Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Yemen’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Saadi, accused the Houthi group of converting schools into military barracks and carrying out the largest child recruitment operation in modern history, consequently depriving millions of children of their right to education.
In his speech before the second regular session of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for 2025 in New York, Al-Saadi emphasized the Yemeni government’s commitment to child protection and providing a safe educational and health environment. He commended UNICEF’s role in supporting the education, health, and water sectors.
Al-Saadi affirmed that the war ignited by the Houthi group has left a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, doubling poverty and malnutrition rates and directly affecting women, children, and the elderly. He warned of a worsening health situation with the outbreak of epidemic fevers.
He noted that the funding gap in the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan will negatively impact education and health, calling for urgent international support to ensure the continuity of essential services.
He also accused the Houthis of altering school curricula to instill extremist concepts and brainwashing children with ideas of hatred, which threatens the unity of Yemeni society and undermines the future of coming generations.
