In the period from unification in 1990 until today, Yemen has seen many changes, some quite dramatic, in its human development situation: The population grew considerably. . Infant mortality and under-five mortality rates declined  as well as the fertility rate . Nevertheless, Yemen continues to be one of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) in the world.
The initial years after the reunification of Yemen, between 1990-94, were particularly harsh.  The economic situation deteriorated rapidly.   Unemployment, inflation and demand for basic goods and services increased substantially, exerting great pressures on the economy. Large budget deficits were recorded reaching 16.3% of GDP in 1994, and growing balance of payments deficits were also reported despite sizable increases in oil exports in 1993-94. This situation was compounded by friction surrounding the union of North and South leading to a brief but devastating civil war in 1994.  As a result, the economy was on the verge of collapse. Of late, the Government of Yemen has made important efforts to modernize the management of the national economy and to bring about reforms in its structures and institutions.  These efforts have been accompanied by the progressive introduction of a democratic and multi-party system. While important, economic growth and economic reforms alone are not sufficient to achieve sustainable human development, which views progress as more than just an expansion of incomes. 
Among the most compelling challenges that Yemen faces today is the rapid rate of population growth. Since 1975, Yemen’s population has grown by two and a half times reaching its current level of around 20 million.  While the fertility rate has declined , the overall contraceptive prevalence rate (both modern and traditional methods) continues to be low . The population is unevenly distributed over 19 governorates plus the capital city of Sana’a. Also, a fast growing urban population, growing at almost double the population growth rate, points to a high rate of internal migration – which leads to stress on the infrastructures of urban centers and the evacuation and neglect of rural areas.
Yemen has made significant progress in improving the health of its population since 1979. One success story of Yemen’s health system is the significant improvements in the area of child immunization.  However, huge challenges remain.  Among children, diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections are the major causes of morbidity and mortality, and one-third of all deaths among under-fives occur because of vaccine preventable diseases.  Child malnutrition has shown no improvement in recent years.  Communicable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis are widespread and the danger of HIV/AIDS is becoming real. Maternal mortality and morbidity are high because of limited pre-, peri- and post-natal care, also because of early and frequent pregnancies, and low rates of modern contraceptive use.  The coverage of primary health care services is not comprehensive. Primary health facilities are usually staffed by inadequately trained personnel, are poorly equipped and have insufficient availability of drugs and medical supplies.  . Because of culturally determined gender roles, women in Yemen can be discouraged from visiting male medical staff. Reproductive health care services are underutilized and there is a large "unmet need" for contraception.
Less than half the population has access to safe water and sanitation. Illiteracy is a major impediment to Yemen’s progress.  The adult literacy rate is approximately 50%, and about 65% of women are illiterate. There has been a noticeable physical expansion in educational facilities in recent years. Nevertheless, the educational system still suffers from shortfalls of enrolment capacity and favors males and urban areas. . Economic factors as well as in some areas deep-rooted social and cultural attitudes and practices account for low enrolment rates.  Other contributing factors to low access to education are a countrywide shortage of school infrastructure (classrooms), inadequate provisioning of educational facilities, and the poor state of classrooms and school buildings.  The quality of education including, teaching methods, teaching materials and classroom interaction, is in need of improvement.
 In recent years poverty has increased dramatically in Yemen. The poor have become poorer, and the livelihood of many has become less and less sustainable.  Depending on the definition applied, 30-40% of Yemeni households are impoverished and the majority of these are located in rural areas. A growing number of people lack access to adequate housing, safe drinking water, health care services, education, income and sufficient nutrition.  Most natural resources, which could be used to build sustainable livelihoods, have been overexploited, depleted or polluted. Male laborers, who make up nearly 81% of the total, dominate the labor force. Wages have been falling in real terms since the early 1990s. This is consistent with the productivity profile that indicates little improvement in labor productivity. At the heart of labor productivity is the low skill worker.
