Yemen

Even before civil war broke out in Yemen, only half of the population had secure access to water (150 m³ per person and year) in the arid country. Only one third of the urban population was connected to the wastewater system. The situation further deteriorated whenthe civil war broke out, even if exact figures do not exist: the scarce water resources are overused, which can be ascribed to excessive agricultural irrigation practices in particular (primarily for cultivating khat). It can be assumed that the fossil groundwater reserves in the central regions will be exhausted in 10 to 20 years. The population is increasingly reliant on informal, unmonitored sources of water due to the resulting massive shortage. Conditions like this are what made the spread of the cholera epidemic possible in the first place.

Due to the crisis and the precarious humanitarian situation on the ground, Financial Cooperation has adjusted its approach and is focusing on operating in ways that are as flexible, fast, and needs-oriented as possible. So, KfW is implementing measures in the area of water/wastewater and employment promotion through the Social Fund for Development and UNICEF. On the one hand, this makes it possible to react to acute needs, particularly in the regions with increased numbers of internally displaced people; on the other hand, it simultaneously provides long-term support in the form of structural measures.

Only two thirds of adult Yemeni can read and write. The literacy rate among women is actually below 50%. Only half of girls generally finish primary school. The effects of the civil war are compounding the already existing structural problems in the Yemeni education sector: acts of war and the lack of resources for maintenance are destroying the educational infrastructure. Schools are also being used as shelters for internally displaced people. But a particularly serious factor is that teachers are not being paid: since the official central bank moved to Aden, public salaries – including those for teachers – are only selectively being paid or not being paid at all. The country’s densely populated northern region is most affected by this. So, many teachers have to give up or reduce their teaching positions so they can generate income for their own families.

KfW Development Bank has been playing an active role in the education sector since 1997. Primary schools have been established and expanded in many provinces. As the affected communities are deeply integrated into planning the measures, they are able to independently take responsibility for them, thus facilitating sustainable maintenance of the schools. Furthermore, KfW Development Bank participates in programmes promoting primary and secondary education that aim to improve the quality of, access to, and management of education in Yemen.

Healthcare only existed in part in Yemen, even before the civil war: there was only one doctor for every 3,000 residents and, in rural areas, only a quarter of the population had access to medical services. This situation has deteriorated even further since the war. Subsequently, malaria, dysentery, bilharzia, tuberculosis, typhoid and trachoma have become prevalent. In 2017, there was a cholera outbreak that primarily affected urban regions (over 1 million infections, 2,500 deaths). The situation was not as bad in 2018, but there has been a clear rise in suspected cases this year. KfW is addressing this issue with measures in the area of water/wastewater in cooperation with UNICEF.

KfW is also focusing on improving maternal and pediatric health. Yemen has one of the highest birth rates in the world – every women has between six and seven children. About half of children under the age of five are underweight. The country has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world. Political instability further intensifies these deficits. KfW is committed to supporting family planning and reproductive health programmes. Three governorates have a voucher system for pre-natal care and support during delivery (in return for a financial contribution) and family planning (free of charge).