A report released on Sunday by the UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Technical Group, focusing on government-controlled areas in Yemen, highlighted that the most severe cases are emerging along the Red Sea coast in the war-torn nation.
Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arabian Peninsula, has been devastated by years of conflict between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
This prolonged conflict has led to economic collapse and triggered one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
The IPC report indicated that malnutrition rates have dramatically worsened due to multiple factors, including the spread of diseases such as cholera and measles, inadequate access to nutritious food, scarcity of clean drinking water, and an overall economic decline.
The number of acutely malnourished children has surged by 34 percent compared to last year, with over 18,500 children under five expected to be severely malnourished by the end of this year. Additionally, about 223,000 pregnant and lactating women are predicted to suffer from malnutrition in 2024.
All 117 districts under government control are anticipated to face "serious" levels of acute malnutrition. Among these, four districts — Mawza and al-Makha in Taiz province, and Hays and Khawkhah in Hodeidah province — are projected to reach famine conditions between July and October this year.
Famine is declared when one in five people or households face extreme food shortages, leading to critical malnutrition and a significant risk of death.
The IPC, a coalition of 15 UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, has stressed the urgent need for increased support and intervention to address this crisis.
"These findings are a stark reminder that lives are on the line," stated Pierre Honnorat, the World Food Programme director in Yemen. "It is essential to boost support for the most vulnerable, who could fall deeper into food insecurity and malnutrition if the current low levels of humanitarian funding continue."
The report does not detail recent deaths from severe hunger or the situation in areas controlled by the Houthis. Recently, the rebels have intensified their crackdown on UN agencies and aid groups, detaining dozens of workers.
Approximately half of Yemen's population — around 18.2 million people — require humanitarian assistance this year, according to the UN.
The Houthi forces control most of Yemen's major urban centers, including the capital, Sanaa, while the Saudi-backed government operates from Aden in the south.
The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa. The Houthis claim they are fighting against corruption and foreign intervention.
The conflict has resulted in over 150,000 deaths and has created one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, with tens of thousands more lives lost due to the crisis.
