Executive Summary:
The major political shifts in Yemen since 2011 have led to profound changes in the dynamics of power within the country, resulting in the decline of political solutions in favor of military actions. On September 21, 2014, the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group seized control of Sana’a, the capital, and several northern governorates through military force. This development triggered regional and international intervention, culminating in a large-scale military operation led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 26, 2015, encompassing the entire country. These operations, alongside other consequences of the conflict, have caused the displacement of 4.5 million people and the world's worst humanitarian disaster in one of the Middle East’s poorest nations.
After more than a decade of conflict and armed interventions, the humanitarian crisis persists. Despite relative calm since April 2022, marked by a reduction in large-scale military operations following a truce agreement between the warring parties, humanitarian needs remain significant and ongoing. According to UN agencies, more than half Yemen's population (18.2 million people) require humanitarian assistance. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) represent the most vulnerable and needy group, having lost their homes and possessions, as well as their personal security, family stability, and their civil right to a dignified life. Additionally, many have faced severe violations and risks before, during, and after displacement.
This study, conducted by Mwatana for Human Rights in collaboration with a local expert, covers the period from September 2014 to October 2024. It aims to examine the conditions of IDPs in displacement camps and document the risks and violations they face in their areas of origin, during displacement journeys, and in host areas.
The study also sheds light on abuses perpetrated by host communities against IDPs and investigates the root causes of displacement, the conditions in displacement camps, and the broader impacts of displacement, including the relationship between IDPs and host communities. Furthermore, the study explores humanitarian response mechanisms to assist IDPs and the challenges these responses face.
Data Collection Methodology:
The study's data collection process was conducted in two phases:
1. First Phase: Quantitative data was gathered using a semi-structured "Displaced Families Interview Form" and an "Observation Form" to assess the conditions of displaced families.
2. Second Phase: Qualitative data was collected using an "In-depth Individual Interview Form" and a "Focus Group Discussions Guide."
All tools were designed to align with the study's objectives, focusing on displacement causes, risks, violations, camp conditions, the impact of displacement on IDPs and host communities, and response mechanisms from 2014 to 2024.
Key Findings:
1. Causes of Displacement:
A. Indiscriminate Shelling: Widespread ground and air bombardments by conflicting parties led to insecurity, forcing civilians to flee their homes, some multiple times, to escape airstrikes, ground offensives, and forced recruitment campaigns.
B. Racial Discrimination: The conflict exacerbated racial and sectarian discrimination and hate speech, targeting individuals and groups based on political, religious, ethnic, or geographic affiliations, driving them to seek safer areas.
C. Landmines and Explosives: Extensive contamination of residential areas, farmland, roads, and water sources with landmines and improvised explosive devices caused injuries and deaths, prompting residents to flee.
D. Lack of Basic Services: The conflict-induced collapse of essential services, rising unemployment, and limited access to livelihoods forced many to abandon their homes in search of better living conditions.
2. Violations Against IDPs: The study identified multiple violations committed by warring parties, including:
A. Forced Evictions: The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group forcibly expelled civilians under the pretext of ensuring their safety, employing inhumane threats.
B. Targeting of Civilians: Warring parties, including the Saudi/UAE-led coalition, the internationally recognized government, and the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, conducted attacks ignoring the principle of distinction between civilians, civilian objects, and military targets.
C. Restrictions on Movement: IDPs faced severe restrictions on movement, including arbitrary stops, searches, and the confiscation of personal belongings by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group and the Southern Transitional Council.
D. Looting: IDP properties in areas of origin were often looted by conflicting parties following displacement.
E. Arbitrary Detentions and Raids: In some areas, IDPs were subjected to arbitrary detentions and repeated raids on displacement sites, especially in Aden.
F. Sexual Harassment and Verbal Abuse: IDPs, particularly women and children, faced abuse, harassment, and derogatory remarks in displacement areas under different authorities.
3. Conditions in Displacement Camps: While most camps are close to public services and have some access to water, their infrastructure remains inadequate. Camps rely on worn tarpaulins, which offer minimal protection from extreme weather. Sanitation and privacy concerns, coupled with vulnerabilities to climate-related hazards, such as floods and storms, compound the suffering of displaced populations.
4. Impact of Displacement: The study indicated that most displaced persons feel frustrated due to the significant and negative changes that displacement has caused in their lives. The main forms of suffering resulting from displacement are as follows:
A. Fluctuating Relationship with the Host Community: At the beginning of their displacement, many displaced persons faced problems with the host community. However, these issues began to decline as the duration of displacement increased and the displaced were integrated into the host community. Exceptions include some tribal areas like Al-Jawf and Abyan, where displaced persons did not face significant problems.
