Cannock protesters urge Amanda Milling to help Yemeni children
A protest urging the Government to step up its efforts to do more for the children of Yemen has taken place in Cannock.
Members of the Yemeni community and Save the Children came together in Cannock town centre due it being in the constituency of the Minister for Asia and the Middle East, Amanda Milling.
Conflict in Yemen is entering its eighth year, and the protest asks for action to be taken to help the millions of children affected.
The Yemeni community, alongside Save the Children, gathered on Friday and showcased a prop of a destroyed school to highlight what going to school is like for millions of Yemeni children.
Alison Griffin, head of conflict and humanitarian campaigns at the charity, said: "Children have long borne the brunt of the continued violence in Yemen, and their suffering has been compounded by an unbearable global silence and neglect.
"Children are being robbed of their futures – and we urge the Minister for Asia and the Middle East to use her powerful role to put Yemen at the top of the political agenda and for the UK to lead global efforts to end this humanitarian catastrophe."
The UN reports that every nine minutes, a child under five in Yemen dies from conflict, hunger or preventable diseases.
The country also has been on the brink of famine for years, a crisis that will be exacerbated by current events as around 40 per cent of Yemen's imported grain comes from Russia and Ukraine.
Save the Children is calling on the UK Government to unblock the constraints that hinder the delivery of life-saving aid, including basic food, cash and water.
It is also asking for perpetrators to be held to account for grave violations of children’s rights and for the halt the sale of arms to the Saudi led coalition.
Genna Yafai, a British Yemeni who lives in the area, said: "I want children in Yemen to learn in a safe place without fearing death and bombs.
"The UK has the power to do more and it must take concerted action."
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “The UK remains one of the biggest donors to Yemen, contributing over £1 billion since the conflict began.
“Over the course of the next financial year, we will provide at least £88 million more, helping feed at least 200,000 people every month, provide lifesaving healthcare for 800,000 women and children, and treat 85,000 severely malnourished children.
“An inclusive political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen, and we support all efforts for Yemeni dialogue.”
