Yemen's children: hunger after a decade of war
More than 2.2 million young children in Yemen are acutely malnourished. Why the crisis continues, and what treatment can do.
Yemen rarely makes the headlines any more. But after more than a decade of war, it remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. According to the UN’s 2026 plan, 22.3 million people, nearly two in three Yemenis, need humanitarian assistance.
Children are paying the highest price.
More than 2.2 million children acutely malnourished
The UN estimates that more than 2.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished. Acute malnutrition weakens the immune system, so common illnesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia become deadly. Severe cases need specialised treatment.
18.3 million people in Yemen are affected by acute food insecurity. The problem is less that food does not exist in markets and more that families cannot afford it: years of war have destroyed jobs, cut salaries and weakened the currency.
A health system barely standing
Nearly 40% of health facilities are partly working or not working at all. Families travel long distances for care, if they can afford to travel. 14.4 million people need help with clean water and sanitation, which is why outbreaks of disease spread quickly.
The war is quieter, but not over
A UN-brokered truce in April 2022 brought a major drop in fighting, but there is no lasting peace. New clashes since August 2026 have displaced more than 216,000 people, many of them from Taiz. 5.2 million people are displaced inside the country.
What treatment can do
The good news is that acute malnutrition is treatable. Ready-to-use therapeutic food, a fortified peanut-based paste given at clinics and community health points, allows most children to recover at home within weeks. Treatment, clean water and basic health care together save lives.
The UN’s 2026 appeal for Yemen seeks $2.16 billion to reach 12 million people, and it is critically underfunded.
How you can help
- UNICEF treats malnourished children and supports water and health services.
- World Food Programme provides food assistance to families.
- Doctors Without Borders (MSF) runs hospitals and clinics.
All of them are on our Yemen briefing.
