In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Yemen, Dorcas Yemen has signed a petition urging the international community to amplify its support for the conflict-torn country. The petition, initiated by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), highlights the urgent need for enhanced funding and assistance as Yemen grapples with severe economic downturn, exacerbated by years of conflict.

Yemen, already one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The economic downturn, now in its ninth year, has plunged millions of people deeper into poverty, pushing them to the brink of survival. The situation has been worsened by widespread food insecurity, with millions of Yemenis struggling to access basic necessities.

The ongoing conflict has led to the displacement of millions of people, with families forced to flee their homes in search of safety and shelter. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) face dire living conditions, lacking access to adequate healthcare, clean water and education.

Against this backdrop, Dorcas Yemen has joined forces with other humanitarian organisations to call for increased funding and support from the international community. Dorcas emphasises the critical importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis and providing immediate assistance to those in need.

The effects of the ongoing conflict continue to devastate Yemen, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence and instability. As the situation worsens, the need for urgent action becomes ever more pressing.

Dorcas Yemen’s involvement in this petition reflects its unwavering commitment to alleviating the suffering of communities in vulnerable situations and advocating for sustainable solutions to humanitarian crises. We urge the international community to heed this call for increased support and solidarity with the people of Yemen during their time of dire need.

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Several targets in Yemen have been bombed in recent weeks in response to Houthi attacks in and around the Red Sea. At this time, Dorcas Yemen staff, our partners’ staff and our project participants are safe. Although our team is safe, staff are still very concerned for the people of Yemen, who were already in a very difficult situation. Despite these challenging developments, they continue to work tirelessly to support those in need.

The impact of the security threat in the Red Sea is already being felt by humanitarian actors, with disruptions to trade pushing up prices and causing delays in the delivery of life-saving supplies. Shortages and increased costs of basic commodities such as food and fuel will only exacerbate an already dire economic crisis, increase aid dependency and increase protection risks. All actors have a legal obligation to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance so that people in need can access these services. If the current situation worsens, there is also the possibility of large movements of internally displaced people in the region. If this is the case, we will reassess what action needs to be taken.

International Humanitarian Law provides vital guidance and boundaries during war and conflict. But what exactly does this body of law entail and does Dorcas need to adhere to it? We explore the importance of international humanitarian law through four questions and answers.

What is International Humanitarian Law?
International Humanitarian Law, also known as the laws of armed conflict, has been established to safeguard human dignity during wars and conflicts, reduce unnecessary suffering and protect the rights of all parties involved, including civilians and combatants. This means, for example, that civilians, wounded soldiers, and even prisoners of war not participating in the armed conflict must be protected. Additionally, the law prohibits the use of children under fifteen as soldiers and specifies that women and children must be shielded from sexual violence. Furthermore, it provides guidelines on weapons not being deployed when civilians are involved in a situation.

Does this law address aid workers?
Yes, it does because according to the laws of war, humanitarian workers must always have unrestricted movement in a crisis area. Denying them access to such areas is prohibited.

What if parties fail to comply with humanitarian law?
Although the rules of international humanitarian law may seem logical, these are often not adhered to in practice. The legal provisions apply to states and, in principle, nations that violate international humanitarian law can be held accountable for their actions by organisations such as the United Nations or the International Court of Justice. However, independent investigators often face difficulties accessing areas where conflict or war is ongoing, making it extremely challenging to obtain the objective information required. Furthermore, although under international humanitarian law, aid workers and convoys must be granted access to war or conflict zones, this does not always happen in practice. And even if various parties exert pressure in such cases, enforcing access remains difficult.

What does humanitarian law mean for an organisation like Dorcas?
Dorcas is an organisation for development and humanitarian assistance that adheres to humanitarian principles and fully supports the provisions of international humanitarian law. Our primary objective is to assist all affected individuals in crisis areas. We remain impartial, neutral and independent, which means that during a conflict, we do not take sides and do not consider a person’s skin colour, political preferences, or which side of the conflict they belong to. Our role as a humanitarian assistance organisation is to identify the person in need and provide assistance under all circumstances.

Recently, the protracted conflict between Israel and the Palestinian territories has escalated. The situation currently remains uncertain. 

We do not work in the affected areas. However, the conflict is exerting an influence on the stability in the Middle East. Since the escalation, tensions have also increased in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, countries where Dorcas is active. The UN is very concerned that the conflict will spread to Lebanon.

