Minister of Human Rights Discusses with UNICEF Ways to Strengthen Child Protection and Prevent Child Recruitment

Last week in the temporary capital Aden, Minister of Human Rights Mashdal Omar met with Jesper Moller, Acting Director General of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation to protect children and prevent their involvement in armed conflicts, in a step aimed at strengthening a safe environment for children in Yemen.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the annual plan of the Joint Technical Committee concerned with preventing child recruitment, the level of implementation of activities included in the action plan, as well as mechanisms to improve coordination between the ministry and the organization in a way that contributes to achieving shared objectives related to child protection.

The meeting also reviewed the committee’s performance during the past period and the achievements made within the framework of implementing the roadmap signed between the government and the United Nations, which contributed to notable progress in the child protection file. One of its key outcomes was Yemen’s removal from the list associated with child recruitment.

The Minister of Human Rights affirmed the government’s commitment to protecting children and rejecting their exploitation in conflicts, noting that protecting children represents a moral and humanitarian obligation before being a legal one. He stressed the importance of continuing cooperation with UNICEF and implementing the committee’s annual plan to ensure the sustainability of efforts aimed at ending the phenomenon of child recruitment and strengthening the national protection system.

For his part, Jesper Moller praised the progress achieved in the field of child protection over the past period, pointing to the importance of the Country Programme for 2026–2029, which includes programs and projects aimed at protecting children affected by armed conflicts and strengthening previously developed procedures and mechanisms. He also commended the government’s efforts, represented by the Ministry of Human Rights, in this regard.