ON APRIL 9, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it will reduce its international aid contribution by 50% to Yemen. Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis that threatens Yemen’s population and puts nearly 14 million people at risk of starvation according to the United Nations, the COVID-19 pandemic will disproportionately impact the status on womxn in an already conflict ridden country. 

In addition to the estimated 3M womxn at risk of gender-based violence (GBV) in 2018, the UNFPA Humanitarian Response Report estimated that rising food shortages left an estimated 1.1 million pregnant womxn malnourished. The reduction in WFP aid will increase the already estimated 12 million Yemenis in need each month that the WPF feeds, increasing the risk towards malnourished womxn and children.

Schoolgirls in Yemen enjoy WFP provided meals. Image courtesy of WFP/Mohammed Nasher

The crisis calls into question the shifting roles that womxn will take on to tackle food insecurity as international organizations become strained. What additional burdens will this place on womxn already experiencing violence? My prediction is that more womxn will step into roles of political leadership, peacemaking, and environmentalism with the rise of COVID-19. 

In the face of the crisis, womxn have already stepped up to organize and speak up about food insecurity in the midst of the pandemic, raising issues of inclusive peace talks and starting grassroots initiatives in their communities to help alleviate hunger. Muna Luqman, founder of the Food for Humanity Foundation has used her platform to work on coronavirus relief in Yemen. In the coming months, Yemeni womxn will not only face the blunt impact of the food crisis that COVID-19 is exacerbating, they will also serve as primary leaders and organizers in their communities in the midst of declining humanitarian aid to the country. 

The original inspiration for the article can be found at https://insight.wfp.org/inside-the-lives-of-women-living-through-the-crisis-in-yemen-e45d5662972