Yemen is still doing its impression of a humanitarian catastrophe, with 22 million of its 35 million residents needing assistance. Women and girls make up half of that number, and two-thirds of them are of childbearing age - because nothing says “emergency” quite like reproductive health being at the center of a crisis.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is working across the country to meet urgent reproductive needs, warning that a trifecta of malnutrition, limited healthcare, and rising protection risks is putting lives in jeopardy. “Unfortunately, malnutrition is on the rise,” says Francesco Galtieri, UNFPA’s senior official in Yemen, in what might be the understatement of the year.
For pregnant women, the consequences are especially severe: when they lack adequate nutrition, their babies’ development and health take a hit. Healthcare access, particularly in rural and remote areas, is another critical challenge. Yemen already holds the dubious honor of the highest maternal mortality rate in the Arab region, with three women dying every day from pregnancy complications or during childbirth. About two-thirds of these deaths could be prevented with access to a midwife or doctor - which is to say, the bar is not high.
Beyond health, protection from violence is a pressing concern. Conflict and economic hardship have turned women and girls into the default punching bags, both literally and figuratively. UNFPA-supported safe spaces offer refuge, psychosocial support, vocational training, and economic empowerment initiatives - basically, a full-service recovery package. The agency also provides legal assistance for those brave enough to seek justice through Yemen’s legal system, which is about as welcoming as a minefield.
Despite these achievements, funding cuts are putting programs under severe strain. Galtieri told UN News that roughly 40 percent of UNFPA’s humanitarian funding was cut last year, forcing the agency to suspend or halt support for about one-third of its services. In a country with high maternal mortality, reduced services mean a woman experiencing complications may be unable to access lifesaving care, often resulting in the death of both mother and child. Protection services have also been affected: this year, UNFPA-supported shelters have been unable to accept new survivors of gender-based violence, and the cuts can lead to lasting effects on children affected by malnutrition and trauma.
Galtieri is currently in New York attending meetings of UNFPA’s Executive Board, where representatives from conflict-affected areas are engaging with Member States. Discussions have highlighted renewed debate around sexual and reproductive health and rights - an issue he says has not been under such scrutiny in decades. “I always wonder why, when a society enters into a phase of tension and confrontation, women and girls become the focus of that political confrontation,” he says.
Appealing directly to decision-makers, Galtieri urges greater investment in essential services like midwifery, arguing that prioritizing lifesaving care over other expenditures should not be controversial. Funding decisions often favor other priorities, despite the clear human cost. In Yemen, he warns, that cost is measured in the lives of women and girls who might otherwise have survived.