Our Children Are Starving: Yemen’s Forgotten Famine
"Yemen’s war ‘ended’—so why are millions still starving?"
"Yemen’s war ‘ended’—so why are millions still starving?"
A Crisis the Headlines Forgot
In April 2022, a UN-brokered truce brought a fragile pause to Yemen’s brutal civil war. The guns fell quieter, and the headlines moved on. Yet, for millions of Yemenis—especially children—the suffering never stopped.
Today, over 17 million people face severe hunger, half of them children. The famine is not a relic of the war—it’s the war’s shadow. According to WFP’s 2024 Yemen report, malnutrition rates remain among the highest in the world.
The Lingering Shadow of War
Even without daily airstrikes, the destruction left behind continues to starve Yemen.
Collapsed healthcare — Only 50% of health facilities are functional, leaving malnourished children without treatment.
Economic ruin — Currency collapse and widespread unemployment mean families simply can’t afford food.
Blockades and restrictions — Food and fuel imports face delays, keeping prices unbearably high.
"The war didn’t just kill with bombs—it killed by starving us slowly," says a displaced mother in Sana’a.
A Famine Fueled by Neglect
Despite urgent warnings from aid agencies, Yemen has slipped out of the global spotlight.
Aid cuts — In 2023, the UN received only 30% of the funds needed for famine relief (UN OCHA).
Media neglect — Coverage shifted to Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, leaving Yemen in the shadows.
Systemic failures — Corruption and aid diversion, and logistical hurdles faced by agencies like the ICRC, prevent food from reaching the hungriest.
UNICEF estimates 2.2 million children are acutely malnourished, with 540,000 at imminent risk of death.
The Children Pay the Price
Malnutrition is not just hunger—it’s a slow, irreversible theft of life and future.
One child dies every 10 minutes from hunger-related causes (WFP).
Families survive on bread and tea—no protein, no vegetables, no hope.
Early marriages rise as desperate parents see one less mouth to feed (Sana’a Center reports).
"I sold my wedding ring to buy flour," a father in Taiz told Yemen Monitor. "What do I do when the money runs out?"
Man-Made Disaster, Human Solutions
Yemen’s famine is not the result of drought or natural disaster—it’s the outcome of human choices.
The path forward demands:
Restoring full funding for food and medical aid.
Pressuring warring parties to lift blockades on imports.
Rebuilding farms, hospitals, and livelihoods to create long-term food security.
Local organizations like the Yemen Peace Organization and the Yemen Foundation continue to provide direct support, even where international agencies struggle to reach.
Silence is Complicity
Yemen’s famine isn’t invisible—it’s ignored. The world has the resources and knowledge to end it, but the question remains: will it choose to?
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." — Martin Luther King Jr.