On the International Day against the Use of Children as Soldiers, the undersigned organizations express their deep concern about the continued recruitment and use of children in military operations in Yemen, especially by the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, the internationally recognized Yemeni government, and the Southern Transitional Council.
The Houthis have recruited thousands of children throughout the conflict. According to the UN Group of Experts report, from January 2020 to May 2021, nearly 2,000 children recruited by the Houthis lost their lives in fighting. Despite a pledge to stop this practice in April 2022, the Houthis continue to recruit children, using propaganda and military training, particularly through summer camps. In 2023, the Houthis themselves claimed to have included more than one million Yemeni children in their summer camps, which have been widely reported to be used for recruitment purposes. More recently, YCMHRV has documented an increase in child recruitment since the Houthis began their Red Sea attacks in November 2023, as the Houthis exploited the war in Gaza and the Yemenis’ sympathy with the Palestinian cause to mobilize and recruit children.
Yemeni civil society organizations including Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations (YCMHRV) and Watch for Human Rights (Watch4Hr), documented the recruitment of 209 children by parties to the conflict from April 4, 2022, to December 31, 2023, alone, though there were likely hundreds more children who were recruited during this period. The Houthis were responsible for the most documented cases—196 children, while the Yemeni government recruited six children, and other forces recruited seven children.
Within this context, we call on the international community to stand with the children of Yemen to demand an end to the recruitment of child soldiers, and to demand that those responsible for these violations are held accountable.
The undersigned organizations call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to:
Fulfil their national and international obligations toward child protection, by immediately ending the recruitment and use of children in military operations; protecting, demobilizing, and reintegrating former child soldiers into their communities; and accelerating the implementation of plans signed with the United Nations to end and prevent the recruitment of children by all parties.
End the use of schools and educational facilities for recruitment and mobilization purposes, including ending the use of school activities to indoctrinate children and incite them or expose them to violent extremist ideas.
Ensure the accountability for all those involved in violations against children, by holding them to account through fair trials, and providing justice and adequate reparation to victims. On Red Hand Day, we stand united in our commitment to end the use of child soldiers and protect the rights of all Yemeni children. We urge the international community to join us in these efforts and hold accountable those responsible for the violations targeting the children of Yemen.
The signing organizations:
The Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations (YCMHRV).
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Watch for Human Rights
Abductees’ Mothers Association (AMA)
Al-Amal Women’s and Sociocultural Foundation (AWS)
Center for Strategic Studies to Support Women and Children (CSWC)
Free Media Center for Investigative Journalism
Marib Dam Foundation for Social Development (MDF)
Musaala Organization
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties
Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC)
Abductees’ Mothers Association deeply mourns the death of Dr. Mansour Al-Shabouti, a general surgery consultant at Al-Mutawakel Hospital, who was kidnapped by Houthi armed group on January 12th in Sana’a after besieging the area where he lived and then storming his home and taking him to an unknown destination.
At Abductees’ Mothers Association, we condemn these repeated incidents, which are continuous violations of human rights and the International Humanitarian Law by Houthi armed group, which has not hesitated to continue using repression and persecution against civilians, the latest of whom is Dr. Al-Shabouti.
According to a statement issued by the Association of Doctors in Exile, the abductee, Al-Shabouti, was in good health before his abduction, but he appeared shortly before his death in a very poor health condition, and his death was announced two weeks after his abduction on January 27th under mysterious circumstances.
We hold Houthi armed armed group fully responsible for the death of Dr. Mansour Al-Shabhouti, whose body they are still holding.
We also emphasize that the escalation of these crimes, which amount to war crimes, calls for immediate intervention by the international community and international human rights organizations to stop these violations and investigate the crimes of abduction and murder committed by Houthi armed group against civilians in order to achieve the principle of accountability and justice and to hold the perpetrators of these violations accountable.
We call on the international community and local and international human rights organizations to take urgent action and mount the necessary pressure to stop these brutal acts and to release all abductees and forcibly disappeared persons immediately.
Issued by Abductees’ Mothers Association.
February 5th, 2024.
A human rights report titled “Medical Neglect Quietly Kills in Yemeni Prisons” has been released by the Justice for Yemen Pact in collaboration with the Abductees Mothers Association. The report highlighted the documented personal freedom violations in 2022, as reported in their seventh annual report. It revealed “442” cases of arbitrary detention, “56” cases of enforced disappearance, and “33” cases of torture and ill-treatment in various governorates, including Sana’a, Hodeida, Dhamar, Ibb, Hajjah, Amran, Aden, Shabwa, Lahj, and Ma’rib.
