With EU Support, the Cash Consortium of Yemen Assists Nearly Half a Million People, Including Women and Girls

Country: Yemen Source: Cash Consortium of Yemen Since April 2025, the Cash Consortium of Yemen (CCY) has provided emergency cash assistance to nearly half a million people across Yemen, including over 201, 000 women and girls, as well as 19, 000 people with disabilities. This substantial support has been funded by the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid programme. It helps vulnerable displaced families buy food and medicine, pay off debts, keep their children in school, and avoid difficult choices such as sending children to work or skipping meals to get by. It also facilitates their transition from emergency aid to longer-term recovery. After more than a decade of conflict, millions of Yemeni families remain trapped in cycles of displacement, hunger, and economic collapse. The 2026 Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan issued in March 2026, identifies 22 million people in need of humanitarian assistance — including 10 million women and girls, accounting for almost half of those in need1. An estimated 5 million people are internally displaced1. More than 2 million children under five are acutely malnourished. An additional 1. 3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished1. For many displaced women, the EU-funded support provides more than just temporary relief; it gives them the breathing space they need to regain control of their lives. After receiving cash assistance, nine in ten of the surveyed households said they were better able to cover essential needs such as food, rent and healthcare, up from four at the start of the study. Nine in ten households were able to eat enough and regularly, while 84 per cent of those we support said they no longer had to make difficult choices to survive, such as skipping meals, sending children to work or borrowing money. ‘Due to the conflict, my husband lost his job and was unable to find another one for a long time. We lost the ability to pay the rent or buy basic food, and even the gas cylinder became too expensive. The cash assistance provided by CCY was vital, as it enabled us to buy essential items and feed our children. ” — Haleema Jaber, internally displaced woman in Tuban district, Lahj governorate, supported through CCY programming — May 2026 Alongside the emergency cash assistance funded through the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the European Union is also funding the Cash Consortium of Yemen for the implementation of the AMAL programme through the Directorate General for International Partnerships. It helps displaced families move from emergency support towards greater independence by providing job training, support for climate-smart farming and livestock, and help to start small businesses and earn an income. This joint intervention shows that humanitarian cash assistance is saving lives in Yemen today and also helping displaced women and families start to rebuild their futures. ‘The latest achievements of the EU-funded Cash Consortium in Yemen prove it to be a vital lifeline for vulnerable communities across the country. Cash transfers to aid recipients are widely recognised as the most efficient, effective and dignified form of humanitarian assistance. At the same time, it is crucial that the humanitarian community continues to provide principled and flexible support to displaced families in a country facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, ” said Muriel Cornelis, Head of the Yemen Office at EU Humanitarian Aid. Yemen’s humanitarian response must extend beyond emergency relief. As displaced women and families continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, sustained investment is required to bridge the gap between humanitarian assistance and long-term recovery programmes. CCY calls on the international community to provide flexible and principled support that enables vulnerable households to rebuild their lives with dignity, safety and self-reliance, not just to survive. About the Cash Consortium of Yemen (CCY) The CCY is a humanitarian consortium established in 2020. It is led by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and includes Acted, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Mercy Corps and Solidarités International (SI) as members, with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as a non-funded technical partner. CCY delivers multi-purpose cash assistance to the most vulnerable people and co-chairs Yemen’s Cash and Markets Working Group. Funding statement This action is funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO). Views and opinions expressed are those of the Cash Consortium of Yemen only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. For inquiries Huzan Waqar Chief of Party, Cash Consortium of Yemen huzan. waqar@drc. ngo Sources 1 OCHA, Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026, issued March 2026.

Read full story on Reliefweb