On World Water Day, 17 million Yemenis Need Help to Access Water

 Over 17 million Yemenis need help to have access to water, the United Nations said on Friday.

On World Water Day, which falls on March 22 every year, the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, stated, "17.4 million people in Yemen, half children, require assistance to access basic water and sanitation services."

It added, "We need to join forces to achieve SDG 6 of ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all."

According to UN reports, Yemen is considered one of the most water-scarce countries in the world and is threatened by the depletion of its underground reserves in the coming years.

Since the breakout of the conflict between the Houthis and the Yemeni government in 2014, Yemen's water crisis has worsened. Over the past years, Houthi and Yemeni government forces have violated the rights of Taiz's residents to water, as well as many other human rights that depend on the availability and accessibility of safe and sufficient water, including the rights to life and health, said a UN report in December last year.

Disputes between communities over scarce water resources have repeatedly occurred. Some disputes led to armed clashes, causing deaths and injuries, particularly in rural areas.

Every day in many Yemeni villages, children and women spend hours walking to collect water despite the risks they face. Children also miss their classrooms as their families send them to fetch water from remote wells or springs.

Given the continued instability in Yemen, water projects are not a priority for the warring sides. A UN report said last year Yemen lacked the effective infrastructure to harvest rainwater for water supply and groundwater recharge.

Moreover, climate change and population growth are additional challenges Yemen faces, which put pressure on the country's limited water resources.

The UN says that water scarcity will affect agriculture production, which means less food, threatening food security and nutrition for millions of Yemenis.