UNICEF Yemen Humanitarian Situation Report (October 2018)
Highlights
- UNICEF together with all United Nations agencies in Yemen is calling for urgent action on five key issues to avert a human catastrophe, in particular on: cessation of hostilities in Al Hudaydah and the rest of the country, addressing the massive malnutrition rates and underlying causes of food insecurity, intervening on essential infrastructure damages, tackling the ongoing depreciation of the Yemeni Rial (YER) and restoring payments of civil servants.
- Fighting intensified in and around eastern and southern areas of Al Hudaydah with increasing pressure on Al Hudaydah city and its port. An increase in airstrikes, naval and ground shelling continued to cause civilian casualties and damages to civilian infrastructure, as well as large displacement. Since June 2018, more than 425,000 people have been forced to flee the governorate.
- The Country Task Force continue to record a high number of child causalities due to the ongoing conflict, in October 54 cases were documented and verified; 15 children (14 boys; 1 girls) were killed and 39 children (30 boys; 9 girls) maimed. The majority of the incidents took place in Al Hudaydah and Taizz governorates.
- The YER continues its depreciation against the US Dollar (as of 31 October, 1 USD equaled 754YER average). The alarming decline in the currency is weakening already destitute Yemenis and worsening current food insecurity levels. In addition, rising fuel prices HOW MUCH? affect waste water treatment plants, sanitation services, rendering children and families at risk of diseases.
- On 14 October, cyclone Luban reached the coast of Yemen, causing widespread flooding and damages in notably coastal districts of Al Maharah governorate, but also Hadramaut governorate and Socotra. The Al Maharah Governorate Emergency Operations Room reported that over 3,000 families were affected. UNICEF supported the emergency response through provision of basic hygiene kits as part of the inter-agency RRM, but also undertook Health and WASH interventions, including cholera prevention messaging.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate with no end in sight. The deterioration is not only caused by the depreciation of the Yemeni Rial, inflation, decline in food security and livelihoods, but also through ongoing fighting and violence in Al Hudaydah and many other areas across the country. Lack of salaries for civil servants, impediments to and lack of infrastructure for commercial and humanitarian supplies to enter the country, further compound an already dire humanitarian situation, affecting what currently remains of the resilience of many Yemeni families and children.
At the start of October, the Yemeni Rial (YER) depreciated by 238 per cent against the US Dollar compared to pre-crisis levels. The value of the YER decreased from YER 460 in January to YER 754(average) against the US Dollar in October. The previous month, the exchange rate averaged to YER 655 to the US Dollar. The national average price of a liter of diesel has increased by 280 per cent and petrol by 357 per cent compared to pre-crisis prices. The cost of the survival minimum expenditure food basked for one households per month rose to an average of 42,101 YER in the first week of October (142 per cent increase since pre-crisis).1 Fuel prices and scarcity affect basic services including water and sanitation provision, but also transport of water and essential supplies such as hygiene items, that are affected by an increase in transport cost.
Tropical cyclone Luban affected coastal districts of Al Maharah governorate, Hadramaut governorate and Socotra. UNICEF provided more than 2,150 basic hygiene kits as part of the inter- agency Rapid Response Mechanism. Further, UNICEF provided 7,000 cholera and WASH leaflets to internally displaced people (IDPs) sites to raise awareness, operated two integrated mobile clinics to deliver nutrition and a range of other comprehensive health services to assist the population.
Donors have pledged USD 70 million for the monthly cash incentives for teachers throughout Yemen who have not received salaries in over two years. This contribution will facilitate stipends for 135,000 teachers and school staff, so that an estimated 4 million children who otherwise may be at risk of missing school, can continue their education for the school year 2018-2019. Many children who do not attend school are left vulnerable to child labour, forced recruitment or early marriage.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/unicef-yemen-humanitarian-situation-report-october-2018
