Amidst the ongoing conflict in the country, which has led to the collapse of basic services in many governorates, including Taiz, which is suffering from poor healthcare, education, electricity, water, and internet connectivity, as well as other vital daily needs of the citizens. The conflict has severely disrupted the provision of essential services across various governorates. In Taiz, in particular, the healthcare system, education infrastructure, electricity and water supply, as well as internet connectivity have all been severely impacted, leaving the citizens without access to these basic necessities.
18 Jul 2024
#Understand_Us,_We_Desire_Peace #Organization_of_Borderless_Youth
Hanaa Gamal
One of the main problems facing the citizens of Taiz is the lack of access to basic facilities such as electricity and the internet, where the quality of service is very poor, with the services being disrupted for hours. Additionally, the price of commercial electricity fluctuates from time to time, meaning that citizens are often unable to complete their household duties in the evening, and lose many educational and employment opportunities, which has a significant impact on their academic performance and motivation to continue their education and work as required. According to the Community Resilience Report, 80% of the population do not have access to electricity due to the shutdown of the main power station.
Another problem facing Taiz students is the shortage of educational institutions and teachers, as some educational institutions have been closed due to war-related damage, and some teachers have fled the country due to the war, while others have been forced to stop teaching due to the conflict and the interruption of salaries. This means that some students are receiving education from unqualified and non-specialized teachers, which affects the quality of education and prevents them from developing the cognitive skills necessary for future success. According to the Community Resilience Report, 55% are unable to afford the cost of education due to the high prices of registration, books, notebooks, and transportation, and 23% complain about the lack of educational institutions near their homes.
Furthermore, the healthcare system has not escaped the consequences of the conflict, and the closure of roads, with more than half of the public health facilities in Taiz partially or completely out of service, and some of the functioning facilities on the verge of collapse, suffering from shortages of medicines, staff, and funding. On the other hand, the population cannot afford the costs of the private healthcare system, especially as they struggle to buy food, making it difficult for citizens to access good medical care, which may have a negative impact on their health.
Despite these challenges and other vital daily needs, there is a group of citizens who have taken matters into their own hands, with individual efforts and initiatives to provide education and healthcare services to those in need, after unfulfilled government promises to solve the problems after they were highlighted. Many youth initiatives have also emerged, attempting to provide simple solutions to these poor services, though they are considered temporary and limited.
In conclusion, the weakening of basic services in Taiz has a devastating impact on citizens and the spread of poverty and despair among the youth, which may negatively affect their mental health. It is therefore necessary for the local authority to find solutions to the declining level of services and address the root causes of the poor services through coordination and cooperation with civil society organizations and international donor organizations, and by supporting and engaging youth in the planning process, studies, and project implementation supervision, in order to restore services in a better way and ensure their continuity.
#UnderstandUsWeWantPeace
#WhenWillWeLive
#YouthOrganizationWithoutBorders
#UniversityYouthFoundation
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