A Save the Children child protection worker who rushed to the scene of the school where several pupils were killed yesterday described scenes of devastation, and children bleeding heavily while aid workers tried to reach them.
According to IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix  ( DTM )  figures,  [ 1 ]  Berbera and Bossaso constitute main routes for migrants entering Yemen through the Gulf of Aden irregularly. The reports additionally states that more than 99,000 migrants who have reached Yemen in 2017 made it through Somaliland and Puntland – making the region an important departure and transit point for human smuggling and trafficking.
There has been an 84% increase in needs from 1.2 M people in 2015 and 24% increase from 5.4 M in 2018 to 6.7 M in 2019. For people with acute needs an increase of 67 % since 2015 or 4.5 M in 2019 an increase of 42% from 2018. The Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster target remained at 3 M for 2018 and 2019 with a budget increase from $195 M in 2018 to $222 M up 14% in 2019.
Health actors are reporting an increase in suspected cholera cases and related deaths across the country since the beginning of 2019, according to the UN World Health Organization  ( WHO ) . Between January 1 and March 28, health actors recorded nearly 148,000 suspected cholera cases, including 291 related deaths, compared to the more than 63,200 suspected cholera cases, including 32 related deaths, recorded during the same period in 2018.
Sana'a, 27 March 2019 – At least seven civilians were killed and eight injured as a result of an airstrike yesterday on a hospital in Kitaf District in Sa'ada Governorate. Reports from the area confirm that insecurity is making rescue efforts difficult.
28 February 2019   The Ministry of Public Health and Population of Yemen reported 7419 suspected cases of cholera with eight associated deaths during epidemiological week 5  ( 28 January – 3 February  )  of 2019. Ten percent of cases are severe. The cumulative total number of suspected cholera cases from 1 January 2018 to 3 February 2019 is 413 770, with 543 associated deaths  ( CFR 0.13% ) . Children under five represent 32.0% of all suspected cases. The outbreak has affected 22 of 23 governorates and 311 of 333 districts in Yemen.
As of January, the average price of the minimum survival food basket comprising the minimum items required by a household for survival for one month remained 96 percent higher than the pre crisis cost, according to WFP. Amid limited livelihood opportunities and decreasing purchasing power, the high cost of food continues to limit access to staple food items for millions of vulnerable households.
An estimated 19.7 million people lack access to adequate health care, including 14 million people who are in acute need of health services, according to the 2019 HRP. Furthermore, fewer than 50 percent of health facilities countrywide are fully functional, often due to high operating costs, staff shortages, and lack of equipment, medicine, and other supplies, the 2019 HNO reports. Limited access to health care services and poor sanitation conditions increases the risk of communicable disease outbreaks among vulnerable populations. Due to the continued deterioration of health and WASH facilities, the UN estimates health actors could record 250,000−350,000 suspected cholera cases in 2019. To date in 2019, health actors have recorded more than 52,000 suspected cases of cholera, including 49 related deaths, according to the UN World Health Organization  ( WHO ) .
“Yemen is home to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and children are especially vulnerable. At least 11.3 million – 80 percent of all children in the country – need humanitarian assistance, while 1.8 million are acutely malnourished including nearly 360,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition. At least 2 million children are out of school and 8.1 million do not have access to safe water and sanitation services. Children continue to be killed or injured by the violence, recruited into armed groups or forced into child labour or early marriage.
In a population of 30.5 million, the UN estimates that 24 million need humanitarian assistance, and 10 million are suffering from extreme levels of hunger. One million of them are malnourished pregnant and lactating women. More than 10 percent of the Yemeni population is now displaced because of the war, living in conditions that make them vulnerable and exposed to violence of all sorts and that exacerbate harmful social practices, already entrenched in the Yemeni culture such early marriage, child pregnancy and discrimination. War not only takes lives; it also erodes social protection at the same speed as it erodes values. In such a broken system, women pay the highest price.
