IOM Sounds Alarm as Displacement in Yemen Soars

Geneva/Aden, 30 January 2026

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is ‎responding to an alarming level of renewed insecurity in eastern Yemen that has forced new waves of families to ‎flee their homes. Many have arrived in Ma’rib Governorate, where severe shortages of shelter, clean ‎water, and essential services are putting newly displaced communities at immediate risk.‎

As a new surge of displacement continues, many newly arrived families are living in overcrowded shelters, ‎makeshift structures, or with host communities already under pressure. Ma’rib hosts some of ‎Yemen’s largest displacement sites, including Al Jufainah Camp, where around 16,000 families ‎lack adequate shelter and basic services. This is increasing pressure on limited resources and ‎heightening protection risks, particularly for women, children, older persons, and persons with ‎disabilities.‎

“Families are once again fleeing with almost nothing, arriving exhausted and vulnerable,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “This surge in displacement is pushing already desperate communities to the brink. Without immediate and sustained aid, countless lives are at risk.”

IOM has provided emergency assistance to more than 1,600 newly displaced families, many of ‎whom arrived after days of movement under unsafe and exhausting conditions. Assistance ‎includes shelter support, water and sanitation services, health care, and protection.‎

IOM is delivering immediate lifesaving assistance across Ma’rib City and Ma’rib Al Wadi, ‎including emergency cash support and referrals for multi-purpose cash assistance. Working with ‎local authorities and humanitarian partners, and with funding from European Civil Protection ‎and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) and the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), IOM has reached ‎additional families. However, shortages of shelter materials, non-food items, and rapid response ‎stocks continue to limit the scale-up of assistance.‎

Beyond the immediate response, IOM teams continue to support displaced families and host ‎communities with shelter and non-food items, primary health care, mental health and ‎psychosocial support, and protection services, including psychological first aid and referrals for ‎specialized care.‎

After more than 11 years of conflict, Yemen’s economy and public services remain severely ‎strained, leaving 19.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and more than 4.8 ‎million internally displaced. With only around 25 per cent of needs currently covered, millions ‎remain without access to lifesaving assistance, including health care, shelter, water, sanitation ‎and hygiene, cash assistance, and protection services.‎

IOM remains committed to responding to displacement across Ma’rib and Yemen, closely ‎monitoring movements and adapting its response as needs evolve. The Organization calls on ‎donors and the international community to urgently increase flexible and sustained funding to ‎ensure lifesaving assistance reaches families in need and to prevent further deterioration of ‎humanitarian conditions in Yemen.‎

For more information, please visit IOM’s Media Centre.