Abyan/Tai’z - In Yemen, where two out of five health facilities are non-functional and maternal mortality remains among the highest in the region, midwives help to serve as the backbone of maternal care. With only three in five births attended by a skilled provider, midwives are often the only link to safe motherhood for countless women.Midwives prevent maternal and newborn deaths from complications during pregnancy and childbirth. With a midwife present, women have a far greater chance of safe delivery and healthy babies. In fragile, crisis-affected settings like Yemen, midwives are often the first—and only—providers of maternal healthcare.Beyond delivery, midwives provide family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, nutrition counseling, cancer screenings, and other essential health services. UNFPA research shows that every $1 invested in midwifery yields up to $16 in social and economic returns—making it a smart, cost-effective strategy for expanding healthcare and improving development outcomes.Racing against time to save a lifeOn 18 April 2025, in the outskirts of Tai’z Governorate, UNFPA-supported midwife Enas received an urgent call. Amira, eight months pregnant, had gone into labour. Enas traveled over three hours across treacherous terrain to reach her. After six hours of labour, Amira delivered her baby safely—but moments later, she began hemorrhaging severely.Enas acted with precision and calm. She performed a uterine massage, administered injections to control the bleeding, and replaced lost fluids through IV drips; as a result, Amira's life was saved – highlighting the lifesaving role of midwives who reach women where hospitals are too far and time is too short.A trusted presenceIn Zinjibar District of Abyan Governorate where women seek care only from female providers, midwife Wahiba is far more than a healthcare worker. She is a trusted presence—the person families call in the middle of the night, the face a frightened mother searches for when pain becomes unbearable.Medicine shortages, power outages, and overcrowded facilities are her daily reality. Sometimes she works by the light of her mobile phone. Still, she returns every morning, driven by the love and trust of her community.Wahiba knows that saving lives doesn't end in the delivery room. In her community, deeply rooted misconceptions put mothers and newborns at risk. Some women refuse prenatal vitamins, fearing they will make the baby too large and delivery more difficult—unaware that these supplements protect both mother and child."We need to raise awareness. Many misconceptions put mothers and babies at risk," she tells UNFPA.She advocates quietly and consistently—in conversations at the health center, during home visits, in every interaction with women who trust her enough to ask.Through UNFPA's support, Wahiba continues serving her community with the tools, training, and supplies she needs to save lives every day.A home turned midwifery clinicIn a remote village in Abyan Governorate, where roads are broken and hospitals distant, midwife Najeeba did not wait for a facility to be built—she built one inside her home.A midwife and trainer, Najeeba graduated in nursing in 1984 and later studied midwifery in Germany. Since 1989, she has trained generations of midwives and served women in the most remote areas of Abyan. Even after retirement, she continues receiving women in need—sometimes while cooking for her grandchildren.Her home is her clinic. Her bed is her examination table. Her old blood pressure monitor and sterilized delivery kit are her tools. When women have nowhere else to turn, they turn to Najeeba.She remembers one night when she delivered a baby under intense fighting. She stayed and saved both mother and child."Sometimes I find myself in a difficult position — I cannot provide complete care because the resources simply are not there." What we need most is a nearby clinic that provides the basics maternal health services,” she tells UNFPA.Through UNFPA, she now receives financial support to maintain her home clinic and a delivery ki, which includes tools that help her continue her mission to save lives.Building a strong midwifery workforceIn Yemen, UNFPA continues to invest in thousands of midwives in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health and Population and local actors. Under the National Midwifery Strategy 2024–2026, UNFPA supported the development of the National Education Standards and the National Professional Framework, aligned with international midwifery standards—marking a critical step toward empowering midwives to provide high-quality, lifesaving care across the country.In 2026, UNFPA is supporting 100 students enrolled in a three-year midwifery diploma. Seventy frontline community midwives are also being mobilized to underserved and conflict-affected areas with limited access to health services.On the International Day of the Midwife, UNFPA celebrates midwives as the backbone of health systems, and call for urgent investment in their education, leadership, and protection - essential actions if we are to expand the midwifery workforce by 1 million.

