In a recent report, Human Rights Watch highlighted severe water access restrictions faced by the inhabitants of Taizz, Yemen. The city has been embroiled in conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels, depriving its residents of clean water for nearly eight years. The Human Rights Watch report urged both parties to enable the city’s local water agency to access, restore, and manage its water infrastructure.
The spotlighted report paints a grim picture of conditions in Taizz, a frontline city under the government’s control. The ongoing conflict has led to the destruction of the city’s water infrastructure, rendering most water sources and services inoperable. According to the report, the Houthi forces, who have besieged Taizz, have weaponized water by obstructing supply to the Al-Hyma, Habir, and Al-Hawban basins – the primary sources of water for the majority of the city’s population. The Houthis have, allegedly, deliberately blocked the water supply and repeatedly denied access to humanitarian aid agencies tasked with providing water and sanitation services.
The report also reveals instances where the Yemeni government has subverted Taizz residents’ rights to water, with government forces reportedly halting water flow into the public network and assuming control over several wells. The governmental forces have also been accused of indiscriminate airstrikes targeting both civilians and civilian objects, such as water infrastructure.
The recommended remedial action by the report is for both the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government to devise a coordination plan ensuring water availability, access, acceptability, and quality in the governorate. Both immediate and long-term water needs should be addressed.
The civil war in Yemen, declared in 2014, has resulted in one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with the conflict between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi and UAE-supported internationally-recognised government forces leading to the displacement of over 4.5 million people. Approximately 21.6 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, according to this resource.
Prior to the current conflict, Yemen was already one of the world’s most water-scarce nations. The ongoing civil conflict has exacerbated the situation, with a UN estimate indicating that nearly 15.3 million people lack access to clean, safe water, as detailed in this study.
The original report can be accessed in its entirety via this link.