Six million women and girlsof childbearing age are in need of support. More than 1 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished. An estimated 114,000 women are likely to develop childbirth complications.
But the health system has been devastated by the crisis.Fewer than halfof health facilities across the country are fully functional. And due to staff shortages, lack of supplies and damage,only about a thirdof functioning health facilities are providingreproductive health care.
In such an environment, IDPs take nothing for granted; in some cases, only a carefully managed, large scale humanitarian effort can restore some of the basic necessities IDPs have left behind. In a scene replayed daily in Marib, a displaced man recently credited CSSW with an important step back to normality. "Thanks to everyone who contributed to my daughters' return to school and saved them from loss and ignorance," he said as he watched his three daughters returning to school in their new uniforms after a difficult displacement journey from Hodeidah to Marib.
With some 24 million people in Yemen in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection, Yemen faces the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. For almost four years, OCHA managed pooled funds have helped partners to coordinate and deliver the most critical assistance for millions of Yemenis facing conflict, deepening food insecurity and an economy on the verge of collapse.
Conflict remains the main driver as the worst hunger is concentrated in areas that saw the fiercest conflict last year. But despite the UN's repeated call on all parties to facilitate access for humanitarians to reach people in need throughout Yemen, access is still elusive. The conflict particularly impacts women and children putting them at higher risk of sexual and gender based violence.
Since 2015, the economy has shrunk by half, and more than 80 per cent of Yemenis now live below the poverty line. If current trends continue, the total number of people facing pre famine conditions could rise to 14 million – or half the country's population.
Of a total 11 030 samples collected since January 2018, 3481 have been confirmed as cholera positive by culture at the central public health laboratories in Al Hudaydah, Sana'a, Taizz, and Aden governorates. During this reporting period, 28 stool samples – from Sana'a  ( 18 ) , Amanat Al Asimah  ( 6 ) , Taizz  ( 1 ) , Al Bayda  ( 1 ) , Hajjah  ( 1 ) , and Arman  ( 1 )  – tested positive.
The fiscal deficit since the last quarter of 2016 has led to major gaps in the operational budgets of basic services and erratic salary payments – severely compromising peoples' access to basic services. Only 51 per cent of health facilities are fully functional. More than a quarter of all children are out of school, and civil servants and pensioners in northern Yemen have not been paid salaries and bursaries for years. Humanitarian partners have been increasingly stretching to fill some of these gaps to ensure continuity of essential services.
The migrant, asylum seeking and refugee population face other protection risks. They often face language and cultural barriers to accessing humanitarian services, markets and livelihoods. They generally lack social safety nets and frequently face discrimination. Those living with chronic illnesses may be stigmatized within their communities and find little support. Most migrants lack documentation and fear exposure could lead to detention, trafficking or retaliation. Suspension of registration of asylum seekers and renewal of refugees' documentation in the north starting in August 2016 led to large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers with expired or no documentation, increasing the risk of arrest, detention or deportation, and hindering access to services or employment. Registration resumed in November 2018, but many remain undocumented due to barriers to registration.
As the conflict intensifies there has been an increase in indiscriminate attacks and potential violations of international humanitarian law  ( IHL ) , which are taking a brutal toll on civilians. Tens of thousands of people have been killed or injured since 2015. From March 2015 to October 2018, health facilities reported more than 70,000 conflict related casualties. A separate UN programme monitoring civilian casualties has verified more than 17,700 civilians injured or killed. Both these estimates almost certainly undercount the true extent of casualties.
In 2018, an assessment23 in Amanat Al Asimah and Sana'a governorates found that the most urgent needs reported by Muhamasheen households are food, health, shelter and education. Most of the working age population are illiterate and unskilled, with around half out of work. Daily per capita income was estimated to be below $1.90 per day, suggesting that all households fall below the international poverty line. Due to extreme hardship, families are increasingly forced to resort to negative coping strategies.
