In response to Yemen's mounting humanitarian catastrophe, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is expanding its Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) initiative, which provides stranded migrants with a safe and dignified return home. The expansion comes after more than 6,300 migrants arrived in October.
IOM has organised 30 VHR charter flights in 2024, including one on December 5 from Aden that safely transported 175 migrants to Ethiopia. These measures have assisted approximately 4,800 migrants in voluntarily returning home this year, giving them a new beginning and the opportunity to rebuild their lives after facing extraordinarily harsh conditions.
Yemeni migrants suffer from extreme poverty, with little access to safe housing, food, and medical treatment. Many are compelled to sleep on the streets or live in makeshift shelters, turning to begging as a means of subsistence. They are at risk for gender-based violence, exploitation, and abuse.