Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Some facts about the Middle-East

By Steven Meyer - posted Thursday, 5 May 2011


YEMEN

If Egypt is a train smash waiting to happen, in Yemen it’s happening.

This quote from the website of the World Food Program says it all:

Advertisement

Abdo is a father to 15 children; only his young son Majed attends school. The children are barefoot and wear tattered clothes. The family relies on the limited income brought in by casual wage labour and some minor agricultural production. It is barely enough to feed the family, and Abdo must borrow from neighbours and shops in order to secure some basic needs for survival. Due to the extreme heat, the family spends their days and nights outside.

[…]

Nearby, one of Abdo’s wives – Saeed Hassan – mixes borrowed flour with water from a local well and bakes the mix in a traditional Yemeni wood-fired oven dug into the dirt. They will eat this bread for all three meals. It is the only thing keeping the family alive. "I am extremely sad that I cannot give my children more,” she says, shaking her head sadly as she kneads the dough. "As a child I was able to go to school, and I am very sad that my children, my daughters do not have the same opportunity. One wants a better life for their children, not this," she says and looks tearfully off into the distance.

[…]

WFP recently launched an operation to address life-threatening levels of hunger and malnutrition, including an emergency food safety net for 1.7 million severely food insecure Yemenis during the hunger season. Nutrition support is planned for 242,000 malnourished pregnant and nursing mothers and children in order to address the inter-generational cycle of malnutrition, treat and prevent acute malnutrition, and provide an incentive to visit health centres.

Today, the operation is at a standstill for utter lack of funds.

Advertisement

Abdo and his family have already lost seven children to hunger-related diseases. He has two more newborns on the way. Without increased support, the lives of his soon-to-be born infants and 15 remaining children hang in the balance.”

Yemen’s population of 24 million is increasing at a rate of 2.6% per year. It has one of the highest human fertility rates in the world.

Yemen’s disintegration looks inevitable. Is Yemen a glimpse into Egypt’s future?

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. 4
  6. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

31 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Steven Meyer graduated as a physicist from the University of Cape Town and has spent most of his life in banking, insurance and utilities, with two stints into academe.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Steven Meyer

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 31 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy