Words by Smiley Team
As Yemen slowly inches towards what the UN Secretary-General has described as potentially ‘the worst famine in decades,’ the risk to children’s lives is higher than ever. Thankfully, UNICEF are co-ordinating responses which can protect the lives of vulnerable children.
More than 12 million children in the country need humanitarian assistance. Acute child malnutrition have reached record levels, marking a 10 percent increase in the past year alone. Subsequently, almost 325,000 children under the age. More than five million children face a heightened threat of cholera and acute watery diarrhoea.
Coronavirus has had a devastating impact on children and families in Yemen who were already in urgent need of support due to the ongoing conflict.
“Chronic poverty, decades of underdevelopment, and over five years of unrelenting conflict have exposed children and their families to a deadly combination of violence and disease." said the UN Secretary-General.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has turned a deep crisis into an imminent catastrophe.
“There is no time to waste.
“Yemen is a country beset by violence, pain and suffering. The economy is in shambles. The health system has been on the verge of collapse for years. Countless schools, hospitals, water stations and other crucial public infrastructure have been damaged and destroyed in the fighting. Disregard for international humanitarian law is shockingly blatant.
“UNICEF has been on the ground in Yemen for decades. In recent years, we have expanded our presence to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to millions of children, helping alleviate suffering and save lives.
“But we cannot hold back the tide indefinitely."
Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, they work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. But to meet the demand they face, they need urgent funding.
“All parties to the conflict must keep children out of harm’s way and allow unhindered access to communities in need – as is their duty under international humanitarian law.
“Donors must step up and provide urgently needed additional funds. As we approach the end of the year, UNICEF’s humanitarian appeal has received just US$237 million of the US$535 million required, a funding gap of almost US$300 million.
“Humanitarian aid alone will not avert a famine nor end the crisis in Yemen. Stopping the war, supporting the economy and increasing resources are critical.
“There is no time to waste.
“Children in Yemen need peace. An end to this brutal conflict is the only way they can fulfil their potential, resume their childhood and, ultimately, rebuild their country.”
To protect children in Yemen, head to https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/yemen/ to donate.
For more information please visit unicef.org.uk
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