The humanitarian crisis in Yemen has been ongoing for years, and the situation continues to deteriorate. The civil conflict, combined with the food shortages caused by the Ukraine war and extreme weather conditions, caused what is considered one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Years of conflict have exacerbated existing vulnerabilities; public services have ceased to operate, and economic activities have collapsed, increasing the reliance of the Yemeni population on humanitarian assistance.
Recent Developments in Yemen
As of April 2023, the war in Yemen continues to rage on, with no clear end in sight. The Houthis, a rebel group backed by Iran, control much of the north, including the capital Sanaa, while the internationally recognised government controls the south. The conflict has caused tens of thousands of victims, including many civilians, and left millions displaced. In April 2023, the UN envoy to Yemen announced that talks between the warring parties have resumed in Oman, with the aim of reaching a ceasefire and a political solution to the conflict. However, previous attempts at peace talks have failed, and the situation remains highly volatile.
The ongoing conflict has severely impacted humanitarian work in Yemen, leading to challenges such as limited access to conflict-affected areas, making it difficult to deliver much-needed assistance to vulnerable populations, attacks on humanitarian workers and facilities, and funding shortfalls. Early this year the WFP announced that it is scaling up its humanitarian response in Yemen, to reach15 million people with lifesaving assistance. However, the UN agency also warned that funding for the humanitarian response remains critically low, with only 30% of the $4.2 billion needed for 2023 currently funded.
Food Shortage, Famine, and Malnutrition
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 23.4 million people in Yemen require humanitarian assistance, with 17 million facing severe food insecurity. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 2.3 million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished, with 400,000 at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition. The food shortage has also led to the risk of famine, with the UN warning that 6 million people are at risk of starvation. In conclusion, the humanitarian situation in Yemen remains dire, with the ongoing conflict, access restrictions, and funding shortfalls severely impacting the ability of aid organisations to assist those in need. The food shortage, risk of famine, and widespread malnutrition are particularly alarming, and urgent action is needed to address these issues, prevent further suffering and save lives.
MOAS #MissionOfHope in Yemen
To respond to this tragic humanitarian emergency, since 2019 MOAS has been providing specialist malnutrition treatments to vulnerable children in Yemen, with the ongoing support of our partners, Edesia Nutrition and our in-country partner ADRA Yemen. Early this year, our refrigerated shipment of 26 tonnes of nutritional supplements reached the country and is being distributed by ADRA to families in need at 52 health centres in the Aden region. The shipment included both therapeutic foods to combat malnutrition and nutrient supplements for the promotion of growth.
Plumpy’Sup® is a ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) which is given alongside normal foods as part of a treatment regime for Moderate Acute Malnutrition for children 6 months and older. Plumpy’Sup is commonly part of targeted feeding supplementation programs and is frequently used in emergency situations. It’s important to remember that RUSF is not meant to replace a child’s diet but to supplement it with necessary micro- and macro-nutrients for recovery. Once the children recover, they can go back to a normal daily diet.
Plumpy’Doz® is a ready-to-use food in paste form with a peanut taste and is used for the prevention of Acute Malnutrition. It is a lipid-based nutrient supplement that provides nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It’s usually part of a blanket supplementary treatment program for children at risk of acute malnutrition during times of food insecurity for children 6 months and older.
Enov’Nutributter is a lipid-based nutrient supplement- that contains a special formulation of minerals and nutrients for the promotion of growth and prevention of stunting for children from 6-24 months of age.
Thanks to this shipment, we can treat approximately 3.000 Yemeni children in need and help them to recover from malnutrition and gain weight.
Final thoughts
MOAS will continue to work and collaborate with our partners to provide life-saving nutritional supplies and aid to the most vulnerable communities in need of humanitarian assistance. To save lives and avert a further worsening of the situation, MOAS needs your support to keep on with the nutrition deliveries for children suffering from malnutrition.
You can make a difference and help us to continue this life-saving mission.