The report emphasized that medical negligence leading to death is a recurring pattern of behavior employed by all violators in the detention facilities used to imprison and conceal their opponents.
In conclusion, the report provided recommendations, including:
- Providing information about unsafe prison conditions to local authorities and pressuring them to address deficiencies, similar to the initiative taken by the Abductees’ Mothers Association in holding a meeting with officials in Ma’rib regarding political security.
- Urging the Houthi group to cease the application of the death penalty against human rights defenders and activists, citing the recent case of Fatima Al-Arwali.
Coinciding with the International Day of Education, the Abductees’ Mothers Association issued a human rights report documenting cases of deprivation of education in detention facilities affiliated with the Houthi group for detainees arbitrarily throughout their detention, some lasting up to eight years.
The Houthi group categorically refuses to allow any detainee to continue their education. In some instances, they have confiscated their previous academic certificates and documents, prompting some surviving students released from detention to abandon their studies and engage in combat activities.
The Association documented (271) students among the survivors of Houthi prisons and (115) students who are still detained by the Houthi group, all of whom are deprived of their right to education.
#My_Son_Freedom_First
#International_Day_Education
The Abductees’ Mothers Association condemns the continued abduction of Judge Abdul-Wahhab Qatran by the Houthi group in Sana’a, assaulting him in his home, threatening his family with weapons, and then abducting him to an unknown destination, according to a statement by his son, Mohammed Qatran, in a video testimony he previously published describing the circumstances of the Houthi group attack and the abduction of his father.
These actions, which violate moral and legal standards, represent a flagrant violation of human rights, whether by targeting judges and workers in the judicial system or the freedom of opinion and expression of the Yemeni citizens in general. Such an act is considered a challenge to the regional and international efforts towards justice and peace.
We, in the Association of Abductees’ Mothers, hold the Houthi group full responsibility for the life and safety of Judge Qatran and all of our Abductees, some of whom have exceeded eight years in Houthi prisons.
We call on the international community to put pressure on the Houthi group to stop these actions, the illegal detention of Judge Qatran and our and to detained sons, and work to ensure their safe and secured release and return to their family.
We also urge all international and local human rights organizations to stand and double their efforts to achieve justice and provide protection for civilians from all types of violence, including abduction, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearance.
Issued by the Abductees’ Mothers Association
Monday, January 8, 2024.
The Association of Abductees’ Mothers strongly condemns and expresses its outrage at the obstruction of international efforts aimed at releasing the forcibly abducted, hidden, and arbitrarily detained individuals, which was supposed to convene this week in Jordan following the disruption of the round scheduled for November last year. This irresponsible behavior undermines the fundamental values of human rights and hinders all efforts towards achieving peace and stability in Yemen.
We emphasize the basic rights of our abducted, hidden, and arbitrarily detained sonsright- the right to life and freedem, guaranteed to everyone.
We call on the international community to seriously confront these practices that violate human rights, exert pressure on all parties to fully cooperate with international and regional efforts for the immediate release of the abducted, hidden, and arbitrarily detained individuals, and ensure their safety.
We urge the international community to adopt stringent measures to prevent human rights violations and ensure full protection for civilians in Yemen. We stress that the continuation of kidnapping, forced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and procrastination in resolving the humanitarian issue of the abductees exacerbates the humanitarian suffering of our sons in jails.
We reaffirm the necessity of resuming political negotiations and working towards achieving comprehensive peace in Yemen, with the issue of the abducted, hidden, and arbitrarily detained individuals being a top priority.
Issued by the Association of Abductees’ Mothers
Friday, January 5, 2024
The report paints a disturbing picture of the challenging conditions faced by female human rights defenders (HRDs), in Yemen, and emphasizes the urgent need for attention and intervention. Within Yemen’s conservative culture, female HRDs are exposed to heightened risks, leading many to cease their activities, close organizations, or seek refuge by leaving the country for safety.
The case of Amina (a pseudonym) highlights the difficulties female HRDs encounter. Amina sheds light on societal criticism, including accusations of HRDs receiving foreign funding to disrupt security and break up families. Additionally, the report highlights the authorities’ lack of seriousness in addressing cases reported by female HRDs, illustrating the discrimination they face when seeking justice. Furthermore, the report singles out the Houthis for their particularly brutal treatment of HRDs, exemplified by the case of activist Fatima al-Arwali, who was sentenced to death after enforced disappearance and a sham trial.