B. Tension Due to Resource Sharing: The tension between displaced persons and the host community is attributed to the sharing of the community's limited resources, the targeting of displaced persons for humanitarian aid, and their use of essential services such as water and fuel. However, such problems were not reported in some areas like Hays and Al-Khokha in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, where displaced persons integrated easily with the host community.
C. Lack and Scarcity of Income Sources: Most displaced persons suffer from a lack or scarcity of income sources, especially with the decline in humanitarian assistance provided to them in recent years.
D. Begging and Child Labor: The phenomena of begging and child labor are widespread among the displaced, as many families rely on their children's work, depriving them of education and sometimes leading to the recruitment of children by conflict parties to secure income for the families.
E. Family Dispersal: The study showed instances of family dispersal due to displacement to distant areas or due to divisions in religious, political, or sectarian affiliations.
5. Humanitarian Response Mechanisms: At the onset of displacement, most displaced individuals received food assistance, shelter supplies, and cash aid, and they expressed satisfaction with the level of response at that time. However, in recent years, the aid provided has significantly decreased, with many not receiving any assistance for a period of 6 to 7 months. Tents and makeshift shelters have deteriorated without replacement, and there has been little provision of psychological support services.
The study indicated clear shortcomings in humanitarian aid, characterized by randomness and focusing on immediate responses to urgent needs rather than on economic empowerment and capacity building. This leaves displaced persons dependent on assistance for a prolonged period. Displaced individuals in Sayoun, Hadramaut Governorate, complained about not receiving humanitarian aid like their peers in other governorates.
6. Return and Settlement Intentions: IDPs' willingness to return to their areas of origin depends on several factors, including the removal of threats, such as landmines, cessation of armed clashes, and assurances of compensation for destroyed properties. Based on these conditions, IDPs fall into three groups:
A. Those who find their lives better after displacement and prefer not to return.
B. Those eager to return despite the risks.
C. Those linking their return to the end of the conflict and restoration of safety and stability.
This comprehensive study highlights the dire circumstances faced by IDPs in Yemen, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable solutions to address their immediate and long-term challenges.
Study Recommendations
In light of the findings highlighted in the study, the following recommendations are made:
First: Recommendations to All Parties to the Conflict
1. Adherence to International Humanitarian Law: All parties to the conflict must adhere to the rules and principles of international humanitarian law and cease committing violations against civilians in all categories, including displaced civilians.
2. Compliance with International Human Rights Law: All parties must respect international human rights law in their dealings with civilians, particularly displaced persons. This includes ensuring fundamental freedoms such as freedom of movement, the right to access decent employment opportunities, and adherence to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.
3. End to Racial Discrimination: All parties must immediately cease all forms of racial discrimination based on color, ethnicity, geographical affiliation, family background, or any other discriminatory basis. They must take effective measures to combat hate speech and discriminatory practices against civilians, particularly displaced persons, ensuring humane treatment in all circumstances.
4. Cessation of Threats and Violations Leading to Displacement: All parties, especially the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group and the Southern Transitional Council, must immediately halt all forms of threats, abuses, and violations that force civilians into displacement and internal displacement.
5. Release of Arbitrarily Detained Individuals: All parties must immediately release all arbitrarily detained individuals and disclose the fate of forcibly disappeared civilians, particularly displaced persons who are arbitrarily detained or forcibly disappeared.
6. Facilitation of Humanitarian Assistance: All parties must ensure safe and rapid access to humanitarian aid for displaced persons, remove barriers hindering such assistance, and support humanitarian organizations and donors in planning and executing relief operations without obstacles.
7. Provision of Protection Services: All parties must provide necessary assistance and protection services to displaced persons, improve the conditions in displacement camps, including protective fencing, and remove sources of danger, such as military gatherings near displacement sites, to ensure the safety and security of the displaced.
8. Effective Reporting Mechanisms for Violations: All parties must establish effective mechanisms for reporting violations or assaults against displaced persons in camps and displacement sites, thereby reducing such violations and holding perpetrators accountable.
9. Resolution of Land Issues in Displacement Camps: All parties must urgently address and resolve land disputes concerning displacement camps situated on privately-owned land belonging to host community civilians. This must be done in a manner that prevents harm or abuse against displaced persons and avoids repeated displacement.
10. Improvement of Camp Infrastructure and Services: All parties must improve the infrastructure of displacement camps and ensure essential services, including upgraded housing units, sanitation, water, electricity, education, and healthcare.
11. Restoration of Civil Documentation: All parties must address issues related to displaced persons’ loss of identification and official documents, ensuring they can resume normal activities and access all their rights.
