The consequences of the conflict deprive nearly two-thirds of Yemeni children of education

The consequences of the conflict deprive nearly two-thirds of Yemeni children of education

Save the Children has revealed that nearly two-thirds of children in Yemen are currently out of school, amid the worsening impacts of the conflict, deteriorating economic conditions, and rising rates of child labor. The organization warns of the widening education crisis in conjunction with increasing prices and the decline in humanitarian aid.

In a new report coinciding with the start of the academic year, the organization explained that years of conflict have severely affected children’s right to education, with schools being damaged, poverty increasing, and a growing number of families unable to afford educational expenses.

A survey conducted by the organization in four regions in southern Yemen, covering 2,214 families, showed that 32% of children have never enrolled in school, while a quarter of the children have dropped out, underscoring the urgent need for interventions to reinstate them in educational settings.

According to the report, child labor is one of the most significant causes of school dropouts, as it is associated with about a fifth of cases of discontinuation of education. The tough economic conditions are forcing many families to send their children to work, contributing to basic family needs instead of continuing their education.

The survey results revealed the extent of the living pressures facing families, with 92% stating they do not know where their next meal will come from, while 95% rely on daily work to meet their needs, and 84% confirmed their inability to afford educational expenses, including school uniforms, books, and supplies.

The organization also pointed to another assessment that included about 14,000 people, nearly five thousand of whom were children, which showed the worsening education crisis in various regions of Yemen, coinciding with the ongoing increase in food and fuel prices and the impact of reduced foreign aid on the lives of children and their families.

Save the Children warned that the continuation of the current conditions threatens to deprive more Yemeni children of education. It called for the necessary support to be provided to return them to school and to support the most vulnerable families, preventing them from resorting to child labor to secure daily life necessities.