Yemen UNHCR weekly update

KEY FIGURES

• 20.7 million people in need
• 1,980,510 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
• 84 per cent of IDPs displaced for more than a year
• 946,044 IDP returnees
• 931,846 recipients of CRIs since March 2015
• 280,539 refugees and asylum seekers

Operational Update

Conditions for civilians, and in particular for the close to two million displaced Yemenis, continues to be of serious concern for UNHCR and other humanitarian actors. The recently concluded mission of the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, to Aden, Sana’a, Lahj, Hudaydah, Hajjah, and Amran Governorates, drew attention once again to the challenging conditions across the country. Unhindered humanitarian access is critical to ensuring life-saving assistance is delivered and activities are conducted for those who need it most, in particular families in frontlines areas.

UNHCR relief efforts have focused on providing life-saving assistance, including shelter and financial support in some of the most challenging and war-impacted locations, reaching 422,210 Yemenis across the country so far this year, and 40,000 individuals during this week alone. As the end of year approaches, increased funding and better humanitarian access will be essential to scale-up life-saving activities in 2018.

Meanwhile, against a backdrop of ongoing hostilities in Yemen, Somali refugees have continued to approach UNHCR Assisted Spontaneous Returns (ASR) helpdesks in Kharaz camp in Lahj Governorate and Basateen in Aden Governorate. The help desks were established to ensure Somalis have clear knowledge of the voluntary process and to avoid families risking their lives at the hands of smugglers and unseaworthy vessels in an effort to leave Yemen. Close to 1,000 families have received information on the return process, as well as conditions in Somalia and the assistance package to support their reintegration at home. So far, 1,287 individuals have confirmed their wish to return, with 418 Somalis traveling home on an IOM-UNHCR chartered boat.