ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HUMANITARIAN AID IN YEMEN: CHALLENGES IN DELIVERY AND LONG-TERM IMPACT ON CIVILIAN WELFARE

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background of the Research

Since the conflict during 2015, Yemen has observed one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The war is long and comprehensive, damaging infrastructure and essential services and consigning over 4.5 million back to life on the streets (UNHCR, 2024). Acute food insecurity affects millions of civilians and more than 12 million Yemeni children require urgent food assistance (UNICEF, 2023).

Figure 1.1: Scale of Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

(Source: BBC, 2017)

The health system has collapsed, leaving huge sections of the population left to fend for themselves and where they have a little access to basic medical care that cholera has once again resurfaced. In this case, both international organisations, such as the United Nations and local NGOs, mobilised to provide humanitarian assistance of food, water and medical supplies. Despite this instability, security threats and damaged infrastructure, the delivery and long-term effectiveness of this aid are greatly challenged. It is important to assess the real impact of humanitarian efforts, to meet urgent needs as well to maintain sustainable support for the long-term welfare of Yemen’s civilian population.

1.2 Research Aim and Objectives

1.2.1 Aim

The research aims to assess the effectiveness of humanitarian aid in Yemen and the challenges in delivery and long-term impact on civilian welfare.

1.2.2 Objectives

• To examine the humanitarian assistance in response to urgent needs during the Yemen conflict and evaluate the effectiveness of the same.

• To identify the prime challenges for humanitarian aid delivery to high risk, or remote areas of Yemen.

• To examine the role of political, economic and security factors in influencing efficiency of aid delivery.

• To analyse the short-term benefits of that of humanitarian aid to displaced communities.

• To assess the long-term economic, social and health effects, if any, aid has on reducing civilians’ well-being in Yemen.

1.3 Research Questions

Primary Question

● What is the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance in meeting the urgent and long-term needs/requirements of civilians in the Yemeni population during the ongoing conflict?

Secondary Questions

● What are the main challenges in delivering aid to certain places in Yemen, like the affected areas?

● What type of factors, like political, economic and security factors, impact the effectiveness of the delivery of aid?

● What are the short-term advantages and disadvantages for displaced communities in Yemen?

● What are the long-term economic, social and health impacts of humanitarian assistance on the well-being of civilians?

1.5 Rationale

This is especially crucial given the worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen: it has been years since international intervention has prevented, and if anything, exacerbated the war and continued massacre of civilian life. However, worldwide agencies and governments have poured billions of dollars of humanitarian aid to Yemen and people in Yemen are still hungry, sick with disease and forced from their homes (Elayah, Gaber and Fenttiman, 2022). At the same time, it quickly raises crucial questions about the benefits of formulation and agency capacity for delivery of aid, as well as for achieving both ends of immediate relief, as well as long term recovery. This all has been reported on in vast degrees and there have been no academic debates on just how aid actually impacts the ground. The few studies of short-term outcomes of cessation and sustained civilian welfare are analysed (Lederman and Lederman, 2024). The aim of the research is to have something which gives valuable insights to the policymakers from humanitarian organisations, and the global development actors by filling in such a gap. From a personal standpoint, this is a potentially interesting topic to study in terms of humanitarian policy and international conflict response, and is therefore something which is meaningful and relevant to take the time to study.

1.6 Research Methodology

1.6.1 Selection of Methodology

In the case of this research, a mixed-method approach including qualitative as well as quantitative data has been opted which gave an overall study of humanitarian aid in Yemen. The qualitative analysis in the method used the case studies from organisational reports, academic journals and documented experience of aid agencies working in conflict zones.

Figure 1.2: Benefits of mixed-method research approach

(Source: Wasti et al., 2022)

Such narratives are statements of keen insights to the obstacles and realities of aid delivery. The quantitative data consists of measurable coverage towards mortality rates, displacement figures, food distribution levels, post conflict health recovery data and so forth. In turn, through such dual approach a balance was achieved regarding perspective, empirical evidence and human experiences in the crisis (Wasti et al., 2022).

