UNICEF: Yemen conflict displaces tens of thousands of children, spikes malnutrition
UNICEF reported that approximately 71,000 children have been displaced in Yemen over the past three weeks due to escalating violence, mostly in the southwestern governorate of Taiz. Screening of nearly 2,900 children found more than a quarter acutely malnourished, with 200 in severe condition. The agency warns that 2.2 million children under five are projected to face acute malnutrition this year.
The recent surge in fighting has driven nearly 130,000 people from their homes, with children making up the majority. Most uprooted families originate from Taiz governorate. The Houthi advance has seized key coastal areas, including Mocha and the Red Sea coast, giving them control over the Bab al-Mandeb strait. This escalation follows a largely frozen 2022 truce.
UNICEF's mobile teams screened about 2,900 children, finding over a quarter acutely malnourished and 200 severe. The agency projects 2.2 million under-fives will face acute malnutrition this year. Verified child casualties include 15 killed and 14 injured since early September. Additionally, 243 schools have closed, affecting nearly 140,000 students, while some displaced families have fled across the Red Sea to Africa.
The escalating conflict could deepen Yemen's humanitarian catastrophe, leaving a generation of children permanently stunted and traumatized. Displacement may strain host communities and healthcare systems, while school closures could erode future human capital. The Houthi control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait may disrupt global shipping and regional economies, potentially drawing in more international actors. The verified child casualties and malnutrition rates may prompt increased donor attention, but without a political settlement, the cycle of violence and hunger could persist, affecting millions across the region.