Civil society organisations in Yemen have called on the United Nations to ease the humanitarian situation for the Yemenis through urgent measures, including the lifting of the coalition blockade and protection of the civilian economy.
More than 16 million Yemenis are suffering from hunger this year, according to a statement issued by 70 local civil society organisations.
Nearly 50,000 Yemenis are starving to death in famine-like conditions, making the humanitarian situation in Yemen worse than ever.
The statement appealed to the United Nations to take a package of measures immediately, including reopening Sana’a Airport for commercial flights and patients as a humanitarian need, the lifting of restrictions on Hodeidah ports, particularly regarding the entry of fuel vessels, stepping up efforts to stop the war and raising the level of humanitarian assistance to Yemen.
It further called for lifting all restrictions on the commercial and humanitarian import of food, fuel and medical supplies across all Yemeni ports and expanding the humanitarian response to include economic recovery efforts, thus helping to lay the foundations for the rehabilitation of basic services.
The statement also called on the United Nations to work towards the payment of salaries to all employees in the units of the entire administrative apparatus of the state, with emphasis on giving priority to the education and health sectors. These two sector represent 85% of the total staff of the administrative apparatus.
It stressed the need keep safe humanitarian work, the economy, education and health from conflict and to pay the salaries of all retirees.
