Yemen is dealing with two crises at one time- UNICEF ambassador

SANA'A, Aug. 15
(Saba) - Yemen is the only country dealing with two crises at the same time which
are refugees
and internally displaced persons and effects of conflicts, the UNICEF UK Ambassador
for Humanitarian Emergencies Martin Bell said on Sunday.
Conflicts in the world cause main casualties among the civilians including children
who usually suffer from psychological and physical effects, hence, we can imagine
effects
of conflicts in Yemen where half of the population are children, he said.
The remarks were given at a press conference held in Sana'a that was attended by
the media.
'I have covered 18 conflicts but I have never seen a suffering like the one
experienced by a child at one of the refugee camps in Saada whose eyes were hurt.'
The emergency
crisis in Yemen has become more sever compared with crises in other countries I
visited during conflicts or aftermath, he said, as he voiced concern about the
psychological
status of children due to a six-year war that displaced them and their families as
well as the conditions of those in prison.
He promised to convey the suffering of the Yemeni children to the British people,
international donor organizations and the international community through a
videotape he
recorded during his visit to Yemen.
My visit to the country came within my support and sponsorship of child issues as
well as the goal of familiarizing with the conditions of the Yemeni children in
conflict
areas of Saada and at refugee camps, he said.
The main factor for the success of the UNICEF mission is represented by reaching
children and community at refugee camps, he noted as he said the situation requires
full
commitment of the government and the Houthi Group to the ceasefire reached in
February this year.
Furthermore, he praised the government's efforts in enabling him to visit the
Hodeida prison where he inspected the conditions of the children inside it.
For his part, the UNICEF representative in the country Geert Cappelaere said the
visit of the ambassador was of great importance because of the launch of the water
project
that will benefit the displaced and hosting communities.
He said the project represents a positive initiative in facing challenges,
emergencies and impediments before development opportunities in the region.
Separately, he said that 40 per cent of Yemen's children suffer from malnutrition
and 50 per cent of them are born underweight. He urged national and international
organizations
to take right measures to combat child malnutrition, voicing the UNICEF's readiness
to help those affected by the Saada war.
FR