Yemen: Two months on, humanitarian organizations call for immediate access and release of detained colleagues

Toronto, August 7, 2024 – After two months of no contact, CARE International, Oxfam and Save the Children are repeating their calls for immediate access to staff detained by authorities in northern Yemen and call for their immediate and unconditional release.

At least 18 staff members of UN entities and International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) and many others associated with civil society organizations, national and international NGOs, and other entities supporting humanitarian activities, were taken into detention two months ago.

The whereabouts of the detained staff remain unknown, and neither their families nor the organizations have been able to speak to them or see them. Some of those detained have pre-existing medical conditions.

These kinds of detentions are unprecedented and directly impede the organizations’ ability to reach 18.2 million people in Yemen who need humanitarian aid and protection, which is about half the population and includes 14 million women and children.

All detained staff members were working as part of the agencies’ life-saving responses to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises which continues to deteriorate after almost a decade of conflict. An uptick in violence and severe weather events have seen further displacement of 75,600 people since the beginning of 2024. Yemen continues to have one of the world’s highest numbers of internally displaced people – at least 4.5 million people – many of whom have been displaced multiple times.

The three INGOs said in a joint statement:

“We are extremely concerned for the wellbeing of our colleagues who have now been held in detention for almost two months. We have had no contact with them and we still do not know where they are held despite repeated calls to authorities. Their families have also been kept in the dark. We call for access to our colleagues and their immediate release.

“Every day the situation for millions of Yemenis gets worse due to the collision of conflict and displacement, protection concerns, climate change, and economic deterioration. It is vital that our teams have unhindered access and the ability to carry out their duties without the threat of arbitrary arrest and intimidation so that they can make a positive impact on the lives of the people of Yemen. As humanitarian agencies, we have been supporting communities in Yemen for many decades preceding the latest conflict that began in 2015. Our commitment and engagement have been longstanding and we remain determined to address the humanitarian needs of Yemenis. Increasing restrictions and threats against the safety of humanitarian aid workers will impact the community members who have suffered the brunt of this conflict. We remind authorities in northern Yemen that humanitarian organizations and aid workers operate in line with the humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality, impartiality and humanity

“International Humanitarian Law requires all parties to armed conflict to respect and protect humanitarian personnel, including against harassment, mistreatment, and unlawful arrest or detention. More  broadly, the targeting of humanitarian, human rights, and development workers in Yemen must stop. All those detained must be immediately released.”

CARE International has been present in Yemen since 1992 and operates across 14 governorates. Last year, CARE reached approximately 2.8 million people with food security and livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), reproductive health, women’s economic empowerment, and education programmes.

Oxfam has been working in Yemen for more than 40 years and maintains an impartial approach to ensure delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most in need including in hard-to-reach areas of the country. Since July 2015, Oxfam has helped more than three million people in nine governorates of Yemen with clean water and sanitation, cash assistance and food vouchers.

Save the Children, an independent and impartial child rights organisation, has been working Yemen since 1963 and is currently active in 11 governorates, focusing on food security, health, nutrition, child protection, education, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives. Last year Save the Children reached about 2.3. million people in Yemen.

ENDS