CERF gives $10 million in life-saving funds for displaced in Yemen

23 April 2012: CERF gives $10 million in life-saving funds for displaced in Yemen

Yemen continues to face a complex emergency, including widespread conflict-driven displacement concentrated in the north and south of the country. Yemen is currently experiencing two simultaneous episodes of displacement affecting 13,500 newly displaced families, including 5,500 in the north and 8,000 in the south. This new influx also adversely affects the conditions of more than 100,000 people living in host communities, thus increasing the number of people in need as a direct result of this crisis to more than 190,000 people.

Most displaced families are required to flee at short notice as the fighting approaches their community. The majority who flee on foot are not able to carry food or non-food items. Pregnant women, children and the elderly are the most affected by such sudden and traumatic displacement.

In response, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) provided nearly US$10 million to five UN agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yemen.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) received $2.7 million to respond to the water, sanitation and hygiene needs of 66,500 newly displaced children, women, and men in north Yemen (Hajja Governorate) and south Yemen (Aden and Lahj Governorates). The project will also include more than 50,000 targeted beneficiaries within the host population which has provided refuge to IDPs. The World Food Programme (WFP) received $2.6 million in funding from the CERF to provide emergency food assistance to 66,000 people.

More than $1.7 million was given to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to provide emergency protection, shelter and non-food item assistance to 53,000 newly displaced people. IOM received $1.9 million to provide shelter, non-food items, water, sanitation and protection activities for some 85,000 people, including 24,000 new IDPs and 61,000 people living in host communities. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) received $797,000 to support primary health care services for some 66,000 people.

To provide protection and support to women and girls affected by displacement and conflict, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) received $280,000 to provide dignity kits with appropriate clothing and personal hygiene items to affected women and girls, as well as to develop gender-based violence prevention communication products and messages for broadest through television and radio.