Yemen - Emergency Water Hygiene Health and Nutrition Assistance - Save the Children 2019-2020

March 2019 - Yemen is currently the world’s largest humanitarian crisis with 24.1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including 14.3 million that require immediate life-saving assistance. The conflict and collapsing economy has pushed nearly 10 million people to the brink of famine and a total of 4.3 million people have been displaced over the last four years. Yemen is also facing one of the worst cholera epidemics in recorded history as well as a diphtheria outbreak the scale of which is compounded by the dire state of water sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and health services. Nearly half of the health facilities have been destroyed or are only partially functioning stocks of medical supplies are low and many health professionals are working for free or receiving substantially reduced wages. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the lack of access to essential services and face an increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence due to the crisis. With GAC’s support Save the Children Canada is providing emergency water sanitation and hygiene health and nutrition assistance to up to 156 957 conflict-affected people in Taiz one of the most affected governorates in Yemen located on the frontline of the conflict. Project activities include: (1) rehabilitating water and sanitation facilities; (2) screening and treatment of acute malnutrition cases; (3) providing sexual and reproductive health services; and (4) providing essential medicines.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced water sanitation and hygiene practices among vulnerable internally displaced populations and host community members; (2) improved nutritional status among children under five and pregnant and lactating women and girls; and (3) improved use of primary secondary and reproductive health care services by women men girls and boys. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are facing acute food insecurity.