UNHCR has been present in Yemen since 1987, when its first office opened in Sana’a. In 1989, UNHCR established a presence in the south of the country. Today, UNHCR has a well-established footprint across the country, covering most of the 22 governorates and 333 districts through its country office in Sana’a, a sub-office in Aden, and field offices in Al-Hudaydah, Ibb, Ma’rib, Sa’ada.
Years of devastating conflict has led to a protection and displacement crisis. In 2024, the UN estimates 18.2 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection services (HNO 2024), including over 4.5 million internally displaced Yemenis and over 60,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in dire humanitarian need.
UNHCR is the only agency addressing the protection and well-being of refugees and asylum-seekers across Yemen. UNHCR and partners provide a wide array of services, such as protection, access to basic services including, education, healthcare, water and sanitation, shelter, energy, and sanitation. All services provided to refugees are open to all persons in need, free of charge.
As part of the United Nations humanitarian response, UNHCR plays a key role in the interagency coordination mechanisms responding to the internal displacement crisis. UNHCR leads the Protection, Camp Coordination and Camp Management support (CCCM), and Shelter/NFI clusters. UNHCR is also co-lead with IOM of the Refugee and Migrant Multi-sector. UNHCR remains actively engaged in inter-agency working groups, including the Humanitarian Access Working Group, the Durable Solutions Working Group, and other specialized task forces. Through these coordination mechanisms, UNHCR advocates on protection and displacement issues, centrality of protection and durable solutions programming. Key areas include joint site identification (demining, site planning); policy on the civilian character of sites and non-encampment; housing, land, and property (HLP) issues; eviction guidance, including joint displacement tracking; support on community engagement, and protection considerations.
UNHCR maintains regular communication and cooperation with institutions entrusted with humanitarian assistance such as the Executive Unit (ExU), National Committee for Refugee Affairs (NACRA), and the Supreme Council for Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (SCMCHA). On refugee matters, UNHCR provides an advisory and support role to the Bureau for Refugee Affairs (BRA), and the Department of Immigration, Naturalization and Passports Authority (IPNA).
60,193 Number of refugees and asylum-seekers in Yemen.
The majority are from Somalia (64%), Ethiopia (25%), Syria (5%), Iraq and Eritrea (1 %)
4.5 million Number of internally displaced people in Yemen.
18.2 million Number in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen: 16.4 million need protection; 6.7 million need shelter and non-food items; 1.8 million need CCCM support.
