Child marriage rises in Yemen as ongoing conflict threatens vulnerable girls

Women and girls in Yemen are suffering devastating consequences as the ongoing war leaves vulnerable populations unprotected, UN News reported. In one instance, a 14-year-old girl named Safa was married to an elderly man by her father, who feared she would have no one left to protect her if he were killed in the hostilities. Francesco Galtieri, the representative for the United Nations Population Fund, stated that her words demonstrate how war strips away protection at every turn. [1]

The ongoing civil war in Yemen erupted in 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels took up arms. Historically a cradle of ancient civilizations, the country was formed by the 1990 unification of North Yemen and South Yemen under President Ali Abdullah Saleh, though underlying tribal and ideological divides persisted. [2]

The situation aligns with broader international trends regarding the impact of warfare on women. As FTMQ World reported earlier, a United Nations report showed that women and girls accounted for one in four civilian conflict deaths last year, doubling the share recorded in 2021. More than 37,000 civilians were killed in armed conflicts globally over that period, with at least 25 women and girls killed daily in conflict settings. [3]