Aden – With no signs of the conflict abating, the crisis in Yemen continues to severely disrupt lives. Through support from the European Union’s (EU) humanitarian body, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reached more than 370,000 people in Yemen with life-saving assistance over the course of a year and eight months.

The IOM-EU partnership focused on ensuring that the needs of the most vulnerable communities’ were met in the areas of camp management, water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter and core relief item distributions, and cash-based assistance.

“The world’s attention is being held by the global pandemic, but Yemen continues to urgently require global engagement and support,” said John McCue, IOM Yemen Deputy Chief of Mission.

“Four million Yemenis are estimated to be displaced from their homes with limited assistance, as a result of the conflict and extreme weather events. EU humanitarian aid has enabled IOM to reach thousands of people in need with assistance essential to their survival—be it access to life-saving health care or life-sustaining clean water. We hope that this valuable partnership can continue, and we call on members of the international community to increase their support to the people of Yemen.”

Navigating the complex operational environment in Yemen, IOM ensures that its interventions are tailored to context and needs, with a particular focus on ensuring a timely and rapid response. Coordinated by IOM’s offices in Ma’rib and Aden, this IOM-EU project targeted nine governorates, which were prioritized due to high needs among displaced and host community members, and service gaps in the humanitarian response.

By the end of the project, over 50,000 people had access to safe and appropriate shelter and core relief items and over 40,000 people were reached with cash assistance to meet their basic needs in the onset of displacement. Through water, sanitation and hygiene assistance like the rehabitation of water points and the distribution of hygiene kits, which include soap and buckets, among other items, nearly 300,000 were supported.

The project also played a vital role in the COVID-19 response in Yemen. When cases were confirmed in Yemen in April 2020, the project was adapted to support the urgent needs of those who are vulnerable to the disease.

ENDS

For more information, please contact IOM Yemen:

• Arabic: Mennatallah Homaid, Tel: +967739888755, Email: mhomaid@iom.int   
• English: Olivia Headon, Tel: +353833022648, Email: oheadon@iom.int