89% of Internally Displaced Persons in Yemen in Need of Food

A recent UN report has revealed that about 89% of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Yemen are unable to meet their daily food needs due to worsening vulnerabilities and a diminishing capacity to withstand and adapt after a decade of conflict.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated in a recent report that assessments conducted throughout 2023 indicate high levels of social and economic vulnerabilities among displaced families. Only 11% of internally displaced persons can meet their daily food requirements, while 89% are unable to cover their food needs.

This situation has worsened over the past 10 years due to escalating vulnerabilities and a diminishing capacity to cope among affected populations.

Experts and officials have warned of a worsening food crisis, the specter of famine, and the spread of malnutrition among children due to the ongoing war ignited by the Houthi group over the past decade.

The United Nations has issued a global appeal for $2.7 billion to fund humanitarian aid in Yemen this year.

According to the United Nations, 17 million Yemenis face the specter of famine in 2024 due to funding shortages and the impact of Houthi escalation in the southern Red Sea region. The World Health Organization has reported that approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition.

Yemen's Deputy Minister of Human Rights, Nabil Abdulhafiz, emphasized the significant and dangerous challenges posed by the food situation, especially for children.

He warned that the food shortage crisis constitutes one of the most serious humanitarian and security crises in Yemen.

Abdulhafiz urged for a greater international response to provide food and humanitarian aid to alleviate this suffering and emphasized the necessity of taking a stance against the Houthi group while supporting the legitimate government to prevent further exacerbation of problems.

According to the Global Hunger Index, Yemen experienced the third-worst levels of hunger in the world in 2023. Current pledges for food assistance are alarmingly low, prompting the World Food Programme to reduce its life-saving programs.

Fahmi Al-Zubairi, Director of the Human Rights Office in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, stated that Yemen is experiencing the worst food crisis in the world, with ongoing warnings from the United Nations about the severity of the humanitarian situation and the lack of food security. 

He noted that a large percentage of Yemenis rely on humanitarian and relief assistance, which has recently been reduced, leading to food insecurity and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

Al-Zubairi further explained that the war and Houthi violations have affected the economic aspect, exacerbating the burdens of Yemenis already suffering from deteriorating living conditions, high rates of hunger, acute malnutrition, poverty, and unemployment. 

He added that the Houthi group is using starvation as a weapon of war, exacerbating the suffering of Yemeni civilians.