Rights Group Documents More Than 36,000 Violations Against Yemeni Children Since 2017

Rights Group Documents More Than 36,000 Violations Against Yemeni Children Since 2017
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A Yemeni human rights network has documented more than 36,000 violations against children in Yemen since 2017, including killings, injuries, abductions, forced disappearances, torture, and recruitment into armed groups, as the prolonged conflict continues to deprive millions of children of education and basic services.

In a report titled “Yemeni Children: From Schools to Battlefields,” the Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms said it recorded 36,179 violations against children between January 2017 and September 8, 2026, across several Yemeni provinces.

The report documented the deaths of 5,495 children, including 712 infants, and injuries to 3,972 others as a result of shelling, sniper attacks, landmines, and other war-related hazards.

The network also reported 317 cases of child abduction and enforced disappearance, along with 117 cases of torture in detention facilities, nine of which resulted in deaths. It said other cases involved physical and psychological abuse as well as sexual violence.

The report highlighted child recruitment as a major concern, warning that limited access to many conflict-affected areas makes it difficult to determine the full scale of children involved in armed activities or subjected to related abuses.

Beyond direct violence, the organization said the conflict has displaced nearly 49,965 children, leaving many without adequate shelter, healthcare, and social protection. It also estimated that around 4.5 million children have been deprived of education due to damage to schools, disruption of services, and the use of some educational facilities for military-related purposes.

The network warned that continued violence, displacement, child recruitment, and disruption of education threaten the future of an entire generation of Yemeni children. It called on the international community and humanitarian organizations to strengthen child protection efforts and urged all parties to the conflict to respect international law and protections for children during armed conflicts.