A recent report issued by the Office of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in Marib Governorate revealed shocking figures reflecting the scale of the humanitarian tragedy in Yemen's largest gathering of displaced people. Official sources stated that about 47% of children inside the camps lack birth certificates, threatening the emergence of a generation without legal identity. This situation deprives thousands of children from enrolling in schools or accessing organized healthcare, and makes them vulnerable to falling outside the scope of international and local relief aid calculations.
On the educational front, the report recorded the presence of more than 6,000 children outside the education system, which observers attributed to the harsh economic conditions that push families to send their children to the labor market early. The available schools in displacement areas face immense pressure exceeding their capacity, leading to alarming dropout rates that threaten the future of society. Experts warned that this environment is fertile ground for child labor and child marriage, as well as making them easy targets for armed groups due to ignorance and financial need.
Regarding food and livelihood security, the report indicated that Marib Governorate has reached a point of full saturation after accommodating millions of displaced people who constitute 62% of the total displaced people in the country. The rate of acute food insecurity increased by 13% compared to last year, affecting about 234,000 families. Also, 69% of displaced people living in rented homes face the risk of forced eviction due to their complete inability to pay accumulated rents because of the interruption of income sources and the deterioration of living conditions.
As for infrastructure and basic services, 63% of health facilities in the governorate are operating partially or require urgent maintenance and medical equipment. Pregnant and lactating women, estimated at about 100,000 women, face severe difficulties in accessing basic care services. In addition, 63% of the population still lacks safe drinking water sources, which doubles health and environmental risks in overcrowded camps where most of the residents live in dilapidated tents that do not protect against weather fluctuations.
These successive crises come amid a sharp decline in international funding, with only 29% of the 2025 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan being funded. Sources explained that donors' attention shifting to other international conflict hotspots led to a funding gap of 71%, putting millions of displaced people in direct confrontation with hunger and disease. The political reading of the figures emphasizes the need to move from an emergency relief approach to sustainable recovery plans and the establishment of permanent educational and service institutions to face the long duration of the war.
The absence of birth certificates is not just a paperwork problem; it means depriving children of education and medical care and their falling outside the umbrella of legal protection.
שתף את דעתך
Official Report Warns of Humanitarian Catastrophe in Marib: Half of Displaced Children Without Identity