RISE WITH
HUMANITY
Y E M E N
Yemen, or the Republic of Yemen, is a country located in the Middle East, near the Arabian Peninsula. Being very near in distance to sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen has historically been known to be a prominent trading route. Among such routes are goods being transported along bodies of water, such as from the Indian Ocean all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Known as a popular spot for trading, Yemen’s Suez Canal serves as a port of trade which was significant to the British empire, who played a great deal of time and efforts in Yemen in the 1800s; they were a huge reason why Northern Yemen at the time sought to be established. North Yemen’s establishment would end the British ruling in that area and provide for their independence from the separate entity of South Yemen.
Continuing on with its history of being a popular trading spot for goods, the Egyptians and Ottomans fought over control with Yemenis about goods such as coffee, spices, and cooking condiments. The Red Sea became a point of dispute for all sides. Connecting with its Islamic background, early traces suggest that Yemen shows some of the earliest replicas of architecture in Islam, leading back to the famous mosques in Sana’a- the capital of Yemen. These pieces of work take much inspiration from famous Christian and Jewish forms as well.
As of 2018, Yemen has a birth rate of 28/1000 people, followed by a death rate of 6 deaths/1000 population. The prominent religion in Yemen is Islam, with the majority of people following the Sunni sect, which contains the most followers in general. However, in Yemen, a large portion of individuals belong to the Shia sect, landing at nearly ⅓ of the population! The most common language that is spoken in this country is Arabic, with many different dialects existing, depending on which region you live in.
Although there is a lot of impressive factors about Yemen, the country hits many unbearable circumstances on a daily basis, even today. Some of these include the conflict revolving around the split between northern and southern parts of the country, shocking disease outbreaks, and the ongoing food insecurity crisis.
Nation War:
Throughout history in Yemen, the north and south were separated as distinct entities. Rulers in the North were primarily Shia Muslims, while South Yemen was under British ruling. In the early 1960s, North Yemen became a republic which preceded The People’s Republic of South Yemen’s establishment after a couple of years. Much of the tension that existed for several years revolved around the overall unification of Yemen as one state.
The constant battle between Shia and Sunni Muslims led to a civil war revolved around a quest for power. In 2014, the Houthis, or a group of individuals following the Zaidi branch of Islam, seized control over Yemen’s capital. After striving to take control over the city of Aden next, Yemen quickly formed alliances with several other Arab countries to restore Yemen again.
Despite the two entities being united as one Yemen in 1990, the Civil War linked to the background split still carries on today. The history of politics, economy, and religion, play a role even today. The war has led to far more adverse circumstances for Yemenis, some of which are highlighted below.
Water/Food Insecurity:
The current crisis can also be referred to as the biggest humanitarian disaster in the world. Over the past few years, the shortage of food has been multiplying rapidly, leaving more than half of people suffering from food insecurity. Households are commonly known to worry about their next meal, and the lack of food results in food consumption of malnutritious meals. Despite existing as one of the most impoverished Arab countries, the constant food insecurity increased death rates. As a result, many residents have been left internally displaced too.
Cholera is an infectious disease which is caused by a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae. Excess poverty and unsanitary conditions, such as lack of clean water, are factors that can put one at risk for the disease. Since Yemen is a country known to experience unfavorable circumstances such as these, the outbreak of cholera became widespread in 2016. Public health organizations brought forth their efforts to investigate the causes of this rapid outbreak, but the poor infrastructure of water systems and growing rates of malnutrition continually lend to this epidemic.
Although cholera is not as prevalent as it was a few years ago, it still affects many people in Yemen. Within the past year, there have been more than 1 million cholera cases and thousands of associated deaths as a result.
Over the past few years, there has been a decline in the number of people affected by cholera. However, the situation is still common and efforts to relieve suffering are underway. Some of the ways to help include working on making the daily life of residents more hygienic. Distributing hygiene bags, opening up greater access to water, and working towards the lack of proper nutrition are all ways that can be of aid. Recent efforts to implement a vaccine for cholera have been initiated by UNICEF, or The United Nation’s Children Fund, are set in place to be executed in mid-May 2018.
Cholera Epidemic
