Yemen: A Decade of.....

​After a full decade since the outbreak of conflict (March 2015 – March 2025), Yemen faces profound structural challenges that hinder its developmental path. Ten years of war and economic collapse have resulted in a humanitarian situation classified among the worst globally. Restoring the social sector now requires extraordinary reconstruction efforts to achieve stability.

​The Impact of a Decade of Conflict (2015–2025)

​As the conflict entered its eleventh year in March 2025, it left behind massive destruction of physical and human assets. Estimates indicate that basic infrastructure has lost a significant portion of its functionality, with thousands of vital facilities damaged. This protracted conflict has not only destroyed physical structures but has also led to the internal displacement of millions, placing immense pressure on host communities already suffering from scarce resources.

​Economic Collapse and Poverty Indicators

​The economic situation has deteriorated sharply. According to reports from the World Bank and the Yemen-Gulf Center for Studies (2025), the following indicators highlight the crisis:

​GDP Contraction: Real GDP per capita has plummeted by 58% since 2015.

​Inflation and Currency: Inflation rates surpassed the 30% mark in 2024. Purchasing power continues to erode, with households now spending over 60% of their income on food alone.

​Unemployment and Poverty: Unemployment rates rose to approximately 17.5% in 2025. The vast majority of the population lives below the poverty line, relying entirely on aid or severe coping strategies.

​The Humanitarian Crisis in Numbers (2025 Statistics)

​Humanitarian needs reached record levels in 2025:

​Total People in Need: An estimated 19.5 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection services—an increase of 1.3 million from the previous year.

​Food Security: 17.1 million people face varying levels of acute food insecurity.

​Women and Children: Nearly two million children suffer from malnutrition, including 500,000 in critical condition. The UN has launched an appeal for $70 million specifically to support services for women and girls within the response plan.

​Education and Health: Sectors at Risk

​Education: The education sector has seen a terrifying decline. Reports indicate over 2.6 million children are out of school (2023-2024 statistics), with an 88.2% deficit in textbook provision. Additionally, more than 170,000 teachers have not received regular salaries for years.

​Health: Fewer than 50% of health facilities are operating at full capacity. The maternal mortality rate is estimated at 183 deaths per 100,000 live births, while 41 out of every 1,000 children die before the age of five. The crisis has caused such a severe shortage of medicine that some areas lack a single practicing physician.

​International Aid and Funding through late 2025

​Despite the scale of need, response plans face significant funding gaps:

​2025 Response Plan: The UN requested $2.5 billion to assist 10.5 million of the most vulnerable people; however, actual funding often stalls at 40–50% of the requirement.

​Major Donors: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) provided total aid to Yemen amounting to approximately $8.3 billion by the end of 2025. The European Union has increased its total support to Yemen since 2015 to roughly €1 billion.

​Cash Assistance: In the first half of 2025 alone, $49 million in cash assistance and vouchers were provided to over one million people, reflecting a heavy reliance on direct liquid support.

​Conclusion

​Understanding the primary challenges facing Yemen’s social sector is the first step toward effective solutions. The scale of these challenges requires a shift from "emergency relief" to "sustainable development." This transition demands the concerted efforts of all parties, the local community, and international partners, backed by a strong internal will for recovery. Without comprehensive political, security, and economic stability—alongside a sustainable flow of funding and the rebuilding of national institutions to restore local production and investment—these figures will continue to rise, threatening the future of generations to come.

References

​European Commission. (2025). Humanitarian aid to Yemen: Factsheet. European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/

​King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief). (2025). Yemen humanitarian aid statistics and project dashboard: Cumulative report 2015–2025. https://www.ksrelief.org/

​United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (2024). Yemen humanitarian response plan 2025. https://www.unocha.org/yemen

​World Bank. (2025). Yemen economic monitor: Navigating a decade of economic fragmentation and collapse. World Bank Group. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/yemen

​World Health Organization & UNICEF. (2024). Health and nutrition status in Yemen: Joint monitoring report on maternal and child mortality. https://www.unicef.org/yemen/

​Yemen-Gulf Center for Studies. (2025). Socio-economic impact of ten years of conflict in Yemen: Indicators of poverty, unemployment, and displacement. https://yemen-gulf.org/