22 April 2026, Aden, Yemen Amid persistent public health threats driven by years of conflict, fragile infrastructure, disease outbreaks and limited access to essential health services, coordinated emergency response is more critical than ever in Yemen.To help address gaps, the Ministry of Public Health and Population, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), conducted a training of trainers (ToT) on public health emergency operations centres (PHEOCs) from 15 to 24 December 2025, with support from the World Bank through the Emergency Human Capital Project (EHCP) and from the Pandemic Fund through the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project. The training brought together 35 participants, including 9 females, representing key positions such as PHEOC staff, point of entry staff and risk communication and community engagement unit staff. The training aimed to equip participants with the knowledge, practical skills and confidence to lead emergency operations and coordinate responses to public health threats using the WHO Incident Management System.The interactive training programme, delivered in Arabic, combined theoretical modules with hands-on exercises. Participants learned about the fundamentals of public health emergency management, the core components of PHEOCs and different operational modes. Practical sessions included tabletop exercises, case studies and a multi-day functional simulation exercise covering events such as cholera and measles outbreaks and flooding.The exercises enabled participants to apply emergency management frameworks, develop situation reports and practice decision-making under simulated crisis conditions.A key feature of the training was the collaborative design and execution of the simulation exercises. Participants worked in groups to develop scenarios and response matrices. Peers observed and provided feedback. The exercises enhanced the critical thinking, problem-solving and coordination skills needed to respond effectively to emergencies. Pre- and post-training assessments showed significant knowledge gain. Participants’ average score, measuring their understanding of PHEOC operations, increased from 57 percent before the training to 79 percent after the training. Feedback from participants highlighted the functional simulation exercises as the most beneficial component of the training.“This training is a vital step in strengthening Yemen’s capacity to detect, assess and respond rapidly to public health emergencies,” said WHO Representative in Yemen Dr Sayed Jafar. “It demonstrates the Ministry’s commitment to building a resilient health system, supported by WHO and the World Bank.”Immediate outcomes of the ToT include a roster of trained PHEOC facilitators, Arabic-adapted training materials, and stronger capacity to conduct future simulation exercises. In the medium term, the training will support the development of national PHEOC guidance, standard operating procedures and emergency response plans.The training underscores Yemen’s commitment to public health emergency preparedness and the continued importance of collaboration between the Ministry, WHO and the World Bank to strengthen national capacities and protect communities from health crises.
 

For generations, the farmlands of Al-Gharega Village, in Tur Al-Baha, Lahj Governorate, Yemen, served as a vital source of food, income, and identity. Families grew staple crops like maize, millet, and sorghum, along with a variety of vegetables and fruits that were sold to nearby towns and the city of Aden. The land wasn’t just a livelihood; it was a way of life.But for nearly two decades, that way of life withered. Barren fields and lost hopeYears of adverse impacts from climate change took their toll. Irrigation systems collapsed, wells ran dry, and without affordable diesel to power pumps, fields were left barren. Drought and soil degradation compounded the crisis, and harmful invasive plants overran the abandoned land. Farmers saw their crops fail, and with them, their dreams. “Before the project intervention, our lands were barren. The soil cracked and thorny plants took over. Farmers lost hope,” recalls Anwar, 50, a lifelong farmer in Al-Gharegah. For 40 consecutive growing seasons (19 years), farmers like Anwar and Osama, a 52-year-old farmer and university lecturer, struggled to grow anything on their land.“We tried to grow what we could,” Osama says. “But the crops rarely matured. We couldn’t feed our families, let alone sell anything to the markets. It was devastating.”  Restoring the flow: Rebuilding the irrigation networkIn response to this prolonged crisis, the World Bank-funded Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (FSRRP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Social Fund for Development (SFD), launched an agricultural intervention aiming to protect and revive the land again. The goal was to rehabilitate the collapsed irrigation network to restore access to water and protect farmland, thereby strengthening the community’s resilience to climate change.A new 360-metre irrigation canal has since brought life back to 110 hectares of farmland, directly supported 280 farmers, and created 395 temporary jobs through construction.