Yemen, a race against time to save millions of lives

The war continues and creates in the country one of the most serious situations of crisis and hunger in the world, with almost 7 million people who do not know where they will find their next meal and who have an immediate need for assistance. Nearly 2.2 million children are malnourished and at imminent risk of death

SANA’A – The continuation of violence in Yemen is worsening one of the most serious situations of crisis and hunger in the world, with almost 7 million people who do not know where they will find their next meal and who are in desperate need of assistance. Nearly 2.2 million children are malnourished, including half a million of them who are in a state of severe malnutrition and at imminent risk of death if they do not receive special care urgently.

Acute malnutrition. “Millions of children in Yemen are in a state of acute malnutrition and many are dying from diseases that are completely preventable,” said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Directorfor the Middle East and North Africa. “Without further action by the conflicting parties and the international community, Yemen seriously risks sinking into famine, with even more lives in the balance of children. It is a race against time. ”
Many lives are already lost. “When a country reaches the stage of famine, it means that many lives are already lost. We will never have to reach that moment when we see children dying on TV and grieving mothers desperate on television screens, “said Muhannad Hadi, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Europe East. “If we act now, many lives could be saved in Yemen. We call on the international community to urgently provide us with sufficient funds and to help us avoid famine throughout Yemen. ”

The devastating impact on household incomes.Violence and food insecurity are having a devastating impact on the incomes of families, who are forced, together with their children, to implement extreme measures just to survive, such as early marriages or taking part in fighting. In the first three months of 2017, three times more children were recruited and used by the warring parties than in the last months of 2016. The violence made large areas of the country inaccessible to humanitarian workers, preventing vulnerable children and families to access the emergency aid you need. Despite these and other challenges, in February:

– UNICEF supported screening for malnutrition for 132,000 children and treatment for severe acute malnutrition for over 5,000 children under the age of five;
– Vitamin A supplements have been given to almost 5 million children under the age of five as part of the UNICEF-supported polio vaccination campaign;
– WFP has provided food assistance to a record number of 5.3 million people in 17 governorates.

Emergency operations are increasing.Earlier this month, WFP announced an increase in its emergency food operations in Yemen, in order to provide support for up to 9 million people in urgent need of food assistance. WFP also plans to expand its nutritional support to prevent or treat acute malnutrition in 2.9 million children under the age of five and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, including those from families already assisted with good for food or goods.

The basic needs of 9 million people.The needs of people in Yemen have grown faster than the resources available. The WFP urgently needs 1.2 billion dollars to meet, for the next 12 months, the basic needs of 9 million people in a state of food insecurity in Yemen. UNICEF has appealed for $ 236 million to provide life-saving assistance to children affected by the conflict in Yemen in 2017. The two agencies’ efforts are funded for less than 20 percent.

The appeal for a political solution.On behalf of children and vulnerable families, UNICEF and WFP are calling for an immediate political solution to end the war in Yemen. This would guarantee the security of millions of desperate families and allow a massive increase in food assistance, nutritional support and other humanitarian aid. Until that time and until the conflict continues to intensify, the two agencies appeal to all parties to the conflict and to those who have influence over them to allow full humanitarian access to people in need, and to refrain from any action that prevents the delivery of life-saving humanitarian supplies.