Women and girls caught up in the ‘forgotten crisis’ in Yemen are bearing the brunt of reduced funding

UN agency that supports women and girls in the field (UNFPA) is working across the country to meet urgent reproductive needs. The report warns that the combination of malnutrition, limited health services and increased risk of protection will endanger lives.

‘Malnutrition is on the rise’

One of the most pressing concerns is food insecurity. “Sadly, malnutrition is on the rise,” said Francesco Galtieri, the agency’s senior official in Yemen.

The consequences are dire for pregnant women – when they lack nutrition during pregnancy, the risks to their baby’s development and health increase significantly.

Access to health services, especially in rural and remote areas, is another important challenge.

This country has the highest maternal mortality rate in the Arab region, and three women die every day due to complications from pregnancy or during childbirth. About two-thirds of these deaths could have been prevented if they had access to a midwife or doctor.

Apart from health, protection from violence is an urgent issue. Conflict and economic hardship have increased risks for women and girls, who often bear the greatest burden.

Funding cuts result in deaths

UNFPA-supported safe spaces offer women protection and a path to recovery, providing psychosocial support, vocational training and economic empowerment initiatives designed to help survivors rebuild their lives.

The agency also provides legal assistance to those seeking justice through the Yemeni legal system.

Despite these achievements, funding cuts put these programs under severe strain. Mr. Galtieri said UN News That about 40 percent of UNFPA’s humanitarian funding was cut last year, forcing the agency to suspend or stop support for about a third of its services.

In a country with a high maternal mortality rate, reduced services mean a woman experiences complications may be unable to access life-saving services, which often results in the death of the mother and child.

Protective services have also been impacted. This year, UNFPA-supported shelters were unable to accept new survivors of gender-based violence, and the cuts could have long-term impacts on children affected by malnutrition and trauma.

Healthy debate?

Galtieri is currently in New York to attend a meeting of the UNFPA Executive Council, where representatives from conflict-affected regions interact with member countries.

The discussions highlighted new debates around sexual and reproductive health and rights, an issue he said had not been in the spotlight for decades.

“I always wonder why, when a society enters a phase of tension and confrontation, women and girls become the focus of that political confrontation,” he said.

Appealing directly to decision makers, Mr Galtieri urged greater investment in essential services such as midwiferyarguing that prioritizing life-saving care over other expenses should not be controversial.

Funding decisions often favor other priorities, despite the obvious cost to human capital. In Yemen, he warned, the loss is measured in the lives of women and girls who might otherwise survive.