Yemen crisis

Millions of people in Yemen are facing a severe humanitarian crisis, widespread hunger and chronic malnutrition.

Oxfam is providing emergency water and sanitation, and cash grants to some of the worst affected.

Donate to Yemen

Updates from Oxfam

Yemen is a forgotten crisis. More than half the population - 13 million people - do not have access to clean water, and 10 million Yemenis are struggling to put enough food on the table.

One year on from the country's political transition, people have still not recovered from the crisis. People have exhausted their ways of coping, and millions have fallen into debt trying to find food for their families. According to the UN, a quarter of a million children are at risk of dying unless they receive urgent treatment. Widespread humanitarian needs due to conflict in the north and south of the country is further exasperating the situation.

140, 000 people have returned home to Abyan in Yemen's South but face difficult circumstances such as unexploded land mines and ongoing insecurity.

Video: Coping with Yemen's humanitarian crisis

What Oxfam is doing to help

Oxfam has reached over half a million people so far, across several regions of the country, through providing essential water and sanitation services and cash handouts- both vital for sustaining health and livelihoods during this difficult time.

This year, we're aiming to support a further 250,000 people who have been displaced through conflict.

In Al Hodeidah and Hajjah, we have given cash grants to more than 400, 000 people to enable them to buy food and water to feed their families. In the same area, we have provided training on safe hygiene practice to more than 160, 000 people.

Since July last year in Sa'ada in Yemen's North, we have reached over 58,000 people through providing clean water, and repairing vital water and sanitation facilities, as well as supporting people to rebuild their livelihoods.

We are helping hundreds of families who have returned to their homes in Abyan to rebuild their lives and find work, by providing people with goats and fodder. We are also equipping hundreds of people with basic entrepreneurial skills so they can begin new lives.

Blog: Getting back to work in northern Yemen

Yemen: Fragile lives in hungry times

Latest blogs about the Yemen crisis

07 Mar 2013

Hunger is the new normal in Yemen’s forgotten crisis, Oxfam warns

Millions still waiting for aid despite generous pledges Hunger is becoming a normal part of everyday life in Yemen as nearly half of the population sinks into debt to feed their families, aid agency Oxfam warned today. ... Read more

10 Oct 2012

Efforts to end global hunger are “flat-lining”, warns Oxfam, as UN figures show 870 million are still going short of food each day

Rising food prices and increased frequency of humanitarian crises may entrench hunger long term The international aid agency, Oxfam, has warned that efforts to bring an end to global hunger are in danger of "flat-lining"... Read more

27 Sep 2012

Yemen: Rafiqa's story

Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in Abyan, Yemen, in the last year because of ongoing conflict. I spoke to Rafiqa, who recently fled her village and sought refuge in an abandoned school where Oxfam is providing... Read more

More blogs about the Yemen crisis

Photo gallery: Yemen crisis

Photo 1/10 photo by: Nupur Kukrety

Oxfam is providing emergency support to some of those worst affected by rising levels of hunger across Yemen prompted by last year's political crisis which saw food and fuel prices soar at the same time as families' opportunities to earn an income have dramatically decreased.