It has been nine years since conflict broke out in Yemen, and 377,000 people have lost their lives due to both direct and indirect consequences of the war—violence, hunger, disease, and displacement.
Humanitarian needs are staggering, with 21.6 million people in need of assistance. Some quick facts:
Yemenis across the country have little to no food, water, and access to primary healthcare and mental health services. Decreasing funding and increasing regional tensions threaten to make their living conditions even worse. Years of fighting have exacerbated systemic vulnerabilities, leading to the collapse of essential services and economic activities and increasing dependence on aid.
Yemen is largely dependent on imported food. Its declining currency value, rising prices, limited job opportunities, and low wages have made essential foods unaffordable for a large proportion of the population. Many families go into debt because they can’t afford food, while others limit the amount of food they eat and resort to food with little nutritional value. Parents—especially mothers—often go without food so that their children can eat.
“When we notice that certain products are running out, we cut back on meals until the next food distribution. Sometimes, the family sleeps on an empty stomach,” says a father of six children living in Hajjah. His one-year-old daughter, Zakia, was treated for acute malnutrition at the Duban Health Center.
Without sufficient resources, including water purification products, the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks, such as cholera, is high.
Health care costs are out of reach for most people, and health centers are often too far away for families to access them. Additionally, without sufficient supplies and qualified staff, quick and easy access to quality health care and malnutrition treatment is a major challenge in Yemen.
“Before the opening of the Duban Health Center, we had difficulty getting health and nutrition services,” explains Zakia’s father. “There is no health unit near our village, and we have no money to go to hospital with our sick children. So, we just stood there, helpless and sorrowful.”
Today, more than a quarter of Yemenis—over eight million people—suffer from mental disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. According to surveys by Action Against Hunger and other data, the continuing conflict, forced displacement, deteriorating economic situation, poverty, and food shortages are exacerbating the prevalence of mental disorders, which affect all communities and social groups in the country.
There is no health unit near our village, and we have no money to go to hospital with our sick children. So, we just stood there, helpless and sorrowful.
- Zakia’s father
Despite the scale of this public health crisis, there is no national mental health program in Yemen. Just 10% of the country’s primary health care facilities have staff trained to identify or treat mental disorders. The stigma surrounding mental health issues delays treatment and, by devaluing the related professions, discourages students from getting training to tackle these issues.
Action Against Hunger teams provided lifesaving assistance to more than 388,940 people in Aden, Al Khawkah, Hodeida, Hajjah, and Abyan in 2022. We aim to improve the health and nutrition of vulnerable communities, support the rehabilitation of health infrastructures, increase access to clean water, and provide psychological and psychosocial support to people affected by violence and trauma. Like other humanitarian organizations, we face insecurity and bureaucratic obstacles to delivering assistance, particularly in northwestern Yemen. In addition, numerous restrictions on the freedom of movement of female Yemeni aid workers (mahram) compromise aid delivery to women and girls.
Despite growing humanitarian needs, funding is declining. In 2023, only 32% of funding requests had been met. Lack of funding has forced the World Food Program (WFP) to announce a “pause” in the General Food Assistance program, impacting 9.5 million people facing food insecurity in northern Yemen. As a result of this reduction in food assistance, hunger is expected to grow in many areas under the control of Sana’a-based authorities this year.
The resurgence of hostilities in the Red Sea and on Yemeni territory following Israel’s offensive against Hamas has forced a pause in peace efforts. Additionally, the United States’ recent designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization threatens to put the population in a stranglehold. In the coming months, this could further increase prices, disrupt supply chains, and prevent the delivery of vital humanitarian assistance.
