Yemen crisis
Yemen is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises – and children are being robbed of their futures.
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Yemen crisis: What you need to know
What’s happening in Yemen?
Yemen remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with around 23.7 million people in need of assistance, including almost 13 million children.
Since the conflict escalated in March 2015, the country has become a living hell for the country’s children. Less than half of health facilities are functioning, and many that remain operational lack basic equipment. Many health workers have not received a regular salary in several years.
Read UNICEF’s 2022 humanitarian appeal for Yemen here.
How is the crisis affecting children?
More than 10,200 children have been killed or maimed since the beginning of the conflict, and thousands more have been recruited into the fighting. An estimated 2 million children are internally displaced. The damage and closure of schools and hospitals has also disrupted access to education and health services. More than 2 million children are out of school, leaving them even more vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s already dire hunger crisis is teetering on the edge of outright catastrophe. By March 2022, around 17.4 million people were in need of food assistance, with a growing portion of the population coping with emergency levels of hunger.
In April 2022, Sana’a authorities signed an Action Plan with the United Nations to protect children and prevent grave violations against them in the context of the armed conflict in Yemen. In August 2022, UNICEF welcomed the announcement that the parties to the conflict in Yemen had agreed to the United Nations’ proposal to renew the truce for an additional two months.
What is UNICEF doing to help children in Yemen?
UNICEF is on the ground to save children’s lives, to help them cope with the impact of conflict, and to help them to recover and resume their childhoods. Read more about UNICEF’s work and results in the country, and how you can help.
Check here for the most up to date statistics on the situation in Yemen.
Yemen crisis snapshot
What UNICEF is doing in Yemen
UNICEF is on the ground across Yemen to save children’s lives, to help them cope with the impact of conflict, and to help them to recover and resume their childhoods.
Conflict and violence have pushed more families into poverty and deprivation. UNICEF is helping treat severe acute malnutrition in children by providing essential therapeutic food and medical supplies.
As part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, UNICEF has shipped crucial personal protective equipment needed by frontline workers, has delivered COVID vaccines through the COVAX Facility, and has continued to provide risk communication and community engagement activities.
Children are also being helped with victim assistance and education on mines and explosive remnants of war. Meanwhile, UNICEF and partners are rehabilitating damaged schools and establishing safe learning spaces.
Read UNICEF’s 2022 Humanitarian Action for Children Yemen appeal