Yemen: A nation paid in delays
Overview
As Yemen enters its eleventh year of conflict, the collapse of public sector salaries has become one of the most critical yet overlooked drivers of humanitarian need. This paper amplifies the voices of Yemenis navigating life without a reliable income, where delayed or unpaid salaries have pushed families into cycles of debt, hunger and impossible choices.
Through personal testimonies and contextual analysis, the report highlights how economic fragmentation, currency instability and political deadlock have eroded household resilience and public services alike. Women, particularly those heading households, bear a disproportionate burden, often becoming the last line of survival for their families.
The paper argues that restoring regular and unified salary payments is not only an economic necessity but a prerequisite for stability, dignity and lasting peace in Yemen. It calls on national and international actors to prioritize the salary crisis within peace negotiations and recovery efforts.
Keywords
Additional details
Author(s)
Publisher(s)
DOI
10.21201/2026.000129How to cite this resource
Citation styles vary so we recommend you check what is appropriate for your context. You may choose to cite Oxfam resources as follows:
Author(s)/Editor(s). (Year of publication). Title and sub-title. Place of publication: name of publisher. DOI (where available). URL
Our FAQs page has some examples of this approach.
Kenya’s Inequality Crisis: The great economic divide