CERF gives $8.5 million to UN partners to aid conflict-affected people in Yemen

14 August 2012: Since June 2012, the Republic of Yemen’s southern region has been in a state of conflict. This was triggered by the Government’s decision to recapture armed militant strongholds in the south. A chronically underdeveloped country and the recent political, social and economic instability in southern Yemen have placed a high toll on more than 452,000 Yemeni people.

The political instability in the south and weakened presence of central Government authorities resulted in the collapse of key public services, such as health care, education, law enforcement, and water and sanitation. The widespread presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance in the area puts local people at risk, with a reported 87 people killed. Further compounding the humanitarian situation, more than half a million Yemeni people are internally displaced due to ongoing fighting in the north and south. Yemen also hosts more than 200,000 refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa. Food insecurity has doubled in the last two years, and nearly 1 million children under age 5 suffer from malnutrition.

Based on a multi-sectoral assessment, the Humanitarian Country Team prioritized health, nutrition, shelter, protection, water and sanitation, and landmine clearance as key areas requiring urgent interventions. In response, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated US$8,503,075 million in rapid response grants to five UN agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yemen.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) received $2.5 million to provide emergency water and sanitation assistance, nutritional support and protection for conflict-affected children. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) received a $2.4 million grant to provide emergency shelter for 100,000 people and distribute non-food items to 10,000 households. IOM received more than $2 million to fund six projects to deliver health and psychosocial support water and sanitation assistance and protection activities, and to ensure community-based management of moderate and severe malnutrition of children under age 5. To support primary health-care service delivery, respond to disease outbreaks and provide emergency medical aid, the World Health Organization (WHO) received $844,551. To ensure reproductive health support and prevent and respond to gender-based violence, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) received $429,081. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) received $250,000 to demine areas and structures including main access roads, agricultural land, schools and Government buildings.

For more information about CERF, visit: www.unocha.org/cerf