Of these people, 9.6 million are one step away from famine  ( IPC Phase 4 Emergency )  – a 14 per cent increase since last year and almost twice the figure before the escalation of the conflict. For the first time ever, assessments have confirmed that close to a quarter of a million people  ( 238,000 individuals )  are facing catastrophic levels of hunger  ( IPC Phase 5 Catastrophe )  and are barely surviving. Any change in their circumstances, including any disruption in their ability to access food on a regular basis, will bring them to the brink of death. Across the country, 190 of 333 districts are facing emergency conditions  ( IPC Phase 4 ) , which means that nearly two thirds of all districts in the country are pre famine.
Across Yemen only 51 per cent of health facilities are functioning. Some 17.8 million people lack adequate access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene. In 2017, amid declining WASH and health services, an outbreak of cholera and acute watery diarrhoea reached unprecedented levels. Non payment of teachers' salaries in 10,000 schools  ( in 11 governorates )  since October 2016 has further restricted access to education, affecting 3.7 million children.
An estimated 7.4 million people in the 230 highest risk districts do not know how they will obtain their next meal. Most households' livelihoods in these districts have totally or nearly collapsed. This has triggered spiralling coping behaviours like sale of houses, land, productive assets, and livestock, exacerbating household food insecurity. Families are increasingly going into debt to access food. The large IDP population is stretching host communities ability to cope.
Conflict and insecurity remain the major drivers of food insecurity in Yemen. Since conflict escalated in 2015, food security across Yemen has deteriorated alarmingly. The protracted conflict has destroyed livelihoods, limited income opportunities and reduced families' ability to purchase food. Slightly more than 20 million Yemenis  ( 67 per cent of the population )  are food insecure – an unprecedented situation and a 13 per cent increase from last year.
Since late 2016, more than 1.3 million suspected cholera cases and nearly 2,800 associated deaths have been reported in 306 districts across Yemen – the worst single outbreak on record. In 2018 alone  ( January to November ) , more than 311,000 suspected cases were reported – considerably less than the 987,000 suspected cases during the same period in 2017. Effective joint programming by the Health and WASH clusters significantly improved cholera prevention and treatment, working through a joint response plan that helped to decrease new infections and improve treatment outcomes.
Displacement triggers a wide range of needs, for immediate assistance and medium to longer term support for livelihoods and for host communities. Large scale new displacement in 2018 demonstrated the need for a rapid response mechanism to cover needs in the immediate displacement period. According to MCLA findings, IDPs, host communities and returnees most frequently identified food, livelihoods and drinking water as their top three priorities. However, needs vary depending on the length of displacement, with recent IDPs prioritizing immediate, life saving assistance.
In country food stocks are currently estimated at 1.1 million metric tons as of mid November 2018. Wheat stocks are sufficient to cover national requirements for nearly three months, while rice and vegetable oil stocks could cover one and half months. Fuel commodities  ( petrol and diesel )  continue to be scarcely available. Al Hudaydah is currently suffering most from commodity scarcity, as movement of traders and commodities are restricted and markets disrupted due to conflict.15
Conflict, displacement, and economic decline are placing immense pressure on essential basic services and the institutions that provide them, accelerating their collapse. The public budget deficit since late 2016 has disrupted basic social services and payment of public sector salaries. As a result, people's access to essential services such as water, sanitation, health care, education, and agriculture and veterinary services has been further constrained.
Deteriorating security and economic conditions are affecting women's and girls' mobility, as well as their access to services and resources. About half of IDPs are female, including 27 per cent who are below age 18. With limited shelter options, displaced women and girls tend to suffer most from lack of privacy, threats to safety and limited access to basic services – especially in overcrowded collective centres. Women and girls are at greater risk of protection and health threats in areas where they are responsible for fetching water and fuel. At the same time, their ability to reach health, nutrition and other services remains a challenge due to distance and lack of financial means to afford transport. Displaced girls are more likely to lose access to school as families with limited resources de prioritize their right to education.
