(Central News Agency reporter Shi Wanqing, Cairo, 11th) Human rights organizations recently called on the international community to take action to stop the recruitment and exploitation of children by the Yemeni rebels. The Saudi Arabian National Association for Human Rights also pointed out that the issue of child soldiers in Yemen is directly related to the current hunger crisis. In addition to releasing child soldiers, a safe living and educational environment for children that does not have to rely on armed organizations should also be established.
The civil war in Yemen has lasted for more than 10 years, and the recruitment of child soldiers is one of the most serious human rights issues in this long-term civil war.
The civil war in Yemen stems from the north-south division between government forces and rebels. In 2014, the Yemeni rebel "Youth Movement" (Houthi) captured and began to control the capital Sanaa and surrounding areas. In 2015, the political standoff between government forces and rebels turned into a full-scale military conflict. The two sides reached a ceasefire in 2022; but in September 2026, the rebels launched another large-scale offensive, escalating the fighting again.
For many Yemeni children, the war has not only taken away opportunities for education, but also made them targets for recruitment by armed groups. Some children are forced to take up arms, while others are induced to join armed groups due to circumstances of poverty, loss of family income, school closures, or military exploitation.
The Middle East media "Arab News" reported on the 9th that the Saudi Arabian National Human Rights Association called on the United Nations and the Security Council to take decisive action to stop the recruitment and exploitation of children by the Yemeni rebels, and urged that measures be taken to release the recruited minors and hold relevant personnel accountable.
The report quoted the "Exploiting the Gaza Conflict" investigation report released by Human Rights Watch in 2024. The report recorded that the Yemeni rebels used the Gaza War to encourage children to participate in recruitment activities through schools and summer camps.
The report also said that the rebel "Youth Movement" signed a United Nations action plan in 2022 and promised to stop recruiting and using children, but Human Rights Watch continues to report that the youth movement uses child soldiers.
The "Children and Armed Conflict" report released by the United Nations in June 2026 also showed that the United Nations confirmed that 262 children in Yemen were recruited to armed forces groups to receive military training and engage in acts of war, of which 259 were boys and 3 were girls.
It is worth noting that the report also pointed out that these child soldier issues are not unilaterally involved by the rebels. The armed forces related to the Yemeni government and other local armed groups also recruit or use child soldiers.
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) also warned in early October that the hunger crisis in Yemen is accelerating, and about 18.3 million people are in "acute food insecurity" (acute food insecurity), which means these people are unable to obtain enough food stably. And the latest wave of fighting between rebels and government forces in September may turn the food crisis into an "extremely catastrophic" situation.
The Saudi Arabian National Association for Human Rights pointed out that the problem of child soldiers in Yemen has a direct social connection with its hunger crisis. The problem of child soldiers cannot be solved simply by military orders or the release of children. It must also restore schools, improve the livelihoods of children's families, and provide children with life options that provide food and security without relying on armed groups.
