RAHMA SHANZOOR

Yemen — The decline in humanitarian funding in Yemen is no longer reflected solely in budget figures and response plans; it has become a crisis affecting the daily lives of millions of Yemenis, foremost among them women and girls, who today face shrinking educational opportunities, declining health services, and reduced protection and economic empowerment programs, coinciding with a crippling economic crisis that pressures both families and civil society organizations alike.

For Sara Khalid (30 years old), from the city of Taiz in southwestern Yemen, the safe shelter where she worked was not merely a workplace but a space that gave women and girls survivors of violence a chance to survive and rebuild their lives. However, this shelter closed its doors due to funding shortages, causing her to lose both her job and her professional mission at the same time.

She says: "This place was not just a job for me; it was a space where I could serve my community and, at the same time, build a stable future for my family." She adds: "I am the main breadwinner for my family, and I felt proud because I was contributing to its stability and to protecting the women and girls who need support."

But with the cessation of funding, everything changed. "The impact was not limited to the financial side; I also lost my self-confidence, isolated myself from those around me, and the professional plans I had carefully built disappeared overnight. Instead of being a source of protection and support for women, I too became in need of support."

Sara Khalid's story represents one aspect of the repercussions of declining humanitarian funding in Yemen, which has led to the reduction and closure of many essential programs and services dedicated to protecting women and girls.

Women and Girls... The Most Affected

A report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) indicates that approximately 10.95 million women and girls are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 5.5 million women of reproductive age, and more than 765,000 pregnant women who require reproductive health and protection services.

More than 18 million people suffer from food insecurity, while only one in five health facilities provides maternal and newborn health services due to a lack of resources and capacity. Despite these growing needs, UNFPA has only been able to reach approximately 400,000 people with reproductive health, protection, and psychosocial support services since the beginning of 2026.

However, the continuation of these services is now threatened, as the fund has only received $12.8 million out of the $71.9 million it needs to implement its humanitarian plan for the current year—a funding gap of 82%, threatening the closure of more health facilities, safe spaces, and services dedicated to women and girls.

Girls Pay the Price

These indicators reflect the reality in which women in Yemen live, according to Alhan Al-Shaibani, a community activist and Executive Director of the Eram Foundation for Cultural and Media Development. She affirms that the decline in humanitarian funding has led to the reduction of protection, psychosocial support, and economic empowerment programs, and its impact has become evident in women's and girls' lives.

She says: "Educational and health programs that were a lifeline for thousands of women and girls have been halted, forcing many to drop out of school or seek arduous work to support their families." She adds that economic and psychological pressures have driven many girls into depression, with some cases leading to suicide, noting that the impact is more severe in rural areas.

She says: "Organizations used to support reproductive health programs, obstetric emergency care, vaccinations, and treatment of chronic diseases. Today, this support has significantly declined, and the head of the household now cuts from his daily sustenance to cover treatment and education costs." She affirms that the first result of this crisis has been rising school dropout rates among girls, as some are forced to leave education and work in firewood collection or agricultural labor to help their families.

Working Longer Hours

Alhan Al-Shaibani points out that women workers now bear double burdens due to declining job opportunities and support. She says: "Previously, we worked six to eight hours a day. Today, we are forced to work more than one job, sometimes from inside our homes, and for long hours just to meet our families' needs."

She adds that social customs limit women's ability to work at night, making it more difficult to improve their economic conditions. She affirms that the funding shortage has affected various sectors, foremost among them education and health. "Programs for reintegrating girls who have dropped out of school have significantly declined, while there are no longer sufficient programs to alleviate treatment costs for citizens."

She adds: "The health situation has deteriorated significantly, and many families have become unable to afford treatment costs after programs that provided free or subsidized services were halted."

The Economy Compounds the Crisis

On the economic front, Alhan Al-Shaibani believes that small business owners have suffered significant losses due to rising prices and currency exchange rate fluctuations. "Women used to buy goods at reasonable prices and generate income that helped their families. Today, prices have risen, purchasing power has declined, and continuing these projects has become more difficult."

She believes that these conditions have also affected society, contributing to increased rates of family breakdown and divorce, and pushing many families back into poverty and emergency after they had hoped to move toward recovery.

Civil Society Organizations... A Struggle for Survival

The impact of the crisis is not limited to beneficiaries but also extends to civil society organizations. Alhan Al-Shaibani reveals that her foundation implemented four projects during 2025, while it has only secured two projects during 2026, despite the year nearing its end.

She adds that many organizations have been forced to reduce their activities or close their doors, while others have changed their areas of work to align with donor priorities. She believes that weak oversight and the existence of inaccurate reports have contributed to declining donor confidence. "Some organizations submitted reports that did not reflect reality, which affected the reputation of the humanitarian sector and prompted some donors to reconsider their programs."

She emphasizes that restoring donor confidence requires strengthening transparency, oversight, selecting qualified personnel, and preparing professional reports based on genuine results.

Organizational Withdrawal... Double Loss

Regarding the withdrawal of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) from some activities in Yemen, she affirms that what the organization raises is based on its field experience, noting that there have been complaints from some beneficiaries regarding the level of services, in addition to administrative problems and changes in medical staff. She believes these factors may have contributed to the reduction of some programs, without asserting that they are the sole cause.

She also notes that Al-Muzaffar Hospital, through reproductive health programs, used to provide free services including natural and cesarean deliveries, in addition to distributing birth and hygiene kits, before these services declined with reduced funding. She affirms that the continued decline in funding will have serious consequences for women, especially with rising costs of surgeries and childbirth, increasing the health risks women face during pregnancy and delivery.

Between UN figures and the testimonies of women working in the humanitarian field, Yemeni women appear to be the biggest losers from the funding crisis, as the gap widens between growing needs and dwindling resources, threatening the loss of more services that have been a lifeline for millions of women and girls in Yemen.