Yemen in pictures

Armed groups often use traditionally safe places such as schools, hospitals, and mosques as targets or as operational bases. In northern Yemen over 170 schools were damaged or destroyed as a result of six rounds of conflict in Sa’ada. Credit: OCHA

The deepening crisis facing millions of Yemenis was highlighted this week with the launch of a powerful series of photos in Dubai.

The exhibition, “Facing Crisis: Yemen’s Deepening Humanitarian Challenges”, puts a human face on a highly complex crisis – in which hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and  one in three Yemenis go to bed hungry every night.

Conflict, poverty, drought, soaring food prices and collapsing state services have created a daily struggle for survival for millions of people.

“Each of the pictures tells a story,” said Adeel Mohamad, country head for Save the Children. “It the story of suffering in Yemen. That is why we are urging Yemen’s neighbours and the international community to help.”

A recent survey in Hodeidah Governorate, in the west of the country, found a Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 31.7 per cent and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) of 9.9 per cent – twice the level deemed to require an emergency response.

On 14 December, the UN and partners called for US$447m to help four million people in 2012, and a regional appeal is planned for January.

“Yemen will continue to need substantial humanitarian assistance for at least 3-5 years,especially in terms of protection, food and nutrition, health care, sanitation and clean water,” said Jens Toyberg-Frandzen, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen.

 “Politics in Yemen has been the food of the media,” said Dr Ahmed al-Ansi, the Yemeni health minister. “Now is time to turn the focus to humanitarian issues.”