Yemen Emergency
Mohammed was forced to flee his hometown of Hudaydah in 2017.
He now lives in the Al Sha’ab hosting site in Aden, where he struggles with insecurity, economic instability and various other risks. © UNHCR/Shadi Abusneida
More than two million people like Hadiya have currently been uprooted by Yemen’s war. Please help us reach these families with life-saving aid.
Shelter kits
Essential items
Emergency cash grants
What’s happening in Yemen?
Yemen remains in a precarious state, marked by the absence of lasting peace since the UN-mediated truce lapsed in October 2022. Ongoing peace negotiations are jeopardised by regional tensions, including those arising from the conflict in Gaza.
The significant protection and displacement challenges in Yemen rank it among the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The situation has caused many deaths, widespread and prolonged displacement and socioeconomic marginalisation.
There are currently 4.5 million internally displaced persons and 71,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Yemen. In 2023, climate-related displacement surged to a four-year high, accounting for 76 per cent of the newly displaced, while the remaining 24 per cent had fled due to conflict.
UNHCR is working to improve protection conditions and access to basic rights for forcibly displaced people – improving living conditions for vulnerable communities through expanded services and support, as well as helping with resettlement, safe return and the provision of essential services. However, humanitarian access restrictions, bureaucratic hurdles and limited funding continue to pose challenges.
Where are Yemeni families fleeing to?
Many families seek refuge in neighbouring countries, like Djibouti and Somalia. But conditions in the surrounding region are so poor that many others stay within Yemen – despite the conflict and risk.
IDPs in Yemen confront challenges stemming from both conflict and climate-related displacement. While there was a reduction in conflict-related displacement in 2023, instances of climate-related displacement surged.
Why are people starving in Yemen?
Yemen has always been one of the poorest countries in the Middle East. But the impact of war – together with strict blockades that prevent food and aid entering the country – have brought the country to its knees and pushed millions of families to the brink of starvation.
Where in the country is UNHCR working?
UNHCR has teams on the ground across Yemen, reaching vulnerable families in all 20 governorates affected by the conflict. UNHCR helps displaced Yemenis as well as refugees who flee into Yemen to escape neighbouring conflicts.
What kind of relief is UNHCR providing?
UNHCR is providing families with emergency shelter, special kits to help them repair bomb damage and cash assistance to help them access food and medicine. In addition, it is supplying mattresses, blankets, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, buckets and more to those who’ve lost everything in the war.
UNHCR will focus on improving protection conditions and access to basic rights for all forcibly displaced people, expanding basic services and support for self-reliance through cash assistance, shelter, core relief items, health, education, women’s protection, child protection and psychosocial support. UNHCR also supports durable solutions, including resettlement and increased support for return to countries of origin.
Humanitarian access restrictions, bureaucratic impediments, shrinking humanitarian space and a potential decrease in available funding will continue to hamper UNHCR’s capacity to deliver a comprehensive package of services to refugees and IDPs.
What’s happening with the floods in Yemen?
Heavy rains continue to cause flash floods across Yemen’s arid climate areas and inland desert. The extensive damage caused by rain and flash floods is exacerbating the shelter, infrastructure and protection concerns of thousands of forcibly displaced families and vulnerable Yemenis. The floods have disrupted livelihoods by submerging farmlands, severely harming livestock and washing away small shops.
Since July 2024, over 40,000 families have been affected by the rains and flooding across 16 governorates. UNHCR is coordinating with local partners and humanitarian organisations to provide immediate assistance to internally displaced people. UNHCR is also providing emergency assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers.
Where can I access the latest data and reports?
Yemen Operations – UNHCR’s relief work to protect displaced people inside Yemen.
Yemen Situation Portal – for latest updates on the crisis overall, including UNHCR situation reports, funding requirements and UNHCR’s support for countries taking in refugees from Yemen.
Did you know that Yemen is also sheltering over 71,000 refugees from neighbouring conflicts?
Displaced father, Mofeed (26), and his daughters Samahir and Jawahir, who help with his stitching work.
Mofeed fled from Al Dhalee to Aden, Yemen four years ago and is staying at the Al Sha’ab site with his family. The site for internally displaced people hosts some 170 families. All of Mofeed’s family – parents, children and siblings – had to move to Aden to find safety. Mofeed is good at stitching fabric and provides this service for his community.
“My wife fell ill after giving birth. I had to borrow money for the hospital treatment,” he says. “I wish I had a sewing machine. Currently, I stitch by hand, which consumes much more time.”
“One day, we will return,” he says.
© UNHCR/Shadi Abusneida