Children are among the most vulnerable groups and are disproportionately affected by the conflict. An estimated 7.4 million children need humanitarian assistance, representing a 12 per cent increase since 2017. Severe protection risks, a nutrition crisis and interrupted schooling are the main consequences for children.
Conflict, economic decline and institutional collapse have relentlessly exacerbated pre existing challenges in Yemen, including food insecurity and malnutrition. With two thirds of the population now food insecure, Yemen is the world's largest food security crisis. This is not a result of food scarcity or natural disasters. Assessments confirm that conflict is the primary driver, with the worst hunger concentrated in areas that saw the fiercest violence in the last year. Economic factors are playing a major role, including constraints on the supply and distribution of goods, diminishing purchasing power, exchange rate volatility and related issues.
Assessments indicate that 21 per cent of female  headed households are under the age of 18. Without empowerment and support, women and girls can more easily become vulnerable to negative coping strategies. Supporting women who have found access to the labour market is essential, including efforts to strengthen women's overall social and economic empowerment.21 Integrating support for this empowerment into other services will be key towards improving women's and girls' access to humanitarian assistance.
Needs for Shelter, NFIs and CCCM cluster services have increased.63 IDPs often flee with little more than the clothes they are wearing, meaning they lack the basic NFIs required for their survival and often need emergency shelter items. The most frequently reported needs are lack of essential items, insufficient lighting in shelters, overcrowding, inability to afford rent or basic goods and the high cost of shelter materials.64 IDPs living in hosting sites often face poor living conditions and need improved services to coordinate and manage these sites. Life saving winterization assistance is critical to ensure that shelter and NFI assistance is sufficient in cold winter months, particularly between October and February
Conflict being the primary driver of the crisis, the highest severity of needs is mainly in areas experiencing the highest levels of violence, mainly Al Hudaydah, Taizz, Hajjah, and Sa'ada governorates. Areas with the highest cross sector needs severity urgently require an integrated response to ensure basic life saving and protection services; this is where it is critical that key clusters scale up the response. Efforts must include concerted advocacy with parties to the conflict to ensure rapid, unhindered humanitarian assistance.
Women and girls suffered disproportionately from GBV, poverty and violations of basic rights before the conflict. After nearly four years of conflict and economic decline, women and girls are now facing even more complex risks and vulnerabilities. The World Bank estimates that women are shouldering an inequitable share of the burden in terms of worsening poverty rates and deprivations than the average of the population.
Trafficking remains a serious protection risk. Analysis by the Aden Mixed Migration Working Group reveals an increasing number of asylum seekers and migrants reporting incidents of abuse and trafficking on their journey to Yemen and on arrival. A recent trend of migrants and asylum seekers being forced off boats away from shore has resulted in an increase in deaths. Other incidents include arbitrary detention, abuse and human rights violations. A major concern is the increasing number of unaccompanied Ethiopian minors who have been lured to Yemen, and who are often vulnerable to abuse, with reports of child labour and prostitution. Traffickers appear to operate with near impunity due to the prevailing security situation, especially along the western coast, and the lack of a functioning judicial system.
The conflict has forced many Muhamasheen to flee their homes. However, their experience of displacement has been different to that of other Yemenis. Because of social prejudice, they are unlikely to find accommodation in public institutions and schools. As a result, they have had to reside in open farmland, parks and other public spaces, and struggle to access basic services or other support mechanisms. This has further exacerbated their existing vulnerabilities.
Intensity of conflict is directly related to severity of needs. Humanitarian needs are most acute in governorates that have been most affected by conflict, including Taizz, Al Hudaydah and Sa'ada governorates. More than 60 per cent of people in these governorates are in acute need of humanitarian assistance.
The availability and prices of fuel commodities affects other economic sectors and production systems including agriculture and water supply for human consumption. Soaring fuel costs due to scarcity are having a knock on effect on the price of transport, water, electricity, health and sanitation services. In the water sector, the costs of trucking safe drinking water and bottled water doubled in the third quarter of 2018.
