Provision of life-saving child protection services for conflict affected children in Yemen

The conflict, on-going in Yemen since 2015, has rendered Yemen one of the world's largest and most complex humanitarian crises. Roughly 80% of the country’s population (22.2 million people) is in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Conflict caused the internal displacement of over 3.2 million people, has left over 1 million public sector workers without pay for two years, and undermined access to ports and airports, obstructing essential humanitarian and commercial deliveries.1 The outbreak of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)/cholera has now reached over one million cases. The strain on an already weakened health system has been further compounded by the diphtheria outbreak in early 2018 that has now reached over 2,200 cases.2 In addition, 16 million people lack access to safe water.3 Children are the primary victims of this conflict: more than 6,000 have been verified as killed or maimed since the conflict began.4 Growing food insecurity, poor water and sanitation, and the spread of preventable diseases threaten millions more. 383,000 children under 5 are estimated to suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and require treatment.5 The damage and closure of schools and health facilities threaten children's access to education and health services, which renders children vulnerable to various protection concerns including early marriage, forced recruitment and psychosocial distress. The impact of this war on children will potentially be felt for generations. Aligned to the Humanitarian Response Plan, UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) has decentralized operations, with five field offices managing interventions locally, together with implementing partners. With the collapse of public services, UNICEF improves access to primary healthcare by providing supplies, covering operational costs, monitoring and responding to communicable disease outbreaks. Community management of malnutrition remains essential, especially in hard-to-reach areas. UNICEF's WASH strategy is integrated with nutrition and food security targeting immediate needs and strengthening long-term resilience of communities. UNICEF ensures uninterrupted access to safe water through rehabilitation works, and support for sustainable local management of water systems. The WASH, health and C4D AWD/cholera prevention/response plan focuses on high-risk areas, diarrhea treatment, chlorination of water sources, rehabilitation of waste water systems and hygiene awareness. UNICEF targets most vulnerable children in conflict-affected governorates with interventions including victim assistance, family tracing/reunification, documentation of child rights violations, mine/explosive remnants of war risk education and psychosocial support (PSS). For education, whilst rehabilitation of damaged schools, establishment of temporary safe learning spaces and provision of learning/pedagogical kits to children to provide a conducive learning environment will continue. UNICEF publishes its' HAC on an annual basis, to ensure it is adapted to the changing context and in line with the Humanitarian Response Plan. Targets may also be revised on a rolling basis dependent on emerging needs. The 2019 and 2020 HAC documents, as well as any mid-year revisions, will be shared with Belgium as and when they are published. This will provide up-to-date overviews of the situation, response strategy and programme expected outcomes. To ensure that vulnerable children and adolescents impacted by armed conflict in Yemen are better protected from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect through preventive and response services that support their well-being and reintegration into their families and communities

- Vulnerable children and adolescents impacted by armed conflict and at risk of exploitation, violence, abuse and neglect are provided with sustainable critical child protection services in their communities. - Vulnerable children in Yemen are reached with life-saving humanitarian support.