Rapidly escalating hostilities along Yemen’s western coast and the southern Taiz frontlines have continued since early September, resulting in the displacement of more than 145,000 people, with numbers doubling over the past two weeks.
Displaced women and girls are among the most vulnerable and face serious health and protection risks. UNFPA estimates that approximately 35,000 women of childbearing age and more than 3,200 pregnant women are among those displaced. UNFPA partners have reported several instances of pregnant women giving birth on the roadside while fleeing hostilities, without skilled assistance and amid life-threatening delays in reaching comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care.
The intensifying violence has disrupted reproductive health services in affected governorates. Nine health facilities have reportedly been destroyed or rendered non-functional, while eight have suspended services. The reduced access to antenatal care and safe delivery services is increasing the risks of miscarriage, premature and obstructed labour, and hypertensive complications for pregnant women.
Repeated displacement is also increasing the exposure of women and girls to gender-based violence. Whilst three UNFPA-supported women and girls’ shelters remain operational, other UNFPA-supported gender-based violence services are being disrupted by intensifying hostilities along the West Coast. Women and girls’ safe spaces in Al Mukha, Hays and Al Khukhah remained closed, and the displacement of over 20 key technical and service-delivery personnel due to ongoing hostilities is further affecting service continuity.
UNFPA continues to lead the coordination of reproductive health and women’s protection services within the humanitarian response. The UNFPA-led UN Inter-Agency Rapid Response Mechanism remains a first-line humanitarian response, delivering emergency relief to nearly 92,000 individuals as of 28 September.
However, funding constraints are severely limiting UNFPA’s ability to respond. UNFPA requires US$22.7 million to support its humanitarian response in Yemen through December 2026, yet only 6 per cent of the required funding has been received to date.
