Aden | 18 September 2026
Minister of Human Rights Mashdal Mohammed Omar and Minister of State in charge of the internally displaced persons (IDP) portfolio Waleed Al-Abara conducted a field visit to Al-Firdaws Camp in the Ras Amran area of Yemen’s interim capital, Aden. The visit aimed to assess the conditions of families displaced from coastal districts in Taiz and Al-Hodeidah governorates following recent attacks by the terrorist Houthi militia on their areas.
The visit included a tour of the camp and its facilities, during which the two ministers reviewed shelter conditions, the basic services provided to displaced families, and the availability of water, sanitation, food, healthcare, education and protection services. They also assessed the humanitarian and basic living needs facing families amid the latest wave of displacement.
The ministers met with several displaced families and heard first-hand accounts of their circumstances, the conditions surrounding their displacement, and their most pressing needs and concerns, particularly those related to shelter, essential services and protection. Meanwhile, a team from the Ministry of Human Rights documented a number of cases and complaints requiring intervention, referral to the competent authorities and follow-up, with particular attention given to children, women, older persons, persons with disabilities and other groups most in need of protection.
The ministers also received a briefing from camp officials on the camp’s current situation, its outstanding needs and the efforts being made to receive and accommodate newly arriving families and provide them with essential services.
According to preliminary data from the camp administration, Al-Firdaws Camp currently hosts 128 displaced families comprising more than 600 people. The site contains approximately 250 tents equipped to receive and shelter displaced persons.
Minister of Human Rights Mashdal Mohammed Omar stated that the visit formed part of the Ministry’s responsibility to directly assess the humanitarian and human rights conditions of displaced persons, identify their protection needs, hear their complaints and work with relevant government bodies and international organizations to ensure a more effective response to their needs, particularly those of the most vulnerable groups.
He highlighted the importance of coordinated government and humanitarian efforts to provide urgent assistance to families forced to flee their homes to protect their lives. He also stressed the need to ensure that displaced persons have access to protection and essential services and that cases requiring urgent intervention are followed up with the relevant authorities.
During the visit, Minister of State in charge of the IDP portfolio Waleed Al-Abara outlined the ongoing efforts to improve services inside the camp. These include plans—implemented in cooperation with Minister of State and Governor of the interim capital, Aden, Abdulrahman Sheikh, along with several philanthropists and supporting organizations—to drill water wells as a sustainable alternative to the water tanks currently in use. The plans also include establishing a small health centre, creating a recreational area for children comprising a playground and garden, and completing the camp’s electricity requirements.
The two ministers emphasized the importance of moving beyond emergency response towards more sustainable solutions for basic services at displacement sites. They also called for stronger coordination among government bodies, local authorities, international organizations and humanitarian partners to address urgent needs, improve living conditions and protect the rights and dignity of displaced persons.
The field visit was attended by Aden Governorate Undersecretary for Education Affairs Awad Mubajir; representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ahmed Suleiman; representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Armen Yadigarian; Director-General of Complaints and Reports at the Ministry of Human Rights Emad Sinan; Director of the Complaints and Reports Department Waleed Al-Sulaimani; Director-General of Governorate Coordinators Samira Hadi; the Ministry’s Coordinator in Al-Hodeidah Governorate Fathiya Al-Maamari; and several representatives of relevant entities.
