The United Nations agency supporting women and girls on the ground (UNFPA) is working across the country to address urgent reproductive needs. It warns that a combination of malnutrition, limited health care and growing protection risks is putting lives at risk.
“Malnutrition is on the rise”
One of the most immediate concerns is food insecurity. “Unfortunately, malnutrition is on the rise,” says Francesco Galtieri, the agency’s senior official in Yemen.
The consequences are particularly serious for pregnant women: when they are not adequately nourished during pregnancy, the risks to the development and health of their baby increase considerably.
Access to health care, particularly in rural and remote areas, is another crucial challenge.
The country has the highest maternal mortality rate in the Arab region, and three women die every day due to complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. About two-thirds of these deaths could be avoided if people had access to a midwife or doctor.
Beyond health, protection against violence is an urgent concern. Conflict and economic hardship increase risks for women and girls, who are often the first victims.
Budget cuts lead to death
UNFPA-supported safe spaces offer women shelter and a path to recovery, providing psychosocial support, job training and economic empowerment initiatives designed to help survivors rebuild their lives.
The agency also provides legal assistance to those seeking justice from the Yemeni justice system.
Despite these achievements, funding reductions are straining programs. Mr. Galtieri said PK Press Club that About 40 percent of UNFPA’s humanitarian funding was cut last year, forcing the agency to suspend or discontinue support for about a third of its services..
In a country where maternal mortality is high, the reduction in services means that a woman facing complications may be unable to access life-saving care, often resulting in the death of both mother and child.
Protective services have also been affected. This year, UNFPA-supported shelters have been unable to accommodate new survivors of gender-based violence, and budget cuts may have lasting effects on children affected by malnutrition and trauma.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided Al-Thawra Hospital in Hudaydah, Yemen, with 30 medical beds, 5 radiant heaters for infants and 1 trauma kit.
A healthy debate?
Mr. Galtieri is currently in New York to attend meetings of the UNFPA Executive Board, where representatives from conflict-affected areas engage with Member States.
The discussions highlighted a new debate over sexual and reproductive health and rights, an issue he said has not received such scrutiny in decades.
“I always wonder why, when a society enters a phase of tension and confrontation, women and girls become the center of this political confrontation,” he says.
Speaking directly to policymakers, Mr Galtieri calls for more investment in essential services such as midwifery care.saying that prioritizing life-saving care over other expenses should not be controversial.
Funding decisions often prioritize other priorities, despite the obvious human cost. In Yemen, he warns, this cost is measured in terms of the lives of women and girls who might otherwise have survived.
