A female health worker providing treatment to one of the malnourished children
17 August 2023 – One of the most severe consequences of the conflict in Yemen has been widespread food insecurity and increasing numbers of malnourished children. The current level of hunger across the country is unprecedented, with 17 million Yemenis facing food insecurity. Child malnutrition in Yemen is among the highest in the world, with almost 2.2 million Yemeni children under the age of 5 acutely malnourished, including 538 000 children severely malnourished and 60 000 children suffering from critical medical complications as a result of severe acute malnutrition.
Agricultural activities, trade routes, and food supply chains have been disrupted, and food prices are spiking as a result of limited availability Before the conflict, Yemen was facing significant challenges related to food production and water scarcity. The situation now, after 8 years of conflict, is exponentially worse.