In the heart of Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate, Abs District stands as a stark testament to human suffering, with significant reductions in humanitarian aid deepening an already dire crisis, according to a recent report by the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA)
The report added that Tens of thousands of people have sought refuge in Abs, fleeing conflict in Haradh and northern Hajjah, and it is now home to Yemen’s second-largest internally displaced population. A staggering 80 percent of those displaced are women and children, facing immense daily hardships and heightened risks.
The situation in Abs is grim, marked by a convergence of overlapping crises. Hunger is extreme with over 41,000 people on the brink of famine and nearly a quarter of women suffering from acute malnutrition. In displacement camps in the district, children are dying of starvation.
Desperate families are forced to make unimaginable choices: early marriage for daughters, child labour, and selling off all long-term assets–livestock, tools, agricultural land–just to survive another day. The crisis is fueled by the suspension of food assistance and severe land degradation across the district due to climate shocks.
The healthcare system in Abs is on the verge of collapse, operating at only 25 percent of its capacity. Mobile clinics are often the sole source of care, leaving many pregnant women to give birth alone without medical assistance.
In displacement sites like Al-Maharabah, on the outskirts of Abs, there isn't a single permanent health facility.
Dire living conditions have fueled an increase in gender-based violence, exploitation, and abuse. Shelters in the more than 140 informal settlements around Abs are frequently makeshift, flimsy, and overcrowded. A critical lack of lighting, privacy, and adequate latrines further compounds the risks for women and girls.
While the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), currently supported by European Union Humanitarian Aid, has provided emergency food and hygiene supplies to displaced families in Abs–assisting 2,000 of a planned 4,000 families– this is a fraction of the urgent need. Since March 2025, over 220,000 displaced people have lost access to life-saving emergency relief due to severe funding cuts.
UNFPA calls on donors and partners to immediately scale up support. It is critical that displaced women and girls in Abs receive the essential healthcare and protection they so desperately need and deserve.