New York: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) underscored the devastating toll six months of violence has taken on the children of Yemen, where at least 500 have lost their lives and more than 1.7 million are at risk of malnutrition.
Across the country, nearly 10 million children 80% of the country’s under 18 population need urgent humanitarian assistance. More than 1.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes, the agency said in a news release.
UNICEF pointed out that even before the conflict, the nutrition situation was dire as Yemen produces less than 10% of its food needs and relies heavily on imported foodstuffs. However, the escalation of the fighting has caused food insecurity to spiral and malnutrition to spike.
The consequences for children are "dramatic," said UNICEF, noting that the number of children under five at risk of severe acute malnutrition has tripled in 2015, with 537,000 children now at risk, compared to 160,000 children before the conflict.
In addition, almost twice as many children under five, a total of 1.2 million children, are projected to suffer from moderate acute malnutrition this year, compared to 690,000 before the crisis.
The agency attributes the deterioration to food shortages and poor access to markets caused by the conflict, reduced access to health facilities and sanitation, and the disruption of livelihood opportunities. Scarcity of fuel, electricity, gas, water and other services and utilities is further exacerbating the situation.
The agency has also provided psychological support to help children cope with the horrors of the conflict, as well as education material on avoiding unexploded ordnances and mines.
QNA
