Yemen crisis
Cash and housing distribution. Hamza Al-Qadimi/CARE
The situation
After years of intense conflict and severe economic decline, combined with a hunger crisis and cholera, almost three quarters of Yemen’s population—23.5 million people—are in need of some form of assistance.
A collapsing economy and often non-existent public services mean that millions struggle to access food, water, education and health care. This dire situation has been exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.
According to the United Nations (UN), hundreds of thousands of people have been killed since 2015 by fighting, malnutrition, disease, and lack of basic services due to the war. More than 4 million people have been forced from their homes to seek shelter from disease and violence.
As is the case in any emergency, the crisis in Yemen is having a disproportionate impact on Yemeni women and girls, who face increased risk of violence, exploitation, and abuse while having a harder time accessing basic health care, including maternal and child health. Hunger and famine are a direct result of war and can only fully be eliminated by bringing the conflict to an end.
How we are responding
CARE has been present in Yemen since 1992, and as a result we know the country very well. Through cash and voucher transfers, CARE supports the most vulnerable and conflict-affected households to meet basic needs such as food.
Across 14 governorates in Yemen by the end of September 2022, CARE reached 2.3 million people with food and livelihoods support, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), reproductive health, women’s economic empowerment and education programs.
We support women’s economic empowerment by working to improve their access to financial resources, equipment, technical advice, and training so they can set up small businesses.
We distribute food, cash, and vouchers so people can buy essential supplies for their families.
We train and equip midwives, rehabilitate maternity wards, and provide home delivery kits.
CARE empowers young people with education and vocational training to provide them with job opportunities.