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Save the Children in Yemen

Save the Children has been working in Yemen since 1963, focusing on improving children's education, health, and protection. Amid the ongoing conflict since 2015, the organization has significantly expanded its humanitarian efforts, reaching over 6 million children with life-saving support. Operating across 11 governorates, Save the Children addresses critical needs in health, nutrition, education, protection, food security, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Its initiatives include running mobile health clinics, rehabilitating schools, providing psychosocial support, and delivering cash assistance to families. Despite immense challenges, including funding shortfalls, restricted humanitarian access, and a collapsing infrastructure, Save the Children continues to advocate for children's rights and provide essential services, ensuring the most vulnerable in Yemen are protected and supported.

The situation for children in Yemen

Nearly a decade of conflict has plunged Yemen into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with 19.5 million people, including 17.1 million women and children, in need of assistance in 2025. Food insecurity affects over 17 million people—nearly half the population—with 5 million facing emergency levels and 55% of children under five suffering from chronic malnutrition. The education crisis has left 3.2 million children out of school, while 4.8 million people are internally displaced, making Yemen the fifth-largest displacement crisis globally. Yemen’s collapsing health system, with only 40% of facilities operational, has fueled disease outbreaks like cholera and acute watery diarrhea, leaving 15 million without adequate water. Over 5 million people live with disabilities, including 21% of children aged 5–17, and 40% of displacement sites are at risk of fire or flooding due to Yemen’s climate vulnerability. Economic collapse has pushed food, fuel, and basic goods beyond reach for much of the population, with 80% living in multidimensional poverty. Despite these escalating challenges, only $1.4 billion of the $2.71 billion needed for the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan has been funded, leaving critical gaps in food security, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. Urgent international action is required to address these growing needs and safeguard the future of Yemen’s children and families.

Our impact for children in Yemen Since 2015

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6,500,000

 Children Reached

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11,250,000

 People Reached

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1,300,000

 People Reached in 2024

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11

Different Governorate

Children in Yemen paint a flower mural on the walls of a destroyed school as part of the Flowers for Children campaign

News & Stories

12 Oct 2024

Principals of Affected United Nations entities and International Non-Governmental Organizations renew their call for the immediate release of detained personnel

We are extremely concerned about the reported referral to “criminal prosecution” by the Houthi de facto authorities of a significant number of arbitrarily detained colleagues.

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7 Aug 2024

YEMEN: TWO MONTHS ON, HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACCESS AND RELEASE OF DETAINED COLLEAGUES

Below is a joint statement from Save the Children, Oxfam and CARE International on our colleagues detained in Yemen for two months now. 

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7 Jul 2024

YEMEN: HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF PERSONNEL DETAINED FOR ONE MONTH IN YEMEN

INGOs have reiterated their concerns about the detention of about 18 members of UN entities and INGOs

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Solar water project in Taiz