Maat: Houthi militia use mines and recruit Yemeni children

Aqeel: The international community should review its shameful positions regarding Houthi violations

Yesterday, during the 41st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights presented an intervention under Item 6 of the Universal Periodic Review, during which the Foundation drew the Council's attention to the violations committed by the Houthi militia against Yemenis, who live in economic conditions. And difficult humanity, since the Houthi militia’s coup against the legitimate government in Yemen in 2014, and they seized the capital, Sanaa.

Ayman Aqil, head of the Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights said that the deterioration of the humanitarian and economic conditions and the high rates of school dropout led to the Houthi militia to recruit children and use them for military and combat purposes. In Al Hudaydah governorate alone, they planted 37 minefields in 251 areas, causing more than 330,000 people to die. During 2018, mines killed 56 people, including 20 children and 8 women, and the number of injured reached 31, including 9 children.

The head of Maat Foundation called on the international community to review its shameful positions during the past four years, and to his failure to protect civilians and stop the violations committed by the Houthi militia supported by the Iranian regime, and Aqeel called for the