UNICEF shows serious concerns over humanitarian situation in Yemen

UN- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned the international community that 15.9 million people in Yemen are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 7.9 million children.

According to UNICEF Yemen Humanitarian Situation Report, around 150,000 are internally displaced people, while more than 767 people killed, including 77 children (WHO and UNICEF) 2,906 people injured, including 44 children (WHO and UNICEF), 2 million children out of school.

According to the report, “as the conflict reaches its fourth week fuel, water, and food supplies are rapidly depleting and electricity and communications networks throughout the country are increasingly cut off for long periods of time. This is putting immense pressure on individuals as well as on the humanitarian response. The situation in Sa’ada is deteriorating rapidly, with increasing reports of civilian areas being targeted, including 11 fuel stations, 3 large food stores, markets and 2 schools. Twenty-three civilians were killed including 8 children according to unverified reports. Most health facilities have been closed in Sa’ada. Those still functioning are unable to receive large numbers of casualties and have been forced to turn some injured people away. Security concerns and/or lack of fuel and transport have prevented some hospital staff and caretakers from coming to work. In Taiz, Hodeidah, Sana’a and surrounding governorates, electricity has been largely unavailable for a period of six days, with some areas suffering blackouts for over 120 continuous hours. Maintenance teams have faced problems accessing power lines in Marib due to the conflict, while several engineers were reportedly killed by snipers as they attempted to fix the lines in towns in the south. A temporary truce of 24 hours has been agreed in Marib to allow access and safety for maintenance engineers, as well as to allow much needed humanitarian supplies to move between governorates. Fuel is in very short supply, and if sufficient quantities are not made available soon, cold chain and water service delivery are at risk of collapse, with disastrous results. Lack of fuel has forced many hospitals to cut back services due, including in Abyan and Al Dhale where life-saving operations have been put on hold. Abyan has been without water, electricity or fuel for the past three weeks, and towns such as Hodeidah and Hajjah which currently have access to water, risk water supply shortages as a result of lack of diesel. Telecommunication networks have been damaged or disconnected in parts of the country, limiting mobile phone, landline or internet access. Wheat and flour are in short supply in Ibb, Taiz and al Dhale. In Aden, traders have provided bakeries with flour so bread is now available, although limited. Education authorities extended the closure of more than 3,750 schools across the country, affecting an estimated 2 million children. At least 48 schools (mostly in the South) have been damaged and an additional 49 are reportedly occupied either by armed groups (17) or are being used as shelters by IDPs, although the actual number is likely to be much higher. The movement of IDPs remains fluid and numbers are difficult to verify. A reported 4,456 families were displaced in the North while 6,434 families were displaced in Serwah District in Marib. The number of IDP families has increased by 775 in Hodeidah, by 463 in Taiz, and by 2,250 in Abyan.”