The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Thursday that 80% of Yemen’s displaced population is enduring harsh living conditions, making Yemen one of the largest displacement crises globally.
According to the IOM, over 4.5 million people in Yemen are currently displaced. The statement emphasized that women and children make up about 80% of this population, living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to basic services and diminishing livelihoods.
The IOM also highlighted the lack of safe community spaces, which exacerbates the challenges faced by these displaced individuals, leaving many isolated and vulnerable.
In response to these conditions, the IOM recently established a new women’s center in Dhi As-Sufal District, Ibb Governorate, as part of a broader initiative to create safe spaces across Yemen.
This center aims to address the urgent needs of displaced communities severely affected by ongoing conflict and instability.
The new facility will serve as a hub for women’s engagement, social activities, and access to essential services, providing a safe haven and support system for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
The IOM currently operates 23 community centers, including women-specific spaces, in the governorates of Ibb, Taiz, Marib, and the western coast, benefiting over 66,000 people.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced the distribution of emergency food aid to more than 115,000 people in areas suffering from high levels of malnutrition in western Yemen. The WFP prioritized children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers in these distributions.
This assistance is being provided in the government-controlled regions of Hodeidah and Taiz, where conflict and displacement have driven malnutrition to alarming levels.
The announcement comes just days after the UN reported a 34% increase in acute malnutrition in Yemen this year compared to last year.
Hodeidah and Taiz, both densely populated, are among the worst-hit areas in Yemen, grappling with severe malnutrition and extreme poverty, according to UN reports.
