The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is drastically low on funding for its hunger relief mission in Yemen. WFP needs the support of the international community to help Yemen through a hunger crisis ravaging the entire country.
WFP is trying to provide food aid to people displaced by the conflict in Northern Yemen between the government and rebels. In addition, WFP needs funding for child feeding for infants and school children. This is especially critical with such high rates of malnutrition and poverty in Yemen. Lack of food also severely harms children's chances of receiving an education and lifting themselves out of poverty.
Many WFP programs in Yemen have faced ration cuts or complete suspension because of low funding.
We the undersigned ask you to support the UN World Food Programme's (WFP) hunger relief mission in Yemen. WFP has encountered such low funding that it has been forced to reduce rations, or in some cases completely suspend food aid programs. Hunger and suffering among Yemenis does not advance the cause of peace in that country.
U.S. leadership is critical for rallying international support for helping Yemen overcome alarming rates of hunger and malnutrition. Hunger is unfolding on many fronts within Yemen and it is a clear threat to stability in the country.
There are around 300,000 displaced persons from the conflict in Northern Yemen in need of food aid. There are infant children suffering and in need of foods such as supplementary plumpy. There is the need to establish Food for Education throughout Yemen. We, in the United States, know how important school feeding is to a country.
We ask you to support the World Food Programme's mission in Yemen.
Funding for food programs, especially child feeding, needs to be restored. Long-term solutions to ending hunger in Yemen have to also be enacted along with this interim aid.
Thank you for your time in reading this letter.
