On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis wanted to draw attention to the situation in Yemen, because it's so rarely talked about, and because the humanitarian crisis there is easily as bad as in Syria.
POPE FRANCIS
May Christ our peace finally bring an end to the clash of arms in beloved and war-torn Syria, where millions of people are presently living in inhumane conditions; and in Yemen as well, where the situation has met with a deafening and scandalous silence.
The Pope's concern is echoed by UN experts like David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, who stresses the urgency of the situation.
DAVID BEASLEY
Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)
“The situation in Yemen is catastrophic. It is the worst humanitarian crisis on Earth, with 16 million people literally in crisis emergency mode, and five million that truly are knocking on the door of famine.”
According to the United Nations, over half those affected by the crisis are women and girls, while more than a million pregnant women risk acute malnutrition.
Natalia Kanem is Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund. She says the world community needs to intervene immediately.
NATALIA KANEM
Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
“The realities and consequences of inaction in Yemen have never been as stark. The coming famine portends further calamity. And therefore, the world must act—we need to act now.”
The spread of Covid-19 in Yemen is making the situation even worse, with some of the highest numbers of cases being reported since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, the United Nations, and other humanitarian organizations, continue their desperate search for funding in order to guarantee basic aid to those affected.
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UNIFEED
