Political unrest and violence have left Yemen in a state of paralysis, and sparked a fuel crisis which has brought the economy on the brink of collapse, deprived millions of people of clean water and caused food shortages. Rising hunger levels have left many families close to breaking point, and according to the UN, some vulnerable communities are now facing critical levels of malnutrition.
- More than half the population live below the poverty line, with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
- Ten million Yemenis do not have enough food to eat. 60 percent of young children have stunted growth.
- At least 16 million Yemenis do not have access to a clean water supply and sanitation – almost two-thirds of the population
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam has been working in Yemen for more than 30 years, co-operating with government authorities, as well as the civil society organizations, to improve the health care and livelihoods of thousands of people living in poverty.
Recent deadly clashes and air strikes have put increasing pressure on the local infrastructure and left many more vulnerable people at risk. Hundreds of people have been killed or injured and thousands have fled their homes. Many people are struggling to find food and water.
Before the air strikes started, we were already providing vital water, sanitation and hygiene services to people displaced by conflict in northern and southern Yemen and were helping hundreds of families to rebuild their livelihoods.
We are now stepping up our emergency response to help more people to buy basic supplies, thanks to cash transfers, and get access to clean water and sanitation services.
- Demand an end to the violence in Yemen on act.oxfam.org
- Read our latest blogs from Oxfam staff in Yemen
Working with partners we deliver a range of initiatives to help improve women’s health – including training midwives and female health workers, and organizing mobile health teams (‘health caravans’) to reach rural families.
At the heart of our work, we advocate greater justice for women. This includes raising awareness at all levels – from campaigning against early marriage, to increasing women’s economic empowerment and working to secure legal protection.