The disruption of the health care system continues to be a major challenge to cholera control. Across Yemen, only 51 per cent of health facilities are fully functional due to staff shortages or lack of medicines, equipment, supplies, operational cost and limited access. Health Cluster partners are supporting 146 diarrhoea treatment centres  ( DTCs )  and 346 oral rehydration corners  ( ORCs )  in 127 priority districts. However, 65 districts still have no DTCs or ORCs.
Higher operating costs due to insecurity and lack of supplies, as well as falling demand, have led to mass layoffs in the Yemeni private sector.11 More than 600,000 jobs are estimated to have been lost,12 mainly in the agriculture and services sectors. Agricultural production and fishing, where most Yemenis have traditionally worked, has plummeted by nearly a third. Assessment findings this year confirm that all Yemeni population groups rank livelihoods among their top three priorities.13 With rapidly diminishing income opportunities, negative coping strategies, including recruitment by armed groups, child labour or child marriages, are becoming more prominent.
More than half the population currently lacks adequate access to water and sanitation, recognising that, about 51 per cent of under nutrition worldwide is associated with infections caused by inadequate WASH conditions29, and poor sanitation is the second leading cause of stunting.30 Currently only about 50 per cent of health facilities are fully functioning, whilst feeding and care practices are sub optimal: the exclusive breastfeeding rate is only about 10 per cent, and the rate of timely introduction of complementary feeding is about 60 per cent.
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains the worst in the world. Nearly four years of conflict and severe economic decline are driving the country to the brink of famine and exacerbating needs in all sectors. An estimated 80 per cent of the population – 24 million people – require some form of humanitarian or protection assistance, including 14.3 million who are in acute need. Severity of needs is deepening, with the number of people in acute need a staggering 27 per cent higher than last year. Two thirds of all districts in the country are already pre famine, and one third face a convergence of multiple acute vulnerabilities. The escalation of the conflict since March 2015 has dramatically aggravated the protection crisis in which millions face risks to their safety and basic rights.
This collapse is placing growing pressure on humanitarian partners to ensure continuity of critical services, including through payment of incentives and covering operational costs. In the health sector alone, about 2,500 health facilities – 60 per cent of those that are functional – are supported with a minimum service package by Health Cluster partners. Pressure on humanitarian partners to fill gaps in the public sector is expected to grow as the economic situation deteriorates further.
From October 2017 to September 2018, 15,170 conflict incidents were reported, including airstrikes, armed clashes, and shelling across the country.1 A significant number of these incidents resulted in damage or destruction of civilian facilities, including irrigation systems, agricultural sites, schools, hospitals, water points and sanitation plants. On average, it is estimated that 600 civilian structures, are damaged or destroyed every month.2 Landmines and other explosive remnants of war pose long term risks for the civilian population and humanitarian actors.
The most vulnerable people are the approximately 300,000 IDPs living in 1,228 IDP hosting sites across the country. Many of these people live in extremely alarming conditions. Baseline assessments65 confirm that 77 per cent of hosting sites have no site management structure; 83 per cent do not have access to health services; 39 per cent report water access problems; and 43 per cent have no access to toilets.
Food insecurity is most severe in areas with active fighting and is particularly affecting IDPs and host communities, marginalized groups, fishing communities and landless wage labourers. At least two million IDPs  ( 60 per cent of all IDPs )  face worse food security outcomes than other segments of the population – particularly IDPs living in collective centres. Female , elderly  and disabled headed households are seriously affected. All these population groups have virtually exhausted their coping strategies and have limited social support.
Protracted conflict and economic hardship are increasing risks of family separation, child recruitment, child marriage, exploitive forms of labour and child trafficking. The MCLA findings confirm the presence of more than 1,200 unaccompanied and separated children in IDP settlements in Yemen. In 2018, 60 per cent of respondents to an inter agency child protection assessment confirmed cases of family separation in their neighbourhood due to internal displacement. In addition, 72.2 per cent of respondents indicated awareness of child marriage and that child marriage rates were rising. Between 2017 and 2018, child marriage rates increased threefold for girls under 18.
