Yemen: International Community’s Credibility Is At Stake

Statement by Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, as the war in Yemen enters its eighth year

“While the warring parties have been attacking and destroying civilian life with impunity, the international community has looked on, and even poured fuel on the fire, with no respite for the Yemeni people.

“Attacks on civilians have almost doubled since the United Nations accountability body monitoring civilian casualties and attacks against civilian infrastructure was dismantled last October. Almost one civilian was killed or injured every hour in January, the highest civilian casualty figures in years.

“We’re now entering the eighth year in which more civilians will be killed with impunity unless a monitoring mechanism is put in place. We’re entering another year in which millions of children struggle to sleep at night, suffering extreme hunger, unless funding is stepped up immediately.

“For the sake of these millions of families, we urge the international community not only to provide much-needed humanitarian funding but also to urgently pressure the warring parties to stop the madness. Civilians are bearing the brunt of this conflict and of the world’s indifference. The international community’s credibility is at stake.”

Facts and figures:

• 26 March marks seven years of conflict in Yemen.
• Two thirds of people in Yemen have almost nothing to eat.
• A record US$4.2 billion is needed this year for the humanitarian response to reach over 23.4 million people in need, according to the UN. So far only 30 per cent of this is funded.
• 31,000 people are facing famine-like conditions in Yemen – by June 161,000 people will be at risk of starvation, according to the latest Integrated Food Phase Classification figures.
• Armed violence reportedly killed or injured more than 2,500 civilians in 2021– an average of nearly seven civilian casualties a day. 
• Acute food insecurity is expected to reach alarming new heights in 2022. By the second half of this year, 19 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity (IPC 3+), an increase of almost 20 per cent compared to the first half of 2021.