Aden: Governmental and Rights Groups Meet to Strengthen Child Protection in Yemen
The Yemeni Alliance for Monitoring Human Rights Violations (Yemen RASSD), in partnership with the DT Institute, held a coordination meeting in the city of Aden to discuss ways to enhance child protection and follow up on Yemen’s international commitments in this field.
The meeting, chaired by Judge Ishraq Al-Maqtari, brought together representatives from the Ministries of Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Social Affairs and Labor, Justice, Health, Interior, Defense, and Education, as well as representatives from the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Human Rights Violations, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Juvenile Care Center in Aden.
Participants discussed the implementation of recommendations adopted under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, and the challenges facing government institutions in protecting, caring for, and rehabilitating children—particularly amid the ongoing conflict.
Discussions emphasized the importance of developing a joint national roadmap for child protection, enhancing the capacity of law enforcement and legal personnel, rehabilitating juvenile centers, and involving the private sector in supporting children accompanying their mothers in prisons.
Mutahar Al-Badhiji, Executive Director of Yemen RASSD, said the meeting was part of efforts to follow up on international recommendations related to children’s rights. He noted that continued cooperation between government bodies and civil society organizations represents a positive step toward strengthening Yemen’s child protection system.
The meeting comes as part of the second phase of the SAFE II project, which aims to raise awareness and ensure children’s rights during conflict. A national workshop is planned for the end of the year to identify child protection priorities and develop a joint national action plan.
