IDP Response

Since late-April, heavy rains and floods have swept southern Yemen, displacing hundreds of families across several governorates. Five people died after floodwaters washed away houses, cars and livestock, with Tarim district in Hadramaut governorate the most affected. Floods were also recorded in Lahj, Aden, Taizz, and Shabwah governorates. Local authorities have appealed for urgent relief to help those displaced. Last year, similar flash floods killed dozens of people and displaced thousands, with hundreds more succumbing to dengue fever, chikungunya, pneumonia, malaria, and other illnesses after drainage systems, water pipelines and shelters were destroyed. UNHCR has so far conducted rapid needs assessments in 26 IDP hosting sites in Hadramaut, Lahj, Abyan, Aden and Al Dhale’e governorates, and identified 1,300 displaced Yemenis in urgent need of assistance who will receive support to repair their shelters and sanitation facilities.

Continued fighting at the border between Marib and Al-Jawf governorates is aggravating the humanitarian needs of displaced populations in the area.

Escalation in hostilities since the beginning of 2018 in Al-Jawf have left at least 189,340 displaced Yemenis and members of hosting communities in acute need of humanitarian assistance. During the first quarter of 2021,
UNHCR and partners conducted needs assessments for more than 4,600 displaced families, the majority of whom arrived from Marib governorate and settled in Al-Jawf governorate. Assessment results reveal displaced families were in urgent need of shelter, non-food items, water, and food assistance. Most displaced families are residing in isolated and rural areas, far from local communities and with little to no access to healthcare, education, water and sanitation facilities. Further information on the situation in Al-Jawf can be found in here.

During the reporting period, UNHCR conducted a series of protection trainings for partners assisting displaced persons on topics including child protection, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, assistance to victims of genderbased violence, data protection ang legal assistance, among others. Over 150 staff from seven UNHCR partners took part. The trainings will serve to improve UNHCR and partners’ emergency response to those most affected by the ongoing conflict.

Refugee Response

During the reporting period, UNHCR delivered protection services to more than 350 refugees, including child protection to 12 unaccompanied minors and other at-risk refugee children. UNHCR also provided legal assistance and counselling to 40 refugees and asylum-seekers, psychosocial support and referral to health services for 23 refugees, and counselling on documentation and registration matters to some 280 refugees in Aden, Basateen, and Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj governorate.