Within the activities of Supporting Awareness, Facilitating Enforcement of Children’s Rights in the Yemeni Conflict

(SAFE) project, implemented by the Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations (YCMHRV) (Rasd Coalition) in partnership with the Watch for Human Rights and with the support of the DT Institute during the period from December 2022 to March 2023, the workshop on Children’s Rights in Yemen (Reality and Challenges), was implemented in Aden during 28-29 February 2024.

The workshop intends to launch a comprehensive professional and legal dialogue between representatives of the justiciary, the civil society, academics, jurists, and representatives of international organizations working in protecting and promoting children’s rights and human rights in general to determine the reality of children in Yemen and the major challenges facing children and how to come up with recommendations to be submitted to the government and international organizations concerned with child rights

The two-day workshop, included three working sessions that addressed various topics such as children’s rights in local and international legislation, international mechanisms for protecting children’s rights, the role of the judicial sector in the period of transitional justice, and the role of local and international organizations in rehabilitating, caring for, and reintegrating children. In the community, and come up with recommendations to various stakeholders.

The workshop also facilitated a dialogue and cooperation between relevant authorities and exchange experiences, and address challenges towards institutionalizing the protection of Yemeni children from grave violations and holding perpetrators accountable.

Mutahar Al-Bathaiji, Executive Director of the Rasd Coalition, pointed out that the children of Yemen have been suffering, over the past eight years, from six grave violations, mainly killing, injuring, recruitment, sexual violence, abduction, violations against the right to education, and obstruction of aid reaching children.

He added: "In this regard, we reiterate our call on all concerned parties, especially the Houthi group, to immediately stop committing violations against children and spare them from the scourge of war."

Stressing that the basic task of preserving and protecting the rights of victims is through “monitoring and documentation,” of these violations which is considered the first step in bringing perpetrators to justice.

Pointing out that the Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations confirms that it stands on an equal footing with all victims of human rights violations in general and children’s rights violations in particular, and stands at the same distance from all parties accused of committing these violations and works with high professionalism and credibility to guarantee the rights of all victims.

At the end of his speech, he thanked the teamwork for organizing this workshop, the distinguished panelists who prepared the working papers, and all the participants, representatives of the judicial and executive authority, representatives of civil society, legal experts, academics, and representatives of international organizations. He pointed that: “We look forward that the workshop will conclude into effective outcomes and recommendations that contribute to protecting and caring for children’s rights and preserving their dignity, identifying the systemic, legal and societal difficulties and challenges facing children in Yemen, and also developing effective interventions to protect children in Yemen and activating the principle of accountability for perpetrators of violations against children.” .

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