Agriculture accounts for 58% of employment in the country.  With respect to agriculture, it should be noted that women’s contribution is not adequately accounted for in labor force statistics. In terms of food security, Yemen is classified as a low-income and food deficit (LIFDC) country and imports over 75% of its main staple, wheat.  While food availability seems to be well secured from imports, access is constrained by low purchasing power. Extremely high rates of malnutrition, low birth weight, and infant mortality in many areas of Yemen hint at serious chronic food access shortfalls.  Although food availability at the national level appears to be adequate, a substantial section of the population cannot meet its food consumption requirements due to lack of resources. The food security status of households is also threatened by other natural factors such as droughts, disease outbreak, and floods, which have an impact on incomes of poor households. Environmental degradation associated with economic development and population growth is one of the principal problems facing Yemen today.  As long as human activity continues at a level above the regenerative capacity of the natural environment, the result will be a decline in the quality of life.  The degradation of natural resources particularly soil and water, and in the quality of the environment imposes a burden on present and future generations.  The most critical example in the prevailing situation is the water sector.  Yemen consumes 700 million m3 over and above its renewable water resources, causing water depletion. Water scarcity will have a major negative effect on the jobs and income situation of the country - both agriculture and industry are adversely impacted. Many inequalities persist in Yemen.  In general, people living in rural areas, who account for three-fourths of the country’s population, are poorer and have less access to basic services including health, education, safe water and sanitation services. Servicing rural areas figures high in the Government’s agenda, however, providing basic services to geographically distant and scattered settlements is a complex and costly endeavor. Geographical isolation and hence deprivation from development benefits impedes peoples’ participation, accentuates their vulnerability and results in their gradual marginalization from society.  Income inequalities are pervasive in the country. Inequality in Yemen mirrors a typical low income economy . Women’s secondary status and their poor access to services and resources pose a major constraint to development in Yemen. Women, especially rural women and girls, fare worse than men on almost all quality of life measures. Yemen has one of the largest gaps in the world between boys and girls’ net primary attendance rates, with the latter being only 40%.  .  Despite these obstacles, the female share in the labor market has increased in recent years.  Women's right to equality granted in the Constitution is awarded only to the extent that it falls within the limits of the official interpretation of the Shari'ah. There are several social groups that subsist on the periphery of the development mainstream.  These groups include the al-Akhdam, refugees and returnees.  The basic needs of these groups in terms of primary health care, education, employment opportunities and credit cannot be addressed through the establishment of separate facilities, as this approach is neither sustainable nor cost effective.  Only an integrated approach, wherein the needs of these groups are incorporated into the development process, can lead to equal and fair treatment consistent with basic human rights. Yemen has stated its commitment to protecting and promoting the human rights of its citizens.  Nonetheless, protection afforded by the justice sector is constrained by many factors. In general, the sector is reputed to be inaccessible and deficient.  With the high illiteracy rates, the dispersion of the population and the absence of awareness creation efforts, many citizens remain unaware of their constitutional and legal rights.  Thus, they are unable to exercise them.  The complexity of procedures, unawareness of the due process of law in courts, and the lack of fairness are important reasons for out-of-court settlements. Active people's participation, in decision making and the setting of priorities, is an important determinant of the pace of change of human development indicators.  In spite of the democratic context, civil society in general is judged to be rather weak, uncertain and constrained by a restrictive legal and administrative environment.   In Yemen, informal social networks abound, especially those based on tribal affiliation, and there is a strong traditional social safety net of charitable support for the very poor.  However, rapid urbanization has put traditional sources of support and stability under a great deal of stress. In recent years, NGOs have been growing rapidly in number,. The NGOs, which are mainly charitable, have been established in the major cities.
The state continues to be institutionally weak. There is wide recognition of the need to strengthen government capacity to implement programs, enforce laws and provide more security. Public administration suffers from poor institutional capabilities, inefficient personnel, under-paid and unmotivated civil servants, inadequate training, and cumbersome procedures and management systems.  The problems of public administration have been identified as overlapping jurisdictions between government agencies, over-regulation and discretionary application of laws and regulations.  Furthermore there is a lack of protection for property or enforcement of contracts, and, a general weakness of the State in many rural areas.

legals | credits | F.A.Q.