In Aden, Lahj, Hadramaut and Al Maharah, 54 per cent of surveyed households reported at least one vulnerability, including a medical condition, physical disability, being a single parent or caregiver, or GBV concerns. About 15 per cent of households reported at least one member with legal or physical protection needs. Due to extreme hardship, persons of concern increasingly resort to negative coping mechanisms that exacerbate risks, including begging and forcing children to drop out of school to beg or work. A UNHCR assessment found that more than 80 per cent of male refugee children and more than 70 per cent of female refugee children who do not go to school either do nothing or engage in begging. Parents have complained that youths are prone to recruitment by fighting forces. Focus group discussions revealed that refugee children feel inhibited and anxious and are under severe psychological stress. A third of male respondents reported arbitrary assaults and arrests, most frequently in Al Jawf, Hudaydah, Hadramaut, Shabwah, and Sa'ada.
The Yemeni economy is on the verge of collapse. The economy has contracted by about 50 per cent since conflict escalated in March 2015. Employment and income opportunities have significantly diminished. Exchange rate volatility – including unprecedented depreciation of the Yemeni Rial  ( YER )  between August and October 2018 – further undermined households' purchasing power. Basic services and the institutions that provide them are collapsing, placing enormous pressure on the humanitarian response.
However, the outbreak is not yet beaten, and the rate of new cases rose sharply towards the end of the year. This increase was due to ongoing prevalence of risk factors, including collapsing health, water and sanitation facilities. In October, weekly suspected case reports peaked at more than 61,000, although they had declined to 10,000 to 12,000 per week by the end of the year. Between 250,000 and 350,000 suspected cholera cases are expected in 2019. The outbreak will likely continue until sustainable solutions can be found – including effective, reliable water and sanitation infrastructure and health services. Risk communication and community outreach are key to containing the spread.
Significant new displacement occurred in 2018. With the escalation of conflict along the west coast, approximately 685,000 people were displaced from Al Hudaydah  ( 511,310 )  and Hajjah  ( 157,120 )  starting in June. Other conflict affected areas, such as Sa'ada, saw temporary displacement and further displacement of existing IDPs, as people moved out of areas experiencing violence for a period of days or weeks. In October, Tropical Cyclone Luban also displaced nearly 6,000 families in Al Maharah Governorate.35
National average fuel prices rose in October 2018 by about 9  19 per cent from September 2018; and 137 261 per cent more than those during the pre crisis time. The main reasons for scarcity and soaring prices of fuel include low level of imports, currency crisis, and poor supply into local markets. The quantity of fuel commodities  ( diesel and petrol )  currently available in the country are estimated to meet the national needs only for less than a month.
Displaced women and girls from marginalized groups or with disabilities struggle even more to secure access to services. The death of male relatives, when men are usually the primary breadwinners in Yemeni families, increases economic pressure, especially for female headed households. As noted in the previous section, rates of child marriage and child labour are increasing. The pressure is even more intense in cases where women or girls suddenly find themselves responsible for providing for their families but have been deprived of basic education or vocational training that would prepare them for the labour market.
For almost four years in a row, conflict and insecurity has remained the major drivers of food insecurity in Yemen. The lack of access to food is protracting the situation, making it the world's largest humanitarian crisis. The conflict has devastated people's livelihoods, limited income opportunities and reduced their ability to purchase food. This dramatic deterioration destroyed households' ability to cope. Any changes in their circumstances, including further disruption in their ability to access food on a regular monthly basis, pushes them to the brink of famine.
Yemen's conflict has forced its children into a destructive struggle for survival. Fleeing the fighting, hoping to escape the violence, often means abandoning homes, and schools. Parents lose their livelihoods, and entire families end up on the streets, begging.