“After the project, everything changed,” says Anwar. “The wells and canals bring water regularly, and the soil became fertile again. We can finally cultivate our fields properly.”  Reclaiming the landThe land, once overtaken by thorny brush, now supports a variety of crops. Farmers are returning to maize, millet, and sorghum, while also planting vegetables and experimenting with fruit crops like lemons, grapes, and potatoes.“Before, the fields were empty,” says Aref, 55. “Now, crops are growing again. We’re even selling to markets in Tur Al-Baha and beyond.”  Farmers are not just cultivating food; they’re nurturing hope. Households are once again eating from their own harvests, selling surplus crops, rebuilding food security, and generating incomes.“The project helped us to regain control of our land,” Osama reflects. “We’ve gone from isolated farmers to a community of cultivators working together again.” A community revivedMore than restoring infrastructure, the project has reawakened a sense of dignity and agency among the farmers. Younger generations - children and grandchildren who had only known failed harvests - are now witnessing a return to productivity and purpose.However, there is still work to be done. Farmers point to remaining canal segments that need rehabilitation, additional wells that require repair, and the need for more support. But the momentum is clear.“This land has given us life before, and now it gives us hope again,” says Anwar.“We endured decades of hardship,” adds Osama. “But this project shows that with the right support, recovery is possible.” Where hope takes root The construction of Al-Gharegah village canal is a testament to what’s possible when targeted investments meet local community needs. Through collaboration , and partnership, once abandoned fields are yielding food, income, and opportunity again.This is not only a story of agricultural rehabilitation; it’s a story of human resilience, of reclaiming what was lost, and of believing in the future of Yemen’s rural communities and food security. Funded and supported by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), the Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (FSRRP) is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Food Programme (WFP). UNDP’s component of FSRRP improves agricultural production infrastructure and builds climate resilience and is implemented in partnership with the Social Fund for Development (SFD), and the Public Works Project (PWP).

19 April 2026, Aden, Yemen In Yemen, where a fragile health infrastructure, undermined by years of conflict, faces recurring disease outbreaks, strengthening early detection and coordinated response to public health threats remains a priority. To strengthen early warning systems and emergency management capacities, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Population, convened a training workshop in Aden from 11 to 16 February 2026 on electronic event-based detection systems (EBS) and public health emergency management (PHEM).The workshop was supported by the World Bank through the Emergency Human Capital Project (EHCP) and by the Pandemic Fund through the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project.The 37 participants were drawn from key staff at public health emergency operations centres (PHEOCs), epidemiological departments and other relevant units at both national and governorate level.Through interactive sessions, discussions and live demonstrations, participants strengthened their knowledge of core public health emergency management concepts and enhanced their ability to detect, assess and manage health events through digital systems. The workshop included practical training on two key digital platforms: Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) and the electronic Public Health Emergency Management system (ePHEM). EIOS enables health authorities to identify early signals of potential public health threats by analyzing publicly available information, including news reports and online sources, for public health purposes. The ePHEM supports structured tracking, and the coordination/ management of emergency responses in real time. 
Participants gained hands-on experience in the use of these tools in managing public health and emergency response data, identifying early warning signals of public health threats and coordinating emergency response actions more effectively.“Strengthening digital early warning and emergency management systems is essential in a context like Yemen, where health threats can emerge rapidly and resources are limited,” said WHO Representative in Yemen, Dr Sayed Jaffar. “Through the Emergency Human Capital Project, with support of the World Bank, WHO is committed to building the skills of Yemen’s health workforce and strengthening systems that help detect health risks early and protect communities.”By investing in digital tools and strengthening the capacities of health professionals, WHO and its partners are supporting Yemen in building stronger early warning and emergency response systems and ultimately saving lives.