In the heart of Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate, in the north-western part of the country. Abs District stands as a stark testament to human suffering, with significant reductions in humanitarian aid deepening an already dire crisis.
Tens of thousands of people have sought refuge in Abs, fleeing conflict in Haradh and northern Hajjah, and it is now home to Yemen’s second-largest internally displaced population.
A staggering 80 percent of those displaced are women and children, who face heightened risks and immense daily hardship.
The situation in Abs is acute, marked by a convergence of overlapping crises. Hunger is soaring–over 41,000 people are staring down famine and nearly a quarter of women are facing acute malnutrition, driven by the suspension of food assistance and the severe degradation of land across the district due to climate shocks.
Desperate coping strategies are common, including reducing daily meals, limiting food intake, borrowing food, and selling assets.
For families like Zainab’s, displaced multiple times since 2015, each day is a desperate battle against starvation. She lost her husband in an airstrike in 2015 and now cares for her six children, aged 9 to 18. Her heartbreaking reality means her children often go to sleep crying and hungry.
The healthcare system in Abs is teetering on the brink, functioning at a mere 25 percent of its capacity. Mobile clinics often serve as the only source of care, and many pregnant women are forced to give birth alone, without medical assistance.
In displacement sites like Al-Maharabah, on the outskirts of Abs, there isn't a single permanent health facility.
Dire living conditions have fueled an increase in gender-based violence, exploitation, and abuse. Shelters in the more than 140 informal settlements around Abs are frequently makeshift, flimsy, and overcrowded. A critical lack of lighting, privacy, and adequate latrines further compounds the risks for women and girls. Early marriage and child labor have become common coping mechanisms for families struggling to survive.
While the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), currently supported by European Union Humanitarian Aid, has provided some emergency food and hygiene supplies to displaced families in Abs, with plans to support an additional 4,000 families – close to 2,000 have received assistance to date– this is a fraction of the urgent need.
Over 220,000 displaced people have lost access to life-saving emergency relief due to severe funding cuts since March 2025.
UNFPA calls on donors and partners to immediately scale up support. It is critical that displaced women and girls in Abs receive the essential healthcare and protection they so desperately deserve.