Last week, the UN warned that the new humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, marked by acute food supply difficulties, has resulted in the nation's worst food security concern since 2022. Amid the ongoing humanitarian problem in Yemen, women and children are facing enormous difficulties in both the public and private spheres. They have been disproportionately affected by the prolonged civil war and subsequent refugee and displacement crisis in the country.
The ongoing war has not only deepened the existing gender inequalities but also created new challenges, including sexual violence, exploitation, child marriages, poor healthcare, and so on. However, the displacement, the rise of gender-based violence, and the collapse of socio-economic structures developed a dire set of unique problems for women.
In 2014, after the Houthis captured Sana’a by overthrowing the government, tension ensued and ended up in a civil war. The civil war shattered the existing infrastructure and economy, killing thousands and displacing millions. According to the UNHCR, this decades-long conflict triggered one of the world's largest displacement crises, estimated at up to 4.5 million internally displaced people. Of these total displacements, 80 percent are women and children.
Even so, these forceful migrations increase the vulnerability of the women from the moment they leave their homes. These displaced women and girls continually lose their conventional support networks and are forced to stay in overcrowded shelters or camps with minimal to zero security. These issues make them the primary targets for a wide range of abuses.
Women also face serious risks of sexual violence, exploitation, and domestic abuse due to the breakdown of law and order and limitations in humanitarian services. In some cases, the struggle for survival pushes many to take desperate actions, where to secure food, water, or shelter for their families, they engage in transactional sex or exploitative labour. The lack of privacy and proper sanitation at shelters also makes them vulnerable to personal attacks and harassment.
Furthermore, a considerable number of displaced households are now female-headed, due to multiple reasons, which include the death, disappearance, or incapacitation of immediate male relatives. This puts the burden of providing for the entire family onto women, with the lack of resources, legal rights, and social mobility to do so effectively.
The ongoing conflict has seriously eroded women’s rights due to the rise of more conservative and restrictive ideologies in many areas, particularly in Houthi-controlled regions. An example of one such instance is the enforcement of the mahram system, whereby women cannot travel without their male guardian's permission or accompaniment. These restrictions have had catastrophic consequences for women’s autonomy and their ability to access essential services and opportunities.
Consequently, the restrictions imposed by the state have hindered them from seeking humanitarian aid, accessing healthcare, and pursuing livelihoods. Single-woman households are often barred from traveling, even to aid distribution centres, making it hard for them to access food, medicine, and other essential supplies. The restriction restrains them from accessing local clinics and hospitals, which is especially detrimental for pregnant women and others needing immediate medical attention. According to the New York-based Human Rights Watch, Yemen has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world. In recent years, the rate of child and forced marriages has spiked. Due to the prolonged economic conditions, families mostly marry off the female (below 18) to reduce the burden.
The conflict has also decimated Yemen’s healthcare system, education, and economic infrastructure, where women were the primary victims. Firstly, half of Yemen’s healthcare infrastructure is either non-functional or partially functional, creating a wide gap in maternal care, leading to deaths during childbirth from preventable causes every two hours. Cholera is prominent in the Yemeni streets, with a lack of clean water and poor sanitation disproportionately affecting women and children. Malnutrition is another commonly seen factor among breastfeeding women and newborn children due to starvation, because many households cannot afford simple meals. According to UNICEF, one in two children under age five is severely malnourished.
Secondly, the economic collapse resulted in widespread unemployment and soaring food prices. While this affects the entire population, many women who have started leading the household or become the sole family breadwinners after the conflict are particularly vulnerable. Many pre-war self-employed women have lost their livelihood without a secure source of income. Many adopted harmful coping mechanisms, including forced marriages and begging.
Despite difficulties, Yemeni women emerged as incredible agents of resilience and resistance by taking new roles as community leaders, humanitarian workers, and peacebuilders to support their families. They also formed local initiatives to supply food and water, organised support groups for other displaced women, and advocated for their rights at regional and international levels.
Meanwhile, the international humanitarian response failed to adequately recognise and support the dual role of the Yemeni women many times. For instance, aid programs are sometimes designated without considering the specific needs and mobility restrictions of women, which adds to their challenges. The suffering of Yemeni women in the ongoing crisis is exceptional. It is not merely a consequence of a war but a result of how the conflict has intersected with deeply entrenched gender inequalities.
The author is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.