For the time being, our programmes in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt can continue. The current situation does not directly affect our work in these countries. However, we will continue to closely monitor the developments, and if risks for the safety of our colleagues or project participants arise, we will take appropriate action. In Lebanon, we are also collaborating with partners on contingency plans in order to start an immediate response in case of escalation.

Dorcas is grateful to announce the start of a new EU-funded programme aimed at strengthening the capacity of Civil Society Organisations to develop innovative solutions related to the environment, digitalisation, and gender equality.

In the heart of Upper Egypt, disadvantaged communities face numerous challenges. Evidence underscores the critical role that local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) can play in mobilising, capacitating, and empowering community members. This becomes particularly effective when CSOs work in synergy with each other, local government entities, and the private sector. Despite their good intentions, many CSOs face challenges that hinder their efficiency. These include a need for human capacity, financial, and data resources and limited technical capacity related to programme design, monitoring, and networking for multi-stakeholder collaboration. Many organisations operate with traditional top-down knowledge transfer methods and rely heavily on external funding. They often need to become more familiar with asset-based community development methods that leverage locally available resources.

Catalysts for change
To empower the disadvantaged communities, the programme will select twenty local CSOs in Beni Suef to systematically enhance their organisational, institutional, and technical capacities. This four-year action plan employs a trajectory of mentoring, coaching, and on-the-job training to empower these CSOs to become catalysts for change within their communities.

Central to the programme’s approach is adopting the Farmer Field and Business Schools (FFBS) method, a proven and tested market-based agricultural extension technique. This approach aims to bolster the CSOs and economically empower 2,000 small-scale female farmers in the region, driving social and economic progress.

Training and support
Furthermore, the programme provides CSOs with opportunities to propose and implement innovative ideas and initiatives that directly address the pressing needs of their communities. With comprehensive training and support, CSOs can craft sound and feasible plans and receive essential on-the-job assistance during implementation.

Beyond the selected CSOs, the programme extends its reach to local actors, community groups, and other relevant stakeholders . This inclusive approach aims to foster collaboration and ensure the sustainability of the programme results.

Dorcas and Woord en Daad will continue their cooperation on job creation for Ethiopian youth in 2023. Since 2016, Dorcas and Woord en Daad have collaborated in Ethiopia on job creation for young people. Within the Employable Youth Ethiopia (EYE) programme, they realised more than 20,000 jobs between 2016-2021 within a multi-party consortium through intensive cooperation with vocational schools, entrepreneurial training providers and private parties. Several networks were also launched to improve dialogue between stakeholders.

After the EYE programme ended, both parties decided not to terminate the infrastructure built up and to complete innovations. For instance, the Centre of Excellence model, in which vocational schools train young people for companies based on pre-made job and wage guarantees, will be further developed with in 2023. Entrepreneurship training providers are also developing new collaborations to better support young people get (digital) business support and access to start-up capital.

This week, Agnes Kroese, CEO of Dorcas and Rina Molenaar, CEO of Woord en Daad signed a new partnership agreement that reflects the intention to work together in the coming years to make structural changes in the youth and employment system and to create jobs on a large scale. ‘We know each other and have built a special shared history in Ethiopia,’ Agnes Kroese said, ‘It would be illogical not to do our utmost to continue to seek collaboration, be complementary to each other and continue to tap into the potential of each other and others. That serves the interest of the young people we are both committed to.’

Rina Molenaar agrees: ‘This partnership agreement is a starting point for a joint exploration of how to achieve large-scale change. In this, we must be able to put our own role into perspective, become ambitious to be modest and proactively engage in cooperation.’

The continuing EYE programme brings together key Ethiopian stakeholders such as the Ministry of Skills and Labour, the Chamber of Commerce, workers’ and employers’ organisations and micro-credit umbrellas to discuss and improve current schemes and policies. Meanwhile, the programme is innovatively creating hundreds of new jobs for young people. In this, Dorcas and Woord en Daad are supported by Dutch companies and thrift shops.

In the Zummar sub-district in Iraq, Dorcas provided agricultural assets and supported the improvement of livelihoods for income generation for returnees and internally displaced persons. This project was done in partnership with World Vision International and Harikar NGO and was funded by the Iraq humanitarian fund of OCHA. Othman and Ibrahim, two project participants, share how this project has benefited them.

When Othman returned to his village after the IS conflict, his agricultural business and land had been destroyed. He struggled to get enough income for his family. Dorcas provided Othman with agriculture inputs, training and an irrigation system to be able to rebuild the family’s agricultural business.  

