Analysis Main Publications News The Yemen Review Publications Index

Publications

  • Challenging the Narratives: Is Yemen Really the Worst Humanitarian Crisis in the World?

    Once a small-scale intervention in a forgotten crisis, the humanitarian response in Yemen has grown in the past decade into one of the biggest, highest-profile and costliest responses in the world. In its attempt to address what is often described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, the United Nations’ 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Yemen targeted 15.6 million people for assistance prior to the outbreak of COVID-19; in 2021, 20.7 million people are considered in need of some form…

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  • A Data Case Study: Famine in Yemen

    Since 2017, the biggest headlines to grip the world about Yemen have been repeated claims that Yemen is “on the brink” or “one step away” from the largest famine in decades or a century. This has been one of the most visible sound bites of the response, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and leading to one…

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  • Methodology

    The research for this report was designed to cover the time period of the current civil war in Yemen, and the corresponding humanitarian response from 2015 through 2020. The research takes into account the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing its potential to skew the data, and updated data has been incorporated as much as possible and where relevant, up…

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  • The Myth of Data in Yemen

    In recent years, Yemen has come to the forefront as one of the world’s best-known crises. It is portrayed as the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis and the biggest humanitarian response world-wide. It is well known for being on the brink of the biggest famine in years, decades or perhaps a century, and for having the largest cholera outbreak ever recorded,…

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  • Acknowledgements

    First and foremost, I would like to thank all those who agreed to participate in this research. The willingness of those working, or who have worked, on the Yemen humanitarian response to look openly and critically at the response and their own roles in it made this series of reports possible. The openness of all interviewees to discuss topics, share…

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  • When Aid Goes Awry: How the International Humanitarian Response is Failing Yemen

    Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. The world’s biggest response. On the brink of famine for the past four years. It is neglected, grossly underfunded, and exceedingly dangerous. This is the narrative that is spun and reinforced by those who lead the international response in Yemen, both on the humanitarian and political levels, from posts in Yemen to the top humanitarian leadership in New York, Geneva and Rome. The picture painted for the public, amplified through the media and…

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  • Illustrations

    1.1. Yemen Humanitarian Response Trends, 2015 – 2019 1.2. Funding Trends in the Yemen Response, 2011 – 2020 1.3. Funding Allocations In and Out of Consolidated Response Plans, 2015 – 2020 1.4. Number of Civilian Deaths in Conflict 1.5. Internally Displaced by Conflict, End of 2020 1.6. Worst Food Crises, 2020 1.7. Number of People Suffering Acute Food Insecurity, End…

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  • Author’s Note

    Despite decades of international presence inside Yemen and a humanitarian response that is in its seventh year, the world’s organized effort to aid Yemenis through a protracted war is seemingly operating blindly. In addition to little understanding of the country, the environment, and the security and political context, the Yemen humanitarian response is also operating without any clear understanding of…

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  • About the Author

    Sarah Vuylsteke worked as the Access Coordinator for the United Nations World Food Programme in Yemen from February to December in 2019. In this position, she traveled throughout the country, interacting with representatives from all sides of the conflict trying to facilitate aid delivery. Since 2015, she has worked for the United Nations and other international organizations in South Sudan,…

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  • Yemen Peace Forum Amman Workshops Conclude

    Amman, Jordan: The Yemen Peace Forum (YPF) concluded its four-day event which brought together a select group of Yemeni youth and civil society organizations with the aim to empower their voices by creating a parallel process for their views and insights to be channeled into Yemen’s peace negotiations. The two separate workshops were held in Amman October 19 through 22,…

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