UNFPA Yemen: Women and girls need urgent help in the aftermath of Cyclone Tej that struck coastal Yemen

The United Nations Population Fund estimates over 3,000 pregnant women are in need of lifesaving health services as Cyclone Tej destroys households and infrastructure in southern coastal areas of Yemen.

More than 10,000 households have been affected in Al Maharah, Hadaramout and Socotra governorates. Access to health services have been disrupted with life threatening consequences to an estimated 500 pregnant women who may develop complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

“We are working round the clock to provide immediate relief to families affected by this devastating cyclone, and deeply concerned for the health of hundreds of pregnant women who have endured years of conflict and are now struck by natural disaster,” stated Enshrah Ahmed, UNFPA Representative to Yemen.

UNFPA is dispatching emergency supplies to assist families affected by the cyclone, including lifesaving medicines and reproductive health kits. These kits help to ensure safe deliveries and address complication during childbirth when a health facility or a midwife is inaccessible.

As part of the rapid response mechanism, led by UNFPA, nearly 11,000 cyclone-affected households (72,000 individuals) have been enrolled to receive emergency relief kits, while an additional 4,000 kits are being dispatched to affected areas, containing ready to eat food provided by WFP, basic hygiene kits provided by UNICEF and female dignity kits provided by UNFPA.

The response is supported with contributions from the European Union Humanitarian Aid, Kingdom of Netherlands, USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and the Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund.

UNFPA is the sole provider of essential life-saving reproductive health medicines in Yemen and leads coordination and provision of women’s reproductive health and protection services across the country.

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UNFPA, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

 For more information, please contact

Taha Yaseen: Tel: +967 712 224090; yaseen@unfpa.org

Lankani Sikurajapathy: Tel. +94773411614; sikurajapathy@unfpa.org