To read the report:
https://justice4yemenpact.org/articles/informational-brief-human-rights-defender-in-hadramout-battles-threats-and-gender-discrimination/
The Abductees’ Mothers Association in Ma’rib Governorate held a human rights workshop entitled “Involving Women in Decision-Making and Peacebuilding in Yemen” on December 16, 2023.
During the human rights workshop, the Association presented four workshop themes, the first was entitled “International Resolutions, Local Legislation, and National Steps to Support and Assist in Involving Women,” presented by lawyer Nazmia Qassem, in which she pointed out that women are considered one of the elements that constitute a great role in society, and the involvement of women. Political work is a legitimate human rights demand for many women in Yemen.
While the second axis of the human rights workshop dealt with “Assessing women’s participation in decision-making and peacebuilding,” it was presented by the director of the office of AMA Association in Ma’rib, “Sabah Hamid,” where she considered assessing the role of women and their participation in decision-making to be absent, and stressed the importance of standing alongside women and their participation in all fields.
The third axis was entitled “Challenges and Obstacles Facing Women’s Participation,” presented by Mis. Amal Dahwan, who pointed out the most important obstacles that hinder women’s participation and involvement in the peacebuilding process, in addition to the political, social, and economic obstacles.
Lawyer Olfat Al-Rifai also emphasized in the fourth axis, which was titled “Strengths in Involving Women,” that strengthening the efforts made for women to participate in the peace process and resolving existing conflicts is still weak, as a result of weak educational and training outcomes on legal and political issues.
The human rights workshop was attended by women leaders, human rights activists, heads of civil society organizations, academics, and female employees in government agencies and security agencies.
The workshop produced a number of outcomes, the most important of which are: 1. Training and qualifying women’s cadres in the political and legal fields. 2. Enhancing the role and participation of women, implementing laws related to women, and working to advocate for social issues. 3. Paying attention to women’s education and activating Resolution” 1325″ 4. Empowering women economically and politically and preventing gender -based violence.
#YemeniWomenArePeaceBuilders
#MySonFreedomFirst
Funded by “Saferworld” the Abductees’ Mothers Association held on Wednesday evening, the third advocasy session to involve women in decision-making and peacebuilding, by the Zoom platform, under the title: “Together to support Yemeni women’s participation in decision-making and enhance their leadership role.”
In the discussion session moderated by Mis. Balqis Al-Lahabi, a consultant at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, she talked on how to involve women in decision-making, the peacebuilding process, protecting their rights, and creating pressure against violators of women’s rights.
“Asmaa Al-Ra’i,” director of the Abductees’ Mothers Association _ Taiz branch, stated that there are outcomes of many of the workshops held by the association in the governorates of Taiz and Ma’rib, summarized in two axes, the first represented by: “international and local legislative decisions and national steps for decision-making and peacebuilding,” and the second axis represented by: : “Qualifying women in decision-making and peacebuilding in Yemen through course programs.”
Al-Rai also called for the importance of participating in signing the petition published by the Abductees’ Mothers Association, which she considers an important step in empowering women politically and in decision-making positions.
In the session, which was attended by about 59 activists, media figures, jurists, and lawyers, the first topic of the session was presented by Mr. Abdul Rahman Berman, Executive Director of the American Center (ACJ), entitled “Promoting Women’s Rights under Yemeni Legislation,” and stressed that there are A large gap between national legislation and international legislation ratified by Yemen, and a large difference between Islamic legislative texts and scientific theoretical application.
Berman stressed the need to put pressure on those who practice human rights violations through publication, documentation, and other pressure tools, and pointed to the importance of the work of the media and civil society organizations in forming the first line of defense against violations that occur against civilians in general and women in particular.
In the same context of the topic of the second session presented by “Mis. Maha Awad”, President of the Human Security Presence Organization, under the title “How can the results of the Women’s Summit contribute to achieving women’s empowerment?” she confirmed that the Women’s Summit discussed all social reactions to the violations and forms of violence committed against women. Women, which is almost socially acceptable, which reinforces the necessity of having a social base that advocates for women’s rights and protects them in the face of the violations they are exposed to.
