UN: More Than Half of Yemen’s Population Faces Acute Food Insecurity

UN: More Than Half of Yemen’s Population Faces Acute Food Insecurity

The United Nations has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen, stating that more than half of the country’s population is facing acute levels of food insecurity, amid widespread malnutrition and a decline in essential health services.
In a statement marking World Humanitarian Day, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen said that half of all children under the age of five, along with around 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women, are suffering from acute malnutrition.
The statement also pointed to the deterioration of Yemen’s health sector, explaining that two out of every five health facilities are either out of service or only partially functioning, increasing the risks facing the population amid declining basic services and the continuing humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations stressed that worsening living conditions and restrictions on humanitarian activities are adding to the suffering of the population. It called for the release of detained UN personnel and other humanitarian workers.
It also urged the provision of a safe and enabling environment for aid workers, allowing them to reach people in need and carry out their duties in accordance with humanitarian principles, particularly in the areas most severely affected.
Despite the restrictions and difficult conditions on the ground, the statement said that humanitarian workers were able to reach around 3.4 million people across Yemen with assistance and services during the first half of this year.
The UN warnings come as Yemen’s humanitarian crisis continues and food and health needs grow, placing millions of Yemenis—particularly children and women—at increasing risk and highlighting the urgent need to expand the humanitarian response and ensure that aid reaches those in need.