Othman describes: ‘We didn’t have enough income to cover our expenditures, but after I received the agricultural inputs from Dorcas, the expenditures have been reduced. This project has made me more self-reliant, and it has had a very good impact on the community.’ 

Ibrahim also returned to his village after the conflict. When he arrived, he did not have enough income to purchase seeds, fertilisers and to plow the land before planting. As part of the sustainable livelihood project, Ibrahim received rain-fed inputs and training.  

Ibrahim describes: ‘Through this support, we have recultivated our lands. Due to the high prices of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides we were not able to purchase this, but now we are on the right track in our agricultural business.  

By the end of 2022, a total of 108.4 million people is forcibly displaced worldwide. An increase of 19.1 million people in just one year.

UNHCR recently published its annual global trend report. In this report they look back at 2022 and the indicated trends of forced displacement. Some facts mentioned in this report:

Dorcas is active in fourteen countries in Eastern Europe, Eastern Africa and the Middle East. In twelve of these fourteen countries we see forced displacement, both from natural disaster and man-made disaster. Lebanon continues to provide assistance to Syrian refugees, even though the economic and political situation in the country worsens. They are hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with an estimation of 1.5 million Syrian refugees plus a small number of refugees of other nationalities. South Sudan’s refugee crisis remains the largest in Africa, with over 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees hosted in neighbouring countries and another 2.3 million internally displaced. The conflict in Ukraine remains ongoing and is currently one of the largest human displacement crises in the world.

Numbers in Dorcas countries:

UNHCR found that by the end of 2022, the number of people displaced by conflict, persecution, violence and human rights abuses stood at a record 108.4 million, up 19.1 million on a year earlier, which was the biggest ever increase.

A total of 108.4 million forcibly displaced worldwide by the end of 2022:

Source: UNHCR Global Trends, forced displacement in 2022

Read UNHCR Global Trends report

More than 3.4 billion euros will be cut from the Dutch budget for development cooperation and humanitarian assistance in the coming years if the government’s “spring budget” (Voorjaarsnota) is approved. As more asylum seekers than expected are coming to the Netherlands, the government intends to use these funds from the development cooperation budget to provide housing for these asylum seekers within Dutch borders. This money would otherwise be spent on sustainable development and humanitarian assistance throughout the world. Over 100 Dutch development organisations, including Dorcas, are therefore calling for these cuts to be reversed and for the setting of a maximum amount for the asylum costs paid from the development cooperation budget.

Partos, the umbrella association for more than 100 Dutch development organisations, considers it very ill-advised that the Dutch government will cut back on tackling the root causes of conflict, climate change, poverty and humanitarian assistance. It therefore calls on the Dutch House of Representatives to reverse the budget cuts.

Liana Hoornweg, director of Partos: ‘Of course, the Netherlands must provide adequate asylum for refugees. However, the painful fact is that standard asylum has been subject to budget cuts for many years. As expensive emergency shelter is now being deployed, the very poorest in the world are the victims of a failing Dutch asylum policy. We call on the Dutch House of Representatives to tackle this problem structurally: introduce a maximum amount for the asylum costs that can be paid from the budget for development cooperation. That will allow the development budget to be used for its intended purpose: promoting sustainable development by tackling the root causes of conflict, climate change, hunger and poverty.’

Spokespersons from the coalition parties CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie confirmed the undesirability of increasing contributions from the budget for development cooperation to fund expenditure on housing for asylum seekers. Party congresses of D66 and CU adopted motions in 2022 to set a maximum amount from the budget for development cooperation that can be used on costs for asylum. Hoornweg: ‘Now is the time for action. We are counting on the coalition parties to stick to their own statements in the coming weeks. The debate on humanitarian assistance on 11 May is a good next opportunity to do just that.’

The situation in Sudan and South Sudan continues to worsen as thousands of people flee the conflict in Sudan and cross the South Sudanese border. Dorcas shares the worries of the NGO community of South Sudan that the number of returnees and refugees is exceeding previous projections, as the number is already over 50,000. This adds to the dire humanitarian crisis South Sudan is already in. The start of the rainy season will also have a major impact on the area. The situation can become even more catastrophic, as El Niño is predicted, and this may cause heavy rain and floods. 

Together with the humanitarian community in South Sudan, we want to raise awareness to the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in the region. In order to mitigate an even bigger crisis and support those in need, we need to respond now. Humanitarian supplies and especially food items need to be supplied to prevent the severity of food insecurity in the region to worsen.