UNICEF welcomes Canada’s support for Yemen children and urges world leaders to do more

At least 11.3 million – 80 percent of all children in the country – need humanitarian assistance

TORONTO, 26 February 2019 – UNICEF Canada welcomes the Government of Canada’s announcement of new humanitarian funding of $46.7 million in response to the humanitarian needs of people in Yemen. This was announced earlier today at the Yemen Pledging Conference by the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development. 

“The lives of Yemeni children have been in peril and their basic needs, rights and protection have been grossly neglected. This announcement from Canada comes at a much needed time: the world must recognize the ongoing horrors and suffering of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” said UNICEF Canada President and CEO David Morley.

At least 11.3 million – 80 percent of all children in the country – need humanitarian assistance, while 1.8 million are acutely malnourished including nearly 360,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition. At least 2 million children are out of school and 8.1 million do not have access to safe water and sanitation services. Children continue to be killed or injured by the violence, recruited into armed groups or forced into child labour or early marriage. UNICEF requires US$542 million to continue funding and expand vital programmes that are keeping children alive.

Throughout 2019, UNICEF will continue its work in support of Yemeni children providing them with the support and services they need most, including healthcare and vaccines against diseases like cholera and measles, therapeutic food and medicines for severely malnourished children, emergency cash transfers for families on the brink, and transportation allowances to help families bring their sick children to medical centres. 

UNICEF’s response in 2018

In 2018, UNICEF worked with partners in Yemen to provide health and nutrition support, clean water and hygiene services to children and their families.  

• Over 229,000 children under the age of 5 with severe acute malnutrition were admitted to therapeutic care.
• Nearly 5 million people received access to safe drinking water. Additionally, over 5.5 million people living in high risk cholera areas had access to household level water treatment and disinfection. Clean water supplies are being established through the provision of electricity in communities. 
• More than 1,090,559 children under the age of 5 received primary health care, and nearly 4.2 million were vaccinated against polio. Specialized health services are being delivered for children with injuries and disabilities and to reach the most vulnerable. 
• Over 41,000 children were provided with basic learning supplies, and an estimated 157,000 children accessed education with UNICEF support. UNICEF is focused on preventing the education system from collapse and ensuring that infrastructure, learning materials and teachers are available to continue working with children.
• More than 625,000 children and caregivers have benefitted from psycho-social support to cope with the traumas they have been through and provide a sense of routine and normalcy when school is not an option.