UN Documentation: Houthi Tops the List of Violations against Children”
A recent UN report placed Houthi militias at the top of the violations list in Yemen, due to their severe crimes against the country’s children.
The annual report by the UN Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict revealed that all Yemeni parties committed nearly 1,600 grave violations against children, resulting in the death and injury of over 500 children in 2022.
According to the report, the UN verified that Yemeni parties, primarily the Houthi militias, committed 1,596 grave violations against 637 children (522 boys and 115 girls), including 26 children who were victims of multiple violations.
These violations, as outlined in the report, included killings, mutilations, abductions, recruitment, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, their use for military purposes, as well as restrictions and impediments to humanitarian aid access.
The report documented that the Houthi terrorist militias accounted for 53% of the total recorded violations against children, followed by unknown perpetrators at 35%, while the remaining violations were attributed to various Yemeni parties.
The report indicated that 544 children (432 boys and 112 girls) were killed or maimed, with 158 fatalities and 386 injured during the past year.
The main causes of these child casualties varied, including explosives from war remnants (282 children), shelling with mortars and artillery (103 children), gunfire (77 children), drone attacks (50 children), and children being run over by military vehicles (14 children), according to the report.
The report also mentioned that the UN verified the recruitment of a total of 105 children, some as young as ten, with 33 of them being used in combat.
The report stated that it was concerning that the UN received reports about Houthi militias organizing summer camps for children, exposing them to military content and activities.
Furthermore, the report confirmed six cases of children (five boys and one girl) being deprived of their freedom due to their alleged association with parties to the conflict, as well as three cases of sexual violence involving both boys and girls. Additionally, there were 32 attacks on schools and hospitals, including protected individuals within these facilities, and military use of 73 facilities (67 schools and 6 hospitals).
The UN also verified the abduction of 11 children (10 boys and one girl), with nine of them being recruited and used in combat, while eight managed to escape or were released, leaving the status of the remaining three unknown.
The report documented 901 incidents of a hindrance to humanitarian aid access, including attacks and restrictions on movement within the country and interference in humanitarian activities in Sanaa, Saada, and Hodeidah, all areas under Houthi terrorist militias.
Over the years, Houthi militias have consistently topped the violations list due to their brutal acts, particularly against children, who have borne the brunt of the Houthis’ cruelty.
Customary international law allows internationally recognized governments to pursue Houthi leaders responsible for these crimes, especially direct attacks against civilians and the recruitment of children. However, this requires the exhaustion of domestic legal remedies before initiating international pursuit or trial.