In the third session topic, entitled “The Role of the National Committee in Promoting Women’s Participation and Empowerment,” Dr. Shafiqa Saeed, Chairperson of the National Committee for Women, emphasized the role of the Committee in enhancing women’s participation in decision-making and the peace-building process, and that the Committee has played important roles, the most important of which is promoting The presence of women’s management in all ministries, through direct meetings with all ministers of the internationally recognized government, including the Prime Minister, the Presidency of the Republic and other ministries. Dr. Shafiqa added that as a result of the demands of the National Committee for Women and the demands of all society, these demands were met, and the first results were the appointment of the first woman at the top of the judicial authority, which is the Supreme Judicial Council, in addition to the appointment of eight female judges
Meanwhile, “Mis. Houria Mashhour,” a founding member of the National Accord Movement, head of direction in the Feminist Solidarity Network, and former Minister of Human Rights, mentioned in the axis under the title “The Role of Yemeni Parties in Achieving Women’s Empowerment,” where she indicated that before the recent events in Yemen, the women of the parties find resistance within the parties themselves in the process of empowerment. Women in the parties are not a symbol of success and they find it difficult to participate in the decision-making process.
She also emphasized that the parties in the current state of the court share their shares in the details of the state and exclude the nomination of women from the decision-making processes, despite the presence of competencies and despite the demands for the importance of including women.
At the conclusion of the session, the floor for discussion was opened for the attendees, who praised the role of the Association and its efforts in highlighting the role of women. Sheikh Al-Ashwal, head of the National Team for Local Mediation, spoke about the current situation with the absence of state institutions, the absence of the role of organizations, and the importance of having a bloc that works in all civil society organizations in the field of National Reconciliation.
The session came out with a set of outputs that, in turn, will contribute to the involvement of Yemeni women in decision-making and peacebuilding, contribute to their involvement in all areas of development, and contribute to provide more support to empower them economically and morally, which is what the Association of Abductees’ Mothers seeks through one of its strategic goals calling for “ Contributing to enhancing women’s participation in peace development
Every year, December 10th serves as a global reminder of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—a benchmark that delineates the rights and freedoms owed to every individual as a human being in our world. On this International Human Rights Day, marked as the first global proclamation criminalizing all violations against civilians, the emphasis is placed on preserving their dignity and upholding their rights, as articulated in Article 3 of the Declaration “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person”. Nevertheless, we are deeply disappointed by the ongoing and increasing violations of human rights in Yemen.
The war has claimed the lives of more than 377,000 people, including scores of civilians, since its outbreak, and Yemenis have endured a wide spectrum of violations that begin with the infringement of the right to life and personal security, such as killings and repeated attacks on Yemeni individuals, regardless of gender. Many civilians have been killed, injured, and forcibly displaced. According to the Mothers of the Abductees’ Association, nearly 10,000 civilians have been arbitrarily detained by all parties. Continuous violations also include imposing restrictions on freedom of expression and journalism.
Since 2014, Yemen has been recorded as one of the worst countries in terms of violating the rights of journalists and media workers, according to Reporters Without Borders. Journalists remain among the most vulnerable groups, not to mention the constraints on the women’s movement and the restriction of their civil liberties. SAM organization documented over 5,000 cases of violations by the end of 2022, including killings, physical injuries, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and torture.
Additionally, UN estimates reveal that Yemen hosts over 4 million internally displaced people (IDPs), with 73% being women and children. Moreover, the majority of displaced women, facing challenges in accessing education and healthcare, endure violations of their fundamental rights due to displacement. Landmines pose a significant future threat, along with the crushing of civil justice, targeting of religious minorities, restrictions on civil society organizations, blocking of vital roads, attacks on healthcare and educational facilities, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid. According to a recent report by the Yemeni Coalition to Monitor Human Rights Violations and Watch for Human Rights, members of the Justice4Yemen Pact, there are 250 verified cases of grave human rights violations against children by all parties to the conflict.
Despite the ongoing negotiations and the decrease in active hostilities, parties to the conflict have continued to violate human rights throughout the country. Yet, the perpetrators remain beyond the reach of justice, secure from punishment. International mechanisms of justice are obstructed from continuing their work in Yemen, presenting a clear challenge to the endeavor of reinstating these rights and laws, making them a living reality. Despite the harsh and complex context currently faced by Yemen, we strongly reaffirm our commitment to human rights principles, vowing to defend them and confront all forms of violations.
In light of this commitment, we call upon human rights organizations, international institutions, and all those working in the field of human rights to prioritize and intensify collaborative efforts to promote and protect human rights worldwide, including Yemen. Our statement today serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the values of justice, equality, and human dignity.
In this joint statement, we reiterate the significance of justice and emphasize the need to ensure its realization through the following: –
- All parties to the conflict should immediately cease all violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law and work towards a solution that achieves peace and stability in Yemen.
