The ABC Method of Crisis Intervention

One of the current global crises is the case in Yemen. In its 5 th year, the humanitarian condition in the context of Yemen is catastrophic. The identified crisis is a reflection of the largest humanitarian crisis in modern society because of conflict. Notably, because of the crisis, 80 percent of the population demands humanitarian needs. In clarifying the situation further, over 15 million, which is 50 percent of Yemen’s population, tend to have acute humanitarian needs concerning limited access to the healthcare services, education, food, and water. The case of Yemen is a reflection of the biggest existing food security issue across the world. The situation in Yemen is a crisis as it is the largest humanitarian crisis the world has seen in the modern context, robbing children of their futures (BBC News, 2019). The purpose of this research paper is to explore and illustrate diverse aspects of this current crisis while coming up with the appropriate strategy to help eradicate or manage the crisis effectively and efficiently. Yemen’s crisis continues to affect different individuals and groups regardless of age, gender, and sexual orientation, as well as marital status, income, and education levels. The current has about 29 million inhabitants as a reflection of its population. In this number, about 24 million inhabitants need different forms of humanitarian assistance with about 15 million in acute need of these services (BBC News, 2019). The severity of the humanitarian needs continues to deepen, as the humanitarian aid remains the only lifeline for the millions and millions of the Yemenis amid the current crisis. Since the onset of the crisis, about 18,000 civilians have lost their lives. Many more people have lost their lives because of diseases and hunger. The population also suffers because of the increased attacks on the civilians, as well as their infrastructures. No one is safe, as most of the civilians have to deal with the loss of lives and occurrence of injuries in their homes, farms, buses, and markets. There is consistent destruction of the ideal facilities such as healthcare centers, learning institutions, houses, and water components or tanks amid growing influence of the conflict (Clausen, 2015). The crisis also increases the severity of food security among the Yemenis, particularly in the areas experiencing active fighting. The food insecurity from the crisis also translates to enormous implications on the IDP, marginalized communities or groups, and host communities (Orkaby, 2017). The fishing groups and landless wage laborers have to deal with the enormous implications of the crisis, as they cannot go on with their economic activities. Moreover, researchers have had the chance to document that the most vulnerable groups are women and children, as well as the elderly who suffer the most from the outcome of the crisis in the case of Yemen. As highlighted in the news articles, the situation of Yemen is a reflection of a humanitarian crisis emanating from the conflict. The conflict manifests from the failure of the political transition aimed at generating the desired stability to Yemen following the essence of Arab Spring forcing the longtime authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh to hand over the office to Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, his deputy in 2011 (BBC News, 2019). In his role as the president, Hadi has to experience struggle in dealing with diverse issues such as terrorist attacks by the jihadists, as well as separatist movement across the southern parts of the region. There was also the issue of the ongoing loyalty to the previous president among the security personnel. Hadi also had to deal with the challenges such as food insecurity, unemployment, and increased corruption among the government officials. Various groups sought to optimize the opportunities emanating from the weaknesses of the new president in the office by taking control of the northern part of the region, as well as the neighboring area. Since then, there have been four years of consistent stalemate and conflict. There have been conflicts following the landing of the coalition ground troops driving the Houthis and their allies out of the south. Hadi’s government focused on using the available resources to establish a temporary home in Aden (BBC News, 2019). In spite of this, the government continues to experience struggles in the provision of the basic services, as well as security. The president remains in exile to highlight the enormous implications of the problem or crisis. Since 2015, the situation has transformed into one of the worst human-made humanitarian crisis in the context of Yemen (Brehony, 2015). For example, in an article documented by BBC News, over 3 million people inclusive of 2 million children experience acute malnourishment contributing to increased vulnerability to diseases (2019). The situation in Yemen should be of great concern to the world because of its ability to exacerbate tensions in the region while creating room for potential attacks on the West from terrorist groups seeking to use the unstable political environment in the region to execute their activities. In the recent years, there have been increased use of military approach as a tool to help end the crisis, which is greatly transforming into one of the worst in the modern world based on the implications on the stakeholders. Other than this, there has been adoption of the economic bans and restrictions to help bring the parties to a table for the negotiation to help address the problem. Nonetheless, as Yemen is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the problem, I believe that these solutions are ineffective. First, it is appropriate to consider eradicating these restrictions or lifting the bans to open the transport routes while keeping them safe for the essential aid, as well as imports to reach their respective destinations. The situation reflects clear danger of the imminent famine; thus, the need to have access to these destinations in the delivery of the imports. I also believe that in addressing the crisis or uplifting the condition, it is appropriate to consider going the political way. The crisis in the region manifests into daily airstrike, increased diseases, extreme food insecurity, limited healthcare access, and destruction of the infrastructures. The political affiliations should consider adopting and implementing the right political strategy to help solve the crisis. In the utilization of the ABC method of crisis intervention, I would consider adopting a multi-faceted approach in dealing with at least one-person experience this type of crisis. First, I will depict awareness of the causes or the precipitating events concerning the crisis. Second, I will engage in the illustration of keen understanding of the perception of the client or individual in question concerning the event; thus, the element of subjective distress. Third, I will seek to address the failure of the client to cope with the situation. These aspects associated with the intervention strategies will aim at changing the perception of the client, decreasing the distress in the case of the individual, and increasing the client functioning. In the expression of the listening intervention strategy or model, I believe that it is appropriate to develop and maintain the necessary rapport while identifying the subjective distress to enable alteration of the perceptions through therapeutic interaction. Finally, I will consider facilitating the development of the new coping mechanisms or techniques aimed at providing skills and referrals before substantive follow-up to highlight the achievement of the desired case in the management of the distress. The use of facilitating listening will be ideal in this case to generate the right tools to enable the client deal with the humanitarian crisis as evident in the case of Yemen.

References

BBC News (2019), “Yemen Crisis: Why is there a War?” BBC NEWS Yemen Crisis, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29319423 

Brehony, N. (2015). Yemen and the Huthis: Genesis of the 2015 Crisis. Asian Affairs , 46 (2), 232-250.

Clausen, M. L. (2015). Understanding the crisis in Yemen: Evaluating competing narratives. The International Spectator , 50 (3), 16-29.

Orkaby, A. (2017). Yemen's Humanitarian Nightmare: The Real Roots of the Conflict. Foreign Affairs , 96 , 93.