Yemen - Ongoing clashes in Yemen’s third largest city, Taizz, continue to expand and affect more people, despite a ceasefire announced in April 2016.

As the conflict rages, IOM has continued to support the affected population with non-food items (NFI), shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) assistance.

Recently IOM completed the rehabilitation of 11 water networks in the districts of Ash Shamayatain, Maqbanah, Al Mokha, Al Mawasit, and Jabal Habashi of Taizz Governorate.

Rehabilitation of these water sites included the installation of five water pumps, installation of water meters, and replacement of old pipes and connectors.

Following completion of the rehabilitation work, IOM trained four community committees (each two people) on the safe operation and maintenance of the rehabilitated water projects, as well as the procedures to calculate daily consumption.

This project will benefit 50,000 conflict-affected individuals in Taizz districts. All activities were implemented in close coordination with the local authority for water and sanitation in each of the five districts.

IOM Chief of Mission in Yemen, Laurent de Boeck said: “It is important to work in partnership with the local authorities when implementing such lifesaving projects. The involvement of the beneficiaries themselves is also a guarantee that the investment is for the long term. What can a family do without water? We now need to extend similar support to larger vulnerable groups, particularly families with young children.”

Since the beginning of the crisis, IOM assisted 1,800 households (12,600 individuals) with NFI and shelter support in Taizz, including 300 families (2,100 individuals) trapped in the besieged enclave of Taizz City.

IOM continues to support vital health facilities, including the only operational hospital in Taizz, Al Tahwra General, as well as community water sites with water trucking services that provide almost 200,000 liters of water a day, supplying over 30,000 people.

Another 685,772 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and conflict-affected people (288,024 women, 308,597 men, 48,005 girls and 41,146 boys) have benefitted from IOM WASH activities in Abyan, Aden, Al Dhale'e, Al Jawf, Hadhramaut, Ibb, Taizz Lahj, Sana'a and Shabwah Governorates.

IOM WASH support to communities in need include  daily water trucking to displaced and conflict-affected communities, provision of water tanks and jerry cans, rehabilitation of sewage and water networks, provision and installation of water pumps, provision of water purification tablets, water filters, and hygiene kits, as well as hygiene promotion campaigns.

IOM Yemen Emergency Response is funded by OFDA (US), DFID (UK) CERF, HPF and Japan. IOM is seeking additional funding to expand its operations to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable affected populations in Yemen.

For further information, please contact Saba Malme at IOM Yemen, Tel: + 967 1 410 568, Email: smalme@iom.int