What began as a peaceful protest in 2011 has now become more than a decade of crisis in Syria — as well as one of the largest refugee crises in the world. The violence has not stopped, and millions of Syrians are displaced abroad (often with limited legal rights, resources, and language skills). More than 6.8 million Syrians are internally displaced, and 15.3 million require humanitarian aid — the highest amount of need since the conflict began. Syria is also one of the epicenters of the current cholera outbreak, one of the largest in recent history.
Similar to Syria, Yemen has experienced a long-standing history of political instability and conflict for much of the last century. The most recent surge in violence began during the Arab Spring protests in 2011, which ultimately led to an ongoing civil war that has been further complicated by the involvement of various foreign nations and factions.
As a result of this protracted conflict, Yemeni civilians have borne the brunt of the violence, with many losing their lives or being forced to flee their homes as refugees. The humanitarian toll of the conflict has been staggering, with the United Nations estimating that over 24 million people in Yemen require some form of assistance to meet their basic needs, including food, water, and medical care. In addition to the direct impact of the fighting, Yemen has also been grappling with a range of other challenges, including a severe economic crisis, food insecurity, and a cholera epidemic.
Despite these immense challenges, organizations such as Concern continue to work tirelessly to support Yemeni communities impacted by the conflict and to advocate for a sustainable peace process that addresses the root causes of the conflict and prioritizes the needs of the country's most vulnerable populations.
Concern has been responding in Syria since 2013, and also has programs active in Lebanon, Türkiye, and Iraq. In and outside of Syria, individuals and organizations are heavily focused on supporting women and children, many of whom suffer from exposure to violence and/or multiple displacements.