In 2021, half of Yemen’s children under the age of five could suffer from malnutrition, a condition that occurs when someone does not eat properly and does not get all the nutrients required for a healthy body. The forecast, released in February, was made by four agencies that are part of the United Nations (UN).

According to the report, there has been a 16% increase in the number of children up to five years old who suffer from acute malnutrition (those who have been underweight for a certain time) in the country when compared to 2020. In addition, it is estimated that, as of last year, there has been a 22% growth in the number of children under five years old who suffer from severe acute malnutrition (an even more serious condition).

Some of the reasons for the famine in Yemen are extreme poverty and the war that started in 2014. In this scenario, people are having a hard time getting food, which could make the body more fragile and more prone to serious illnesses. At the same time, preventing and treating diseases in Yemen has become more difficult, since the health and sanitation systems are of poor quality and many of the hospitals have been destroyed by the war.

Why is Yemen at war?

Tensions began in 2011 when protesters forced President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. His deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, took over and had to address issues such as terrorist attacks, corruption, and hunger. Taking advantage of the tenuous situation, the Huti movement, which opposes the government, gained control of several regions in Yemen, including the capital, Sana’a.

That is how a war broke out between supporters of Hadi and defenders of the Huti movement. In 2015, conflicts intensified when Saudi Arabia and eight other Arab countries stepped in to help Hadi’s defenders. According to Saudi Arabia, the Hutis are allies of one of their greatest enemies, Iran. The Saudis fear that this group will control all of Yemen and thereby benefit the Iranians. Iran has denied that it is supporting this group.

To date, it is estimated that more than 200,000 people have died as a result of the war and that more than 3 million have left their homes in search of better conditions elsewhere.

Questions
1) How many people have left their homes in Yemen?
a) 200 thousand
b) two million
c) 300 thousand
d) three million

2) What do you think could be done to help children in Yemen?

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