Ministry of Human Rights Launches National Campaign to Prevent Child Recruitment
The Ministry of Human Rights on Wednesday launched a national media campaign to prevent the recruitment of children, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as part of the Roadmap Project to End the Recruitment and Use of Children in Armed Conflicts in Yemen.
The campaign, held in the interim capital Aden under the slogan “Children Belong in Schools, Not on the Frontlines”, coincides with the start of the two-day session of the Joint Technical Committee on the Prevention of Child Recruitment. The committee is discussing ongoing efforts to protect children from conflict-related violations, including activating the complaints protocol and expanding adherence to the Safe Schools Declaration.
Fahmi Naaman, Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting children from recruitment, highlighting key measures taken — notably Cabinet Resolution No. 109 of 2018 and official directives from the Ministries of Defense and Interior prohibiting the recruitment of anyone under the age of 18.
Naaman also noted tangible progress, including Yemen’s removal from the UN’s list of child rights violators, the formation of Child Protection Units, the establishment of military monitoring points, and the launch of the "Safe Schools" initiative.
Issam Al-Shaari, Director General of International Organizations and Reports at the Ministry, reviewed the key achievements of the technical committee, including the signing of a protocol for the handover of child recruits — a move praised by the United Nations.
Brigadier General Ali Salem, representative of the Ministry of Defense, emphasized the importance of evaluating progress, particularly regarding the training of Child Protection Units and the establishment of contact points within military units.
For his part, UNICEF representative Peter Hawkins commended the committee’s efforts and called for stronger coordination among stakeholders, as well as broader implementation of the action plan and complaints protocol, stressing that safe schools are the first line of defense for child protection in Yemen.
