Published on: 2026-09-14
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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September 14, 2026 Healthcare
Fatima was 13 years old when she was married off to a man much older than her. Two years later, she gave birth to twin daughters.
“I dreamed of going to school like other girls,” she said. “But instead, I became a wife without having lived my childhood, and a mother without truly understanding what that means.”
For some time, family life was quite stable. However, soon Yemen was engulfed by war: clinics and hospitals were closing, and the already fragile economy was completely destroyed. Poverty and hunger became an everyday reality for many families in the country.
“We are observing a noticeable increase in the number of malnutrition cases among pregnant girls, especially those who were married at an early age,” says Riham Hazbar, a psychosocial support consultant at the women’s protection center in Hodeidah, operating with the assistance of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
“Girls are admitted to medical institutions with weight deficiency, anemia, and severe exhaustion. Their bodies are often not ready for the stresses associated with pregnancy,” he adds.
The most severe humanitarian crisis
Yemen is experiencing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. This year, more than 22 million people are in urgent need of assistance, over half of whom are women and girls. At the same time, less than two-thirds of medical facilities in the country are operational, and only one in five of those provides care to mothers.
According to UNFPA estimates, 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in Yemen suffer from malnutrition. One hundred thousand of them have been forced to leave their homes, which further increases the risks associated with childbirth.
“Many women cannot afford transportation to medical facilities or to purchase the prescribed medicines and nutritional supplements,” says Amira, a healthcare worker in Abyan province. “Some girls also face social restrictions that prevent them from seeking medical help in a timely manner. In addition, several areas lack medical personnel and properly equipped facilities.”
An organism not ready for pregnancy
Fatima’s family repeatedly fled from violence. One night, the camp where they had found shelter was struck by a flood, during which Fatima’s husband was injured. Due to his injuries, he can no longer work. Caring for him and their two little daughters has fallen entirely on the woman, who herself was suffering from exhaustion and anemia while carrying her third child.
“I was more afraid for my child than for myself,” she recalls.
“Pregnant women often seek medical centers at late stages or only after serious complications have arisen, which could have been avoided with timely care,” Amira noted.
Every third girl gets married before reaching adulthood
Less than half of women in Yemen give birth in medical facilities, and nearly 30 percent do not receive prenatal care.
Yemen has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the region. Girls often need permission from their husband or another family member even to seek medical care. Many of them simply do not know why they need to undergo regular check-ups.
© UNFPA Less than half of women in Yemen give birth in medical facilities, and nearly 30 percent do not receive prenatal care.
Almost a third of Yemeni girls marry before reaching adulthood, and among displaced families, this figure is even higher. At the same time, more than half of the country’s population faces food shortages. Severe anemia and vitamin deficiencies among women and girls increase the likelihood that children will be born with low birth weight and will be especially vulnerable to diseases.
“Despite weakness and malnutrition, women continue to perform hard work both at home and beyond: working on farms, carrying water, and gathering firewood,” says Amira. “All of this increases health risks for both the mother and the child.”
“Young age can lead to additional complications during childbirth,” Amira noted. “If the patient requires specialized care, she is immediately referred to a hospital capable of handling high-risk births.”
Interrupted childhood
In the village of Al-Mahrak in Abyan province, 19-year-old Donia Adel is expecting her second child. She already has a two-year-old daughter.
As a child, Donia loved going to school and dreamed of becoming a teacher. However, at some point, the family’s financial situation worsened, and Donia could not continue her studies. “I watched other children grow up in stable families while I tried to adjust to a new life without stability,” she recalls. “Sometimes I felt like a burden to those around me.”
About 1.5 million girls in Yemen do not attend school. Donia was married off at the age of 15. “I still thought like a child and dreamed like any other girl,” she said. “But it seemed to me that my choices were extremely limited.”
Upon learning about the pregnancy, she experienced mixed feelings. “I felt joy and fear at the same time. How could I become a mother to a child when I myself was still a child and so in need of care and love?”
Choosing between food and medicine
This pregnancy is difficult, says Donia. Due to lack of proper nutrition, she feels weak and exhausted, but above all, she tries to feed her daughter. “Sometimes I go to bed hungry and think about what I will feed her the next day,” she said.
She managed to see a midwife and doctor several times, but due to lack of money and long distances, she seeks help only when it becomes unbearable. “Reaching the medical center, I felt relief: finally, someone cared about my health and my child’s condition,” she says. “But at the same time, I became sad when I learned what products and medicines I needed, realizing that I might not be able to afford them. Sometimes I returned home only with prescriptions from the doctor, not with an actual solution to my problem.”
UNFPA Support
Both women received support at specialized centers operating with the assistance of UNFPA. Fatima was provided psychological support and a referral to a doctor. She now attends literacy classes organized by the Yemeni Women’s Union.
Donia also attends such classes, firmly determined to get the education she was deprived of.
“If circumstances were different, I would have continued my studies, fulfilled my dream of becoming a teacher, and would have been able to provide a better life for my children and family,” she said.
* The names of the women have been changed to ensure their safety and privacy.
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