Yemen Fact Sheet, January – December 2023

Years of devastating conflict in Yemen have led to a protection and displacement crisis. As of end of December 2023, 21.6 million Yemenis were dependent on humanitarian assistance, including 4.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs), and over 71,816 refugees and asylum-seekers.

Yemen is the only country in the Arabian Peninsula that is party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol since 1980 (north) and 1990 (south). While Yemen has generously hosted refugees for decades, it lacks a national legal framework for the protection of refugees.

Confronted with the growing challenge of dealing with internal displacement, Yemen adopted its 2013 National Policy for Addressing Internal Displacement in 2023, which confirms responsibilities to assist, protect, and find solutions for IDPs.

Key population overview in Yemen

71,816 Number of refugees and asylum-seekers in Yemen. The majority are from Somalia (63.7%), Ethiopia (26.4%), Syria (4%), Eritrea (2.4 %), and Iraq (1.4%).

4.5 million Number of internally displaced people in Yemen.

21.6 million In need of humanitarian assistance: 17.7 million need protection; 7.5 million need shelter and non-food items; 1.9 million in displacement sites need protection and basic services.

UNHCR Presence in Yemen

UNHCR has been present in Yemen since 1987, when its first office opened in Sana’a. In 1989, UNHCR also established a presence in the south of the country. Today, UNHCR has a well-established presence across the country, covering most of the 22 governorates and 333 districts through its country office in Sana’a, a sub-office in Aden, field offices in Al-Hudaydah, Ibb, Marib, Sa’ada, and a field unit in Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj governorate until end of 2023.