After a year of unrelenting military pressure along Yemen's Red Sea coast, there are some indications that the Saudi led coalition may be pivoting toward a greater recognition that a political compromise is needed to end the war. Military pressure succeeded in bringing the Huthis to the table, the coalition argues, but a different toolkit will be needed to end the war.
This program aims to deliver quality lifesaving assistance through TSFP services for under five children and PLW who are suffering from moderate acute malnutrition in 52 health facilities and through 8 mobile clinics. A total number of 6,528 children under 5 were admitted and in follow up to TSFP and a total of 12.23 Metric Tons have been distributed to children under 5 with MAM. In addition, 4,057 PLW were admitted and in follow up to TSFP and received a total 29.88 Metric tons.
This program aims to prevent all children under 2 years and pregnant and lactating women from being acutely malnourished through the provision of Plumpy'Doz for children under 2 years and Super Cereals Plus for  ( PLW ) . In January RDP nutrition teams have distributed 204.582 Metric tons of Super Cereal plus for 34,097 Pregnant Lactating Women  ( PLW )  and 36.35 Metric Tons of Plumpy'Doz for 24,230 children under 2 in approximately 104 Food Distribution Points  ( FDPs )  over four Districts of Ibb Governorate.
Aid material was delivered by Turkish Red Crescent to 15,000 Yemeni people struggling to live under the shadow of conflicts.
As a result of fighting in Hajjah Governorate  ( north of Al Hudaydah ) , displacement was recorded from Hajjah towards neighbouring Amran Governorate. On 2 and 3 February, needs assessments by the UNHCR partner, Yemeni Red Crescent  ( YRC ) , identified 120 recently displaced families in the districts of Al Qaflah, Al Ashah and Al Madan  ( all in Amran Governorate ) . So far, two thirds of these displaced families  ( IDPs )  have received assistance through the distribution of core relief items  ( CRIs ) .
“The situation people face is worsening by the day. We fear that Yemen may be hit by a famine. The current peace talks are important, because only a political solution can put a lasting end to the suffering of the population. Financial support from the international community is important, and we need more flexibility, so the money can be used where it is most urgently needed. There should also be more pressure on the different authorities on the ground, so aid organisations have better access in the country. The upcoming international donor conference on 26th February must send a clear message', stresses Mathias Mogge, Secretary General of Welthungerhilfe.
31 January, 2019   The Ministry of Public Health and Population of Yemen has reported 9140 suspected cases and 12 associated deaths during epidemiological week 1  ( 31 December 2018 – 6 January )  in 2019. 10% are severe cases. The cumulative total number of suspected cholera cases from 1 January 2018 to 6 January 2019 is 379 288 and 517 associated deaths  ( CFR 0.14% ) . Children under five represent 32.0% of the total suspected cases. 22 of 23 governorates and 312 of 333 districts in Yemen have been affected by the outbreak.
Food security in Yemen is critically dependent on imports and incomes. Both have been knowingly undermined by parties to the conflict over many months, leading to the current high levels of suffering and starvation. For women, the impact of eating last and least is crippling, and coping mechanisms are becoming increasingly desperate. Displacement and high rates of physical, psychological and sexual violence are causing further suffering. An inclusive peace process is desperately needed to end this crisis.
“The proliferation of these fighting forces is a recipe for disaster for Yemeni civilians who have already been killed in their thousands, while millions more are on the brink of famine as a direct result of the war.'
“While the USA, the UK, France and other European states have rightly been criticized for supplying arms to Coalition forces, and Iran has been implicated in sending arms to the Huthis, a deadly new threat is emerging. Yemen is quickly becoming a safe haven for UAE backed militias that are largely unaccountable,' said Patrick Wilcken, Arms Control and Human Rights Researcher at Amnesty International.
The investigation,“When arms go astray: Yemen's deadly new threat of arms diversion to militias,'shows how the UAE has become a major conduit for armoured vehicles, mortar systems, rifles, pistols, and machine guns – which are being illicitly diverted to unaccountable militias accused of war crimes and other serious violations.