Mayyun: We have documented 700 schools used by the Houthis as child recruitment centers

Mayyun Organization Statement on the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers

On the occasion of this year’s International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, Mayyun Organization expresses its deep regret over the alarming increase in the recruitment of children in Yemen, which reached record levels by the end of 2024.

The warring parties in Yemen, particularly the Houthi group, continue their systematic recruitment of children, depriving them of their right to life and education, subjecting them to death, injury, and threatening their future in a grave violation of international law and human rights, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Despite the relative de-escalation between the conflict parties since October 2022, the recruitment of children in Yemen has not ceased, becoming one of the most dangerous developments in the conflict since its outbreak in 2014. Mayyun Organization has documented and verified the use of 700 public and private schools in Houthi-controlled areas as recruitment centers for children, where they are trained on various types of light and medium weapons under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Education, which has been renamed the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research.

This ongoing exploitation of children, combined with ideological indoctrination filled with extremism in the recruitment camps and sectarian courses held by the Houthi group, poses a serious threat to civil peace and social coexistence in Yemen, undermining any peace efforts.

With the military escalation since the beginning of this year in several governorates, the worsening economic situation, and the continued dropout of students from schools, Yemen has become a fertile ground for the recruitment of more children without barriers, in severe violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol.

At Mayyun Organization, we sound the alarm on the grave danger we face today, stressing the urgent need to reduce the recruitment of children in this armed conflict and mitigate the consequences of the violence inflicted upon them, ensuring the protection and promotion of their rights.

This requires a serious stand from all of us, particularly regional and international organizations, to coordinate efforts and ensure measures are taken to prevent the involvement of children in hostilities, whether directly or indirectly.

Issued by: Mayyun Organization for Human Rights
February 12, 2025