- All parties to the conflict should be committed to international human rights law and humanitarian law and ensure adherence to international standards for human rights.
- The international community should demonstrate a serious commitment to working to protect civilians from all violations they face, without compromising these efforts for political negotiations.
- Donors should continue to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to meet the humanitarian needs of people in Yemen.
- The international community should direct international and humanitarian support to meet the needs of civilians affected by war and displacement, providing essential services, including healthcare, education, and shelter.
- All parties to the conflict should end their recruitment of children, which constitutes a blatant violation of human rights, exposes children to danger and harm, and consequently, the international community should take immediate action to prevent and combat this violation, as well as enhance psychological and social support for children involved in conflicts, ensuring they have access to necessary healthcare and education services.
- Domestic actors should promote women’s rights and ensure their full participation in all aspects of life. The international community should provide support for women and protect them from any forms of discrimination and gender-based violence.
- Domestic actors should provide good educational opportunities for women and girls, and promote women’s representation in government and leadership bodies.
- Authorities should respect press freedom and ensure full protection for journalists and media professionals. They should also support press freedom as an essential part of human rights and as a building block for free and democratic societies.
- Authorities should support and enhance the role of government institutions in providing high-quality services and contributing effectively to the development of societies to achieve sustainable development and social well-being.
- Parties to the conflict and the international community should integrate the principles of accountability and justice into political negotiation processes to contribute to building stable and fair communities, enhancing trust in peace processes, and ensuring the rights of victims and reparations.
- All authorities should provide equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in education, healthcare, employment, and participation in decision-making. Also, their effective and comprehensive representation in various fields and their full integration into society.
- Authorities should respect minority rights, including providing minorities with legal protection, guaranteeing their rights to access essential services such as education and healthcare, and promoting understanding and peaceful coexistence.
- The international community and domestic authorities should support human rights organizations and provide financial support and necessary resources to enhance their capabilities in achieving desired results in promoting legal support and protecting activists and human rights defenders, ensuring their safety and their right to work freely. Additionally, they should support human rights organizations’ efforts to organize effective events and initiatives to raise awareness of human rights.
- All Yemeni authorities and the international community should push for the establishment of an international mechanism for accountability and justice for all cases of human rights violations.
Finally, on International Human Rights Day, we renew our commitment to working diligently and continuously to defend human rights in Yemen. We reiterate our call for justice, equality, and respect for human dignity, believing that human rights are non-negotiable, and we will continue the struggle to achieve them through all available means. On this International Human Rights Day, we declare that “Justice is All that Yemen Needs.”
Justice4Yemen Pact
December 10, 2023
Issued by:
- “The Right to Me” Foundation for Women’s Political and Economic Empowerment
- Abductees’ Mothers Association (AMA)
- Advocacy for Rights and Development Organization
- Afghan women news agency
- Afghanistan Women Solidarity Group
- Alamal Women’s and Sociocultural Foundation
- Al-Haq Foundation for Human Rights – Iraq
- ALKARAM- Geneva
- American Center For Justice (ACJ)
- Arab Women Parliamentarians network for Equality and Equity
- Basma Development Association
- Cameroon women’s peace movement
- Canada’s Feminist Forum for Afghanistan
- Center for Strategic Studies to Support Women and Children
- Committee Of The Families Of Kidnapped And The Disappeared in Lebanon
- Con-Citizenship Corporation
- Defense Foundation for Rights and Freedoms
- DT Institute
- Equality for Peace and Development
- Eradah Organization to Combat Torture and Forced Disappearance
- European Arab Center for Human Rights and International Law
- Food4humanity Foundation
- Free Media Center for Investigative Journalism
- Hope Advocates Africa
- Human Rights Watch
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Karama Organization for Human Rights
- Madaniya
- Marib Dam Foundation for Social Development
- Musaala organization for human rights
- Qarar foundation for Media and Development
- Ruwwad the Development and Human Rights Foundation
- SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties
- THE CENTER OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS
- The Yemeni Coalition to monitor Human Rights Violations- YCMHRV
- Urkino for promoting human rights
- Washington Center For Yemeni Studies
- Watch for Human Rights (Watch4HR)
- Women Advocacy committee
- Women are children legal Research Foundation
- Women Relief Aid -South Sudan
- Women Research and Advocacy Network
- Women’s center for guidance and legal awareness
- Women’s Development Research and Studies Center at Taiz University
- Yemen center for Human Rights Studies
- Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (will & hope)
- Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory (YMFO)
- Yemeni women’s voices platform
- Zenobia Association for Syrian Women