Joint Statement by 59 Nongovernmental Organizations on the Announcement of a Temporary Ceasefire in Yemen

Yemen cannot wait any longer for an end to the conflict and humanitarian devastation that has ravaged the civilian population for over five years.

Saturday, April 11, 2020
Joint Statement by 59 Nongovernmental Organizations on the Announcement of a Temporary Ceasefire in Yemen
Yemen

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_text columns="" column_min_width="" column_spacing="" rule_style="default" rule_size="" rule_color="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id=""][caption id="attachment_16669" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Photo for a child in Addashin camp in Alkadaha area, northwest of Taizz. October 2017. By: Ahmed Albasha[/caption]09 ,April 2020Over five years of brutal war in Yemen have left millions of Yemenis weakened by malnutrition and disease, and decimated Yemen’s health system. The imminent threat of COVID-19 will exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation: 80 percent of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, the majority of whom are women and children; two-thirds of the country lacks adequate access to clean water and sanitation; millions are living on the brink of starvation; nearly 20 million people lack access to adequate healthcare; and cholera, dengue, and other preventable diseases are already rife. These factors create an environment dangerously conducive to the severe and rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, threatening countless civilian lives.Especially in light of this extraordinary threat, we, the undersigned NGOs, cautiously welcome the announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of a temporary cessation of hostilities in Yemen. We urge all parties to the conflict in Yemen to immediately halt fighting, to implement a ceasefire on the ground without delay, to release all detainees and those forcibly disappeared, and to work with the UN Special Envoy to urgently restart comprehensive and inclusive political negotiations to end the conflict.A ceasefire alone cannot stop the spread of COVID-19 in Yemen. All parties must immediately lift restrictions and end interference with vital humanitarian operations; ensure immediate access to populations in need; facilitate the movement of humanitarian workers and goods and of commercial imports; and end blockades and other actions and policies that prevent or restrict essential commercial imports into Yemen, to maintain the humanitarian response for the millions of Yemenis who need aid to survive, and to support Yemenis’ economic livelihood. Yemeni civil society must also be supported to continue their essential role in responding to the crisis. Simultaneously, the international community must ramp up funding for the full range of humanitarian programming in Yemen. Amid this global pandemic, any suspension of life-saving assistance for Yemen, or politicization of humanitarian access and funding, will leave Yemen’s already vulnerable civilian population at heightened risk.A cessation of hostilities in Yemen can only be a first step. Yemenis need a durable ceasefire, a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement to the current conflict, unencumbered access to humanitarian aid and commercial imports, and accountability for the violations all sides have committed during this war. Yemen cannot wait any longer for an end to the conflict and humanitarian devastation that has ravaged the civilian population for over five years. Signed by:

  1. ACAT-France (Action by Christians Against Torture)
  2. Action against Hunger
  3. Action Corps
  4. Alliance for Peacebuilding
  5. Alliance internationale pour la défense des droits et des libertés (AIDL)
  6. ALQST for Human Rights
  7. Avaaz
  8. Bread for the World
  9. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
  10. CARE International
  11. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
  12. Center for International Policy
  13. Center for Policy Analysis in Horn of Africa
  14. CIVICUS
  15. Cordaid - Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development
  16. Cure Violence Global
  17. Danish Refugee Council
  18. Dhameer for Rights and Freedoms
  19. Freedom Forward
  1. Friends Committee on National Legislation
  2. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
  3. Global Communities
  4. Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion
  5. Human Rights First
  6. International Civil Society Action Network
  7. International Federation for Human Rights
  8. International Rescue Committee
  9. Islamic Relief Worldwide
  10. Karuna Center for Peacebuilding
  11. Médecins du Monde
  12. Mercy Corps
  13. Mothers of Abductees Association
  14. Musaala for Human Rights Organization
  15. Mwatana for Human Rights
  16. Norwegian Refugee Council
  17. Observatoire des armements
  18. Oxfam
  19. Pax Christi International
  20. Peace and Building Foundation
  1. Peace Direct
  2. Physicians for Human Rights
  3. Première Urgence Internationale
  4. Project on Middle East Democracy
  5. Refugees International
  6. Saferworld
  7. Salam for Yemen
  8. Search for Common Ground
  9. Solidarités International
  10. STAND: The student-led movement to end mass atrocities
  11. Students for Yemen
  12. Tearfund
  13. United Nations Association of the National Capital Area
  14. Watch for Human Rights
  15. Win Without War
  16. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
  17. Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation
  18. Yemen Solidarity Network
  19. Yemen Civil Alliance for Peacebuilding
  20. Yemeni Alliance Committee

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