Urgent Appeal: The Five Point Initiative to Protect Civilians in Hodeidah

By Ijechi Nwaozuzu, United Nations Security Council Monitor

(Visual: Women’s Solidarity Network Yemen)

As of 18 June 2018, the Western-backed Arab coalition has continued bombardments on the Houthi-held Yemeni main port, Hodeidah. This upsurge in fighting comes at the heel of the Security Council’s presidential statement in March 2018, which called for the full and sustained opening of the port. According to UN officials, the ongoing hostilities has impeded humanitarian delivery for the 600,000 people in the area. Yet, in spite of recognising the vast humanitarian impact of prolonged fighting in Yemen, most Council members remain cautious about taking positions on the situation.

While the Council remains inactive, Yemeni women activists are working to develop humanitarian plans and support existing action. The Women’s Solidarity Network Yemen, for example, has proposed a five-point response plan that urges the Council to increase engagement with women and civil society, and ensure that any action to address the humanitarian situation are gender-sensitive. While this plan is necessary to tackle the humanitarian crisis in the short-term, the Network acknowledges that an effective humanitarian response alone will not resolve the conflict. As mentioned in S/PRST/2018/5, “the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate in the absence of an inclusive political solution”.

Read Women's Solidarity Network’s Five Points Initiative to Protect Civilians in Hodeidah here>>