Crisis overview
A convergence of conflict, economic decline, and climate shocks, compounded by shrinking operational space in parts of the country and funding shortfalls, continues to exacerbate humanitarian needs. In 2026, 23.1 million people, nearly 65.4 per cent of the population, will need lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection services to meet their basic needs and safeguard their well-being.
Yemen’s economy remains extremely fragile. After reaching a historic low in mid-2025, the Yemeni Rial strengthened and stabilized following government interventions, but high prices and inflation continue to erode purchasing power. In areas under de facto authorities, damage to Red Sea ports, sanctions and import restrictions have disrupted markets and driven shortages of food, fuel and electricity.
Hunger and malnutrition remain at alarming levels. More than 18 million people are facing acute food insecurity, including 5.8 million enduring emergency levels of hunger, and 40,000 people are expected to face catastrophic food insecurity conditions. For countless parents, skipping meals so their children can eat has become a daily reality. Yemen’s nutrition crisis is now among the worst, with 2.5 million children under five and 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women acutely malnourished, while nearly half of all children under 5 are stunted. With over 3,000 nutrition sites closed, and vital supplies set to run out by early 2026, the lives of hundreds of thousands of children are threatened.
Aden, Yemen
A displaced woman with her child outside her tent in Ash-Shab IDP site.
UNOCHA/Ahmed Haleem for YPNProtection risks are escalating as resilience collapses. Over 16 million people require protection assistance, of which 4.7 million are internally displaced. Women and girls face heightened risks of violence, with nearly one million now cut off from safe spaces and psychosocial support following the suspension of gender-based programmes. Landmines and explosive remnants of war continue to endanger lives. In addition, an estimated 329,000 migrants, 58,000 refugees and asylum seekers are in urgent need of life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection support.
The provision of essential services has been declining rapidly since February 2025, due to defunding and the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation, resulting in some key partners withdrawing from DFA-controlled areas. The health system is at risk of entirely collapsing with further reduction of financing in those areas. Hundreds of health facilities have closed, leaving an estimated 8.41 million people with restricted access to even basic care, and the situation will further worsen.
Water-borne disease outbreaks are resurging amid widespread water contamination and failing sanitation systems. About 2.6 million children remain out of class, while teachers continue to work without pay.
The climate crisis, already dire, is worsening. Floods, weather events and droughts affected 1.5 million people in 2025, washing away homes, livestock, and livelihoods. Yemen, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, has almost no capacity to withstand yet another shock.
The availability of new baseline population data has enabled the review and adjustment of the people in need data and an update of the severity analysis, ensuring that the HNRP reflects current population dynamics and humanitarian needs.
Response priorities and financial requirements for 2026
Against a backdrop of rising needs and growing access constraints, Yemen’s humanitarian response will strictly focus on saving lives and protecting dignity for those most in need. Guided by the IASC Humanitarian Reset, the HCT has therefore placed the most affected people at the centre of their work, carrying their voices, prioritizing the most lifesaving and time-critical interventions while promoting integration, inclusion, and locally led action.
Humanitarian efforts will aim to prevent famine, treat and reduce malnutrition, and contain disease outbreaks, especially in hard-to-reach and underserved areas, where needs are most acute. Partners will work toward integrated, area-based approaches that connect sectors, minimise duplication, avoid isolated interventions, and deliver more coherent and protective assistance to communities on the edge of survival.
Ad Dale', Yemen
Eyad is one of many beneficiaries supported with food assistance through a partnership between the World Food Programme (WFP) and King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief).
WFP/Mohammed FadhelBuilding on the momentum of 2025, the humanitarian community will continue to shift power and resources to local and national actors. Local NGOs, women’s groups, and community-based organizations will take on greater leadership and implementation roles.
The Yemen Humanitarian Fund will sustain its strong support for local partners, linked with equitable partnerships and shared capacity building to strengthen the overall response architecture.
The 2026 response will be grounded in inclusion, accountability, and protection. Humanitarian action will ensure that women, men, boys, and girls, as well as people with disabilities, migrants, refugees, and marginalised groups, are not only reached but heard, with their voices shaping priorities and decisions that affect their lives.
Yemen
2025 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction
Response highlights
People reached
In 2025, humanitarian partners reached an average of 5.3 million people per month with life-saving assistance.
People prioritized
The HCT led a hyper-prioritization exercise to identify the most urgent, life-saving interventions. This ensured that available resources were channeled toward communities facing the highest severity levels.
Food security
Food security partners managed to reach 6.5 million people with emergency food assistance; averting further deterioration in food consumption and malnutrition in hardest-hit areas.
Nutrition
Nutrition partners reached 6 million people, including children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women, with treatment and preventive nutrition services.
Health
Health cluster partners have reached nearly 4.04 million people, including most vulnerable communities, with lifesaving primary and secondary healthcare services.
WASH
WASH partners continued to implement sustainable water management solutions, providing safe water to nearly 2.5 million people in host communities and displacement sites.
Multipurpose Cash Assistance
By August 2025, cash assistance reached 323,732 people nationwide, helping vulnerable households meet urgent needs with dignity, amid deepening economic hardship.
Localization
By mid-2025, 59% of YHF funding went to national and local NGOs (up from 44% in 2023), advancing a locally led humanitarian response.
Taiz, Yemen
Distribution of non-food items with support from the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF).
DEEMConsequences of funding cuts
Yemen is nearing a humanitarian breaking point. Without urgent action to stabilize food security and nutrition services, the hunger crisis will worsen. Already, 18.1 million people face acute food insecurity, including 1.6 million in emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4) and 41,000 at catastrophic levels (IPC Phase 5). Without support, famine will spread, while 2.5 million children under five risk acute malnutrition—600,000 of them severely malnourished, a life-threatening condition with mortality rates 11 times higher than among healthy children.
Health, WASH, Shelter, and Protection services are shrinking as essential systems collapse. Hundreds of health facilities have closed, leaving 8.41 million people with limited access to basic care. Water and sanitation will deteriorate for over 15 million people already water insecure. With 17.4 million lacking adequate sanitation and hygiene, preventable waterborne diseases will surge. At the same time, 2 million vulnerable people will remain without life-saving assistance, while 6.1 million need care and protection services and nearly 380,000 require urgent, specialized interventions. Meanwhile, 6.2 million people need GBV services as women and girls—especially among displaced and marginalized communities—face escalating risks of gender-based violence.
Aden, Yemen
Seven months pregnant, Um Haitham walks a long distance through a displacement site to fetch water for her family.
UNFPA/Shamikh GhanemAround 1.1 million displaced people will face a sharp deterioration in their already precarious living conditions if urgent shelter and non-food items’ support is not sustained.
The future resilience of Yemen will be eroded if funding for education continues to decline. Almost 4.4 million girls, particularly those from the marginalized Muhamasheen communities and displaced families, face daily barriers to accessing safe and quality education.
Around 120,000 newly displaced people affected by conflict and climate-related disasters will be affected if funding for immediate lifesaving assistance is not received.
References
- The Government of Yemen (GOY) controlled areas experienced a historic low of YER 2879/USD in July 2025. A policy-driven appreciation in August 2025 placed the exchange rate at YER 1618/USD providing some respite with a decline in food and fuel prices.