Yemen: Half of Children Under Five Suffer from Chronic Malnutrition

More than thirty humanitarian organizations have issued an urgent appeal to the international community to take swift action in response to Yemen’s escalating hunger crisis, coinciding with World Food Day. The organizations called for increased humanitarian aid and stronger response efforts to address the worsening situation.

Organizations including Save the Children, CARE, Oxfam, and the Danish Refugee Council stated that Yemen is facing one of the three largest food crises in the world, with half of the population suffering from hunger and one in two children under the age of five experiencing chronic malnutrition.

In a joint statement, the organizations warned that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating at an unprecedented rate, as one in three families in Yemen faces severe levels of food insecurity.

Estimates indicate that the Hodeidah and Taiz governorates are experiencing critical levels of malnutrition, with projections showing a 15–30% increase in acute cases by 2026, threatening the limited progress made in recent years.

The statement noted that many families are being forced to make devastating choices for survival — such as skipping meals so their children can eat or selling their few remaining possessions to afford food.

The organizations concluded by urging international actors to address the root causes of the crisis through supporting the peace process, reviving Yemen’s economy, and empowering local communities to build resilient agricultural systems capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change.