12. Provision of Decent Employment Opportunities: All parties must create decent employment opportunities for displaced persons to enable dignified living, build their capacities, and equip them for suitable jobs. Additionally, they should support initiatives promoting social integration and participation for displaced persons.
13. Demining and Clearing Explosive Hazards: All parties, particularly the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, must work on clearing and removing landmines and handing over relevant maps. They must also facilitate humanitarian demining efforts to eliminate hazards and prepare for the voluntary return of displaced persons to their original areas.
14. Clearing War Remnants: All parties must clear unexploded ordnance and other remnants of war, facilitate their removal by humanitarian organizations, and ensure the safe return of displaced persons to their original areas.
15. Integration into Host Communities: All parties must integrate displaced persons into host communities and ensure their access to essential services without harmful discrimination.
Second: Recommendations to Donors and Humanitarian Organizations
Based on the study’s findings, displacement has become increasingly complex due to its prolonged duration and the overlapping political, security, and economic dimensions. Accordingly, the study recommends the following to donors and humanitarian organizations:
1. Assessing the Needs of Displaced Persons: Conduct studies to identify the specific needs of displaced persons and thoughtfully plan responses to address emerging needs and ensure comprehensive coverage.
2. Implementing Targeted Responses: Work on executing well-planned and structured response operations to minimize random interventions that fail to address the urgent needs of displaced persons. Consider the climatic conditions of displacement camps and sites to ensure optimal benefit for the displaced population.
3. Supporting Sustainable Livelihood Programs: Prioritize programs and activities that contribute to sustainable income for displaced persons, including economic empowerment initiatives. Avoid relying solely on immediate humanitarian aid, such as in-kind or cash assistance.
4. Capacity-Building for Displaced Persons: Support programs that build the capacities of displaced individuals and prepare them to enter the labor market, enabling them to secure sustainable income and decent job opportunities.
5. Enhancing Protection Services: Strengthen protection services for displaced persons, including psychological support, child-friendly spaces, and other essential services that are largely lacking in the camps and displacement sites covered by the study.
6. Collaborating with Local Authorities to Improve Environmental Health: Coordinate with local authorities to enhance environmental health in displacement sites through programs that promote awareness and health education to reduce the spread of communicable and infectious diseases.
7. Addressing Sanitation and Environmental Concerns: Work with local authorities to solve sanitation and environmental hygiene issues, improving conditions in various displacement camps and sites.
8. Promoting Integration with Host Communities: Support activities and programs that facilitate the integration of displaced persons into host communities, including enrolling displaced children in schools attended by host community children and ensuring equal access to healthcare and psychological services.
9. Raising Awareness Among Host Communities: Raise awareness within host communities on appropriate ways to interact with displaced persons, emphasizing their rights and the importance of supporting them to reduce negative attitudes and practices.
10. Fostering Social Cohesion: Implement activities and programs to integrate displaced persons with host communities, such as organizing joint events, workshops, and other initiatives that promote coexistence and integration.
11. Conducting Regular Evaluations: Perform periodic studies to evaluate the impact of humanitarian interventions, ensuring their quality and ability to meet the most pressing needs of displaced persons.
Third: Recommendations to the International Community
The international community, including the United Nations with its various bodies, influential states at the global level, and international organizations and entities, should work on the following:
1. Developing International Frameworks on Internal Displacement:
Establish international instruments and legal frameworks to regulate internal displacement. These frameworks should define the rights of displaced persons and the obligations of states and local authorities toward them as a group with special status. This should ensure the enactment of clear and stringent legislation to protect the rights and dignity of displaced persons under all circumstances.
2. Supporting Peace Efforts in Yemen: Promote and encourage peace efforts in Yemen and work toward achieving a definitive ceasefire. This would help eliminate sources of danger that have been major drivers of displacement in Yemen and pave the way for the voluntary return of displaced persons to their original communities and areas.
3. Prioritizing Human Rights, Transitional Justice, and Accountability: Ensure that human rights, transitional justice, and accountability are central to peace efforts. This includes providing redress to civilian victims, particularly displaced persons, and ensuring justice and fairness for them.
4. Supporting Humanitarian and Civil Society Efforts in Yemen: Strengthen the efforts of humanitarian and human rights organizations, as well as civil society activities in Yemen. This support would enable the assessment of the diverse needs of displaced persons and other vulnerable groups and ensure a high-quality response to these needs.
5. Advocating for Referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC): Push for the referral of the Yemen case to the ICC and work toward establishing criminal investigation mechanisms to address violations and international crimes committed against civilians in Yemen, including displaced persons.