As the international community marks the International Day of Families on 15 May, the humanitarian impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war on Yemeni families remains severe across many conflict affected areas of the country.<\/p>\n
Years after the escalation of the conflict, large areas of Yemen remain contaminated with anti personnel mines, anti tank mines, improvised explosive devices, and unexploded ordnance. These threats continue to affect daily life for civilians living in rural communities, agricultural areas, residential zones, and along roads frequently used by families.<\/p>\n
For many Yemeni households, the danger posed by landmines extends far beyond the moment of an explosion. The long term consequences continue to shape family structures, economic conditions, education, social relationships, and the ability of communities to recover safely.<\/p>\n
In Hajjah Governorate, Sheikh Mohammed Kadish from Bani Hassan described how fear has become part of daily life for families living in contaminated areas. According to Kadish, explosions occur frequently enough that parents rush to search for their children<\/a> after hearing loud blasts near villages, schools, or farmland.<\/p>\n \u201cDeath has become everywhere,\u201d he said, explaining that the sound of explosions regularly causes panic among residents, particularly mothers and fathers trying to locate children who may be at school or outside collecting water.<\/p>\n Kadish also warned that contamination has deeply affected low income households that rely almost entirely on farming and livestock herding. He explained that large areas of agricultural land and grazing areas have become inaccessible because of mines, reducing the ability of families to support themselves economically. During the rainy season, floods can move explosive devices into new areas, increasing the danger for already vulnerable communities.<\/p>\n The economic impact on households is severe in many parts of Yemen. In Midi district, Sheikh Hassan Musbah explained that more than 300 farms stopped operating because of landmine contamination. Farmers returning to their land found fields heavily contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance, resulting in deaths, injuries, amputations, and the destruction of agricultural equipment.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen farmers attempted to return to their land, they found that most of their fields were contaminated with mines,\u201d Musbah said. \u201cThis has led to the death of some farmers, others losing their limbs, and has also caused damage to agricultural machinery and equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Musbah, the collapse of farming activity affected entire households dependent on agriculture<\/a> as their primary source of income and food production. He added that the work of Project Masam had helped restore conrtjkfidence among some residents attempting to return to agricultural land.<\/p>\n The impact on women and girls in contaminated communities is particularly severe. In many rural areas, women are responsible for collecting water, gathering firewood, herding livestock, and caring for family members. These daily activities frequently require movement through contaminated areas, increasing exposure to explosive hazards.<\/p>\n Project Masam previously documented the case of Saliha Abdah, a Yemeni woman who lost her leg after stepping on a landmine while collecting firewood near her village. Following the explosion, her husband left the family because he could no longer cope with the economic and physical burden caused by her injury. Saliha was left caring for her children under extremely difficult circumstances while struggling with permanent disability and social stigma.<\/p>\n \u201cI used to have my legs, I used to go to work,\u201d Saliha said. \u201cNow my children and I don\u2019t have anything.\u201d<\/p>\n Her story reflects the wider pressure placed on women<\/a> in mine affected communities, where survivors often face exclusion, reduced opportunities, and increased responsibility for supporting households after injury or displacement.<\/p>\n Other women interviewed by Project Masam described how contamination has changed daily life inside their communities. Amina Ibrahim lost her leg after a landmine exploded while she was herding sheep and collecting firewood near her village. Following the incident, she could no longer continue the sewing work and household activities that previously helped support her family<\/a>.<\/p>\n The impact on children also remains deeply concerning. In contaminated communities, families often fear allowing children to travel alone to school, collect water, or move between villages. In Taiz Governorate, residents in Al Jum\u2019ah district described how water shortages<\/a> were worsened because landmine contamination blocked access to wells and prevented the expansion of water infrastructure.<\/p>\n Ali Qasim Mahyob, Sheikh of Al Jum\u2019ah district, explained that families had been forced to fetch water manually and transport it over long distances because infrastructure projects could not move forward safely until contaminated land was cleared.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople fetch water from wells manually and carry it on donkeys\u2019 backs,\u201d he said. \u201cSome families were receiving water only once a month.\u201d<\/p>\n Clearance operations later enabled the expansion of a water network intended to support surrounding villages and reduce pressure on families already struggling with limited access to essential services.<\/p>\n Landmine contamination also contributes to family separation and social isolation. Roads connecting villages, farms, schools, healthcare facilities, and relatives often become unsafe due to the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance. In remote areas, families can become isolated from surrounding communities for extended periods, particularly during flooding or seasonal movement of sand that shifts explosive devices into new locations.<\/p>\n One example is the case of Ibrahim Kadish from Abs district in north western Yemen. Ibrahim lost both lower limbs in a landmine explosion while herding sheep near his village in 2021. The explosion also killed the donkey he depended on for work and transport. Following the incident, his family lost its primary source of income<\/a>, while he was left permanently disabled.<\/p>\n \u201cLandmines have destroyed my life and the lives of many others in our village,\u201d Ibrahim said. \u201cWe have long lived in fear and anxiety because of the death planted in our land.\u201d<\/p>\n Elderly family members are also increasingly affected in communities where younger relatives have been killed, displaced, or permanently injured. Project Masam documented the case of Salma Sa\u2019id from Yemen\u2019s western coast, whose two sons were killed by a marine mine explosion while fishing. The incident left their children without providers and forced the elderly mother to help care for surviving family members facing severe economic hardship<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cMy sorrow over my sons is renewed every moment I look at their children,\u201d she said. \u201cThey became orphans because of the mines.\u201d<\/p>\n The psychological impact on families continues long after clearance operations begin. Fear, anxiety, and uncertainty remain part of daily life in contaminated areas, especially in communities where explosions and incidents continue to occur. Civilians frequently report avoiding farmland, valleys, roads, and abandoned buildings because of concerns over hidden explosive threats.<\/p>\n