On the sixth anniversary of the conflict in Yemen that rapidly turned into a proxy-war causing severe humanitarian and damages, Cultural Diversity and Sustainable Development for Peace (CD4Peace) expresses its concerns about the current situation in Yemen and about the dramatic humanitarian consequences. As of February 2021, 20.7 million people are in need of assistance, amongst whom 54% are Children.

Alongside starvation, poverty, and a lack of public health infrastructure, the COVID-19 pandemic and the intensification of the war in 2020 have pushed over 80% of the Yemeni people into poverty. With around 16.2 million people on the brink of famine, CD4Peace calls for ending all violence against civilians.

CD4Peace appreciates all peace proposals, yet we believe that real peace needs to be rooted in respecting the realities and rights of the people of Yemen. We deeply advocate for the inclusion of local people, minorities, women, and the youth in peace discussions. Therefore, CD4Peace suggests,

1. Encouraging all Parties to the conflict to prioritize access to humanitarian aid and fully respect basic human needs such as access to food and WASH;
2. Urging for ceasefire and negotiations that would not affect the basic human rights of the civilians.
3. Calling upon all Yemeni parties to work together to combat the pandemic;
4. Lifting the blockade on Yemen: opening all landو seaports (Al-Hudaida), and airports (Sanaa and Aden International airports) to allow the flow of humanitarian aid.
5. Improving infrastructures of aid amongst civil society: ease the process of assistance towards CSOs and especially organizations working on maintaining the cultural heritage of Yemen.