Joint Rapid Assessment of the Northern Governorates of Yemen

Since early 2004 the Al-Houthi have engaged in an armed conflict with the Yemeni military and government-backed tribal fighters in Sa’ada resulting in multiple cycles of displacement, loss of livelihoods and erosion of already stretched coping mechanisms. Women and children account for about 80 per cent of those affected.

The Al-Houthi take-over of Sa’ada city in March 2011 led to the displacement of an additional 15,000 people, adding to the pre-existing caseload of 225,000 IDPs, 97,000 returnees, and 116,830 conflictaffected but non-displaced people attributable to the fighting in the north. Some IDPs are returning while others who were associated with pro-government tribes have fled and taken refuge in Amran, Hajjah and Sana’a governorates. The stabilization of the
situation in Sa’ada has temporarily resulted in increased humanitarian access, but access reduced again in September 2011.