UNICEF: Life in Yemen Becomes Intolerable Hell for Children

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that life in Yemen has become “intolerable hell for children” because of the ongoing conflict, adding that the battle for the Red Sea port city Hodeidah endangers the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in the city

In a report published on the official website of the UNICEF entitled “What the battle for Hodeidah means for Yemen’s children,” it confirmed that millions of children across Yemen depend on the humanitarian and commercial goods that come through the port every day for their very survival

The United Nations revealed that close to 70% of the country’s imports, including commercial and humanitarian goods, enter through Hodeidah and Saleef to the north. Suspension of port activities will have a catastrophic humanitarian impact on children across the country. It indicates that there are around 600,000 people in Hodeidah, including 300,000 children, caught in the fighting

The organization stressed that more than 22 million Yemenis – that’s three-quarters of the population – need humanitarian assistance and protection, more than 11 million of them are children. The conflict has made Yemen a living hell for its children. It indicates that more than half the health facilities in Yemen are not functioning due to damage or a lack of operating budget and staff. Many health workers have not been paid for over a year.

The organization estimated that 1.8 million children are acutely malnourished across the country, including nearly 400,000 severe acutely malnourished children fighting for their lives

UNICEF has confirmed that collapsing water and sanitation systems in Yemen have cut off 8.6 million children from regular access to safe water and sanitation, increasing the risk of diseases spreading

The United Nations concluded that as many as 250,000 people – more than 100,000 children – may lose everything, even their lives, if the current situation escalates