1.6.2 Data Collection Techniques

This research is based on gathering secondary data for both qualitative and quantitative measures due to the conflict environment and limited access to the primary sources for the study. To gather data, academic databases such as JSTOR and Google Scholar, as well as official reports of NGOs and UN agencies such as WHO and UNICEF, and economic bodies such as IMF and World Bank (Burde et al., 2017). Case specific reports have supplied specific examples of operational challenges of the aid delivery. Data partialities will be used for the quantitative data sources based on verified conflict and humanitarian data bases where health outcomes and displacement statistics will be extracted. Systematic reviews, together with thematic analysis will be also be used to structure and interpret the findings.

1.6.3 Justification for Choosing the Methodology

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is complex and multi-dimensional and so the use of a mixed method approach to research is appropriate in the context of this research. Context and outcomes that can be measured are essential to evaluate the real impact of aid. Considering high risk environment as well as ethical issues associated with engaging directly affected vulnerable populations of conflict, it has adopted most feasible and ethically responsible method which is to rely on secondary data. The case studies of the qualitative data facilitate a more in depth understanding of how operational and logistical challenges are operational realities which are sometimes hard to represent with simply statistics (Russo et al., 2024). Quantitatively tracked impact over time using quantitative data is also recorded (with their tracking being of mortality rates, food insecurity levels, healthcare recovery metrics, among others). It makes the research more robust when combined. Triangulation where the outcome is based on multiple data sources and types, as Turner (2016) describes it, helps validating the outcome, reduces bias and allows for more nuanced and relatively less biased conclusion on the real impact humanitarian aid had in Yemen.

1.7 Ethical Consideration

The study has successfully sustained the ethical parameters of the research. the values of previous researchers such as, credibility, validity was adhered to by this research through using information only via credible, valid, up to date secondary sources. Researchers have addressed the University of Bradford referencing guide and accurately cited all the materials used. Given the importance of the issue, in particular on the conditions of displaced populations and crisis situations all data has been treated appropriately and recorded with thorough protection. Ethical issues will not be there regarding to outdated information or the potential bias in sources, due to the fact that every piece of information has been rigorously cross verified. Lastly, the authors of the previously held researches are accurately cited to avoid academic misconduct and false use of data.

1.8 Summary

This chapter was an introduction to the background of the Yemen humanitarian crisis, research aim, questions and objectives as well as the rationale. To justify just such a mixed methods approach, it would bring to light its usefulness to capture both data and context. It is this chapter that focuses on assessing the ability and sustainability of humanitarian aid in Yemen. 

References

BBC (2017). Yemen: Food crisis could become famine this year, UN warns. BBC News. [online] 27 Jan. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38767874.

Burde, D., Kapit, A., Wahl, R.L., Guven, O. and Skarpeteig, M.I. (2017). Education in Emergencies: A Review of Theory and Research. Review of Educational Research, 87(3), pp.619–658.

Elayah, M., Gaber, Q. and Fenttiman, M. (2022). From food to cash assistance: rethinking humanitarian aid in Yemen. Journal of International Humanitarian Action, 7(1).

Lederman, S. and Lederman, Z. (2024). (Un)Noticing Yemen: The Forgotten War in Yemen and Critical Genocide Studies. Journal of genocide research, pp.1–18.

Russo, I., Confente, I., Holmström, J., Öhman, M. and Tokar, T. (2024). Embracing methodological evolution and diversity in logistics and supply chain management research. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management.

Turner, J.R. (2016). (PDF) Triangulation: A technique to reduce bias and improve validity and reliability. [online] ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301851327_Triangulation_A_technique_to_reduce_bias_and_improve_validity_and_reliability.

UNHCR (2024). Yemen Crisis Explained. [online] www.unrefugees.org. Available at: https://www.unrefugees.org/news/yemen-crisis-explained/.

UNICEF (2023). Yemen crisis. [online] Unicef.org. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/yemen-crisis.

Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P., Teijlingen, E. van , Sathian, B. and Banerjee, I. (2022). The Growing Importance of mixed-methods Research in Health. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 12(1), pp.1175–1178.