The United Nations has warned of an unprecedented rise in humanitarian needs in Yemen during the coming year, saying the country is heading towards one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world unless urgent funding for a response plan is provided.
Latest data showed that in 2026, 23.1 million people, nearly 65.4 percent of the population, will need lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection services to meet their basic needs and safeguard their well-being.
So, the UN launched an urgent appeal to fund the 2026 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, requesting the international community to raise $2.5 billion to confront the humanitarian crisis that is escalating in complexity and severity.
The plan aims to provide support to more than 10.5 million people in desperate need, with a special focus on life-saving interventions and combating hunger and malnutrition in the most deprived areas.
Yet the plan did not clarify how programs will be implemented in areas under Houthi control, which are witnessing increasing restrictions after the group closed offices belonging to the United Nations and international organizations since last September, and arrested dozens of their staff, including 59 UN employees.
The UN said that 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.
Already, 18.1 million people face acute food insecurity, while 2.5 million children under five risk acute malnutrition, and 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Amid the massive collapse of basic systems, 8.41 million people lack access to healthcare, while 15 million suffer from water insecurity. With 17.4 million lacking adequate sanitation and hygiene, preventable waterborne diseases will surge, the UN warned.
Protection risks are escalating as resilience collapses, it said. Over 16 million people require protection assistance, of which 4.7 million are internally displaced.
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.
About 2.6 million children remain out of class, while teachers continue to work without pay, while floods, weather events and droughts affected 1.5 million people in 2025.
The UN on Tuesday condemned a referral by the Houthis of some of the dozens of UN staff they have detained to a special criminal court.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the Houthis have arbitrarily detained 59 Yemeni UN personnel, who have been held “incommunicado - some for years - without any due process, in violation of international law,” according to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
“We call on the de facto authorities to rescind the referral and work in good faith toward the immediate release of all detained personnel,” Dujarric said.
“The United Nations remains committed to supporting the people of Yemen and delivering principled humanitarian assistance,” he added.
