Continued Impact of War and Covid on Children in Yemen

The Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict examined the second report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Yemen (S/2019/453), which was introduced by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. The Permanent Representative of Yemen to the United Nations also addressed the Working Group.  The members of the Working Group expressed grave concern over the scale, severity and recurrence of violations and abuses endured by children in Yemen, and strongly condemned all violations and abuses that continue to be committed against children in Yemen. They urged all parties to the conflict to fully implement the Stockholm Agreement, and to work towards a comprehensive negotiated political solution to end the conflict, as the only sustainable way to end the suffering of children in Yemen. The members of the Working Group underlined the importance of including child protection provisions in a future peace agreement.  The members of the Working Group underlined the importance of accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and violations or abuses of international human rights law and preventing impunity.

The conflict continues, with high levels of civilian casualties reported in Taiz and Hodeidah.  Saudi Arabia announced a two-week ceasefire in Yemen, which began on 09 April. The announcement was unilateral and partially in response to the feared spread of Covid-19 in Yemen, as well as in the hopes of redoubling the efforts to bring the warring parties together for talks under the aegis of the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths.

According to a statement, the UN Special Envoy is in the process of revising proposals to the parties and is hopeful to convene them virtually to begin formal work on a comprehensive initiative to end the conflict. Griffiths said he “is thankful to the parties for their constructive and substantive engagement to his initiative,” and that his office “will be sharing regular updates on the negotiations with consideration to the fine balance between the required confidentiality of the mediation process and the values of transparency.”  Just before the ceasefire announcement, ongoing conflict continued in Marib and Al-Jawf, and forces aligned with the Hadi government claimed success in substantially pushing advancing forces back. There were also reported airstrikes in the north, including two reported strikes in Sana’a governorate on medical quarantine facilities just one day before the ceasefire announcement.

Humanitarian actors are finalizing the status report on the humanitarian operation in Yemen – a technical roll over from the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan. The status report, which outlines humanitarian response priorities for 2020, will highlight the financial requirements for this year. Several humanitarian programs in Yemen will either reduce or shut during April unless funding is received.  It has also been confirmed that the risk of famine is expected to increase due to the compounded negative effects of the partial loss of assistance, rising food prices, and a recent escalation in conflict. An outbreak of Covid-19 in Yemen would likely further increase acute food insecurity and mortality. Action to end the conflict is ultimately needed to decrease the size and scope of emergency assistance needs. The first case of the virus was confirmed in the Aden laboratory on 10 April. According to a statement from Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande, the Covid patient is stable, and public health officials are currently undertaking a contact tracing effort.

Humanitarian Advisors calls on all actors to remember that the secondary impacts of Covid-19 will threaten many more children’s lives than the virus itself. As many as 30-million children’s lives are in danger from secondary health impacts such as deadly disease or lack of immunization, increased malnutrition as well as increased number of children dying from malaria.