Key data for Yemen

NCI34th HRCI42nd HANCI39th
HANCI compares 45 countries for their performance on 22 indicators of political commitment to reduce hunger and undernutrition. All the countries compared in the index have high rates of hunger and undernutrition. The comparative approach of the index means that country scores are calculated in relation to the political commitment of the other countries in the index.
Existing rates of: Stunting: 46.4% Wasting: 16.4% Proportion of population underweight: 16.4% Source: Government of Yemen (DHS,2013)

Strong Performance

  • The National Nutrition Policy/Strategy identifies time bound nutrition targets and a multisectoral and multistakeholder policy coordination mechanism has been set up.
  • The Government has fully enshrined the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes into domestic law.
  • 92% of the population of Yemen in 2017 has access to an improved drinking water source.
  • In Yemen, constitutional protection of the right to social security is strong.

Areas for improvement

  • In Yemen, the law does not give women economic rights equal to men. Men and women have equal legal access to agricultural land, but this is not effectively enforced and discriminatory practices against women continue, increasing their vulnerability to hunger and undernutrition.
  • Relative to other HANCI countries, Yemen’s medium/long term national development policy (Socio-Economic Development Plan for Poverty Reduction) places weak importance to nutrition.
  • Policymakers in Yemen do not benefit from regular nutrition surveys that are statistically representative at national level. The last survey was published in 2013.
  • The Government of Yemen does not promote complementary feeding practices and has achieved two high doses of vitamin A supplementation for only 13% of children in 2018.
  • Weak access to improved sanitation facilities (59.1% in 2017) obstructs better hunger and nutrition outcomes.
  • In Yemen only 59.8% of women aged 15-49 were visited at least once during pregnancy by skilled health personnel in 2013.
  • In Yemen, constitutional protection of the right to food is weak.
  • The Government of Yemen does not provide social safety nets.
  • Civil registration rates are weak (30.7% in 2013) and potentially hold back children’s access to critical public services such as health and education.

Hunger Reduction Commitment Index (HRCI)

Public Spending Score Year HRCI rank of 45
Public spending on agriculture as share of total public spending
?
1.1%200743rd
Public spending on health as share of total public spending
?
2.2%201545th
Policies Score Year HRCI rank of 45
Access to land (security of tenure)
?
Moderate2019Joint 22nd
Access to agricultural research and extension services
?
Moderate2019Joint 26th
Civil registration system — coverage of live births
?
30.7%201338th
Functioning of social protection systems
?
Very Weak2018Joint 43rd
Laws Score Year HRCI rank of 45
Level of constitutional protection of the right to food
?
Weak2017Joint 30th
Equality of women’s access to agricultural land
?
In Law, not in Practice2019Joint 3rd
Equality of women’s economic rights
?
Not in Law2019Joint 16th
Constitutional right to social security
?
Yes2018Joint 1st

Nutrition Commitment Index (NCI)

Public Spending Score Year NCI rank of 45
Separate budget for nutrition
?
Sectoral only2019Joint 24th
Policies Score Year NCI rank of 45
Vitamin A supplementation coverage for children
?
13%201843rd
Government promotes complementary feeding
?
No2018Joint 43rd
Population with access to an improved water source
?
92%201710th
Population with access to improved sanitation
?
59.1%201714th
Health care visits for pregnant women
?
59.8%201344th
Nutrition features in national development policy
?
Weak2006-201034th
National Nutrition Policy/Strategy
?
Yes2019Joint 1st
Multisector and multistakeholder policy coordination
?
Yes2019Joint 1st
Time bound nutrition targets
?
Yes2019Joint 1st
National nutrition survey in last 3 years
?
No2013Joint 39th
Laws Score Year NCI rank of 45
Enshrine ICBMS in domestic law
?
Fully Enshrined2019Joint 1st