Over more than eight years of conflict, the humanitarian situation in Yemen has steadily deteriorated. The war has resulted in what is considered  one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises , characterized by civilian casualties, mass displacement, widespread hunger, acute lack of water, and disease outbreaks contributing to  reports of famine-like conditions  in different parts of the country over the time of the conflict. Despite the protracted nature of the crisis and reduced public attention, it essential to continue informing the humanitarian response in this context.

According to the 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview, 17.3 million people are estimated to be experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, and 15.3 million people need water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance in Yemen. The main drivers for food and WASH insecurities are protracted conflict, climatic hazards, and lack of economic opportunities.

To address a lack of localised information and data, IMPACT – through its initiative REACH –partnered with CARE and Field Medical Foundation Yemen (FMF)  to pilot a settlement-based assessment (SBA),  to understand if this methodology could be useful for this context, and how it could be further implemented in the future. The aim was also to address a general lack of data covering needs, drivers of needs, service provision, and infrastructure in the country - and how these are linked. The pilots were carried out in Al Habelien and Al Jiblah, Radfan district in Lahj governorate, and focused on Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) and WASH, with cash and markets, Accountability to Affected People (AAP), climate, and gender dimensions supporting the analysis - giving an interesting global view of how these different dimensions intersect.

Already vulnerable to climate shocks after years of conflict and displacement, living conditions have worsened over the past three years due to insufficient rainfall during rainy seasons over this period. The two areas assessed indeed reported lack of sufficient rainfall, which had an impact on water availability for drinking and domestic purposes, as well as increasing reliance on water trucking initiatives. It has also led to the cancellation of agricultural activities and households selling their livestock, impacting livelihoods and income-generating opportunities.

This lack of income - coupled with Yemen’s dire economic situation and currency depreciation - has led to the widespread use of negative livelihood coping strategies in both Al Habelien and Al Jiblah, such as purchasing food on credit, selling housing or land, and reducing essential non-food expenditures like health and education. There is a need for reparation, rehabilitation, and management of existing WASH infrastructure in the area as a functioning water network and more sustainable water sources could help reduce WASH needs among both populations and diminish the reliance on unsustainable sources such as water trucking initiatives.

One of the aspects also studied by the assessment was how gender issues influenced access to livelihoods: Across both areas studied, there were indications of gender-related discrimination or marginalisation of population groups in labour markets. Gender structures and stereotypes informing local customs and traditions were reported as the main reasons for excluding women from the labour market. Key informants (KIs) interviewed in the study reported that unpaid domestic labour is the main livelihood activity among women in the area, with only 6-20% of women estimated to be engaged in income-generating activities.

This settlement-based assessment has shown the need for more localised information to better understand the high WASH and FSL needs in Yemen. This assessment, and the report produced, are already a first step and will inform programmatic planning of localized interventions in Al Habelien and Al Jiblah.

For more information on the different aspects of the assessment, you can read  the full report here.