Skip to main content

Child malnutrition soars in parts of Yemen

Rampant food insecurity comes as UN-led efforts in Yemen face serious funding shortfalls.
Yemeni 8-year-old displaced girl child, Samar Ali Ahmed, weighing nine and a half kilograms suffering from acute malnutrition, is pictured in Hajjah Governorate, in northern Yemen, on September 23, 2020. - The girl, who lives with her family in Abs camp, was unable to go to hospital for treatment due to poverty. (Photo by ESSA AHMED / AFP) (Photo by ESSA AHMED/AFP via Getty Images)

The rates of child malnutrition are among the highest ever recorded in parts of war-ravaged Yemen, with at least 98,000 children under five at risk of dying without urgent treatment, the United Nations said in a report Tuesday. 

Acute malnutrition among children in the age group has risen by 15.5% in 2020, according to a UN analysis of south Yemen. Hodeidah’s lowlands are one of the worst-hit areas, with 27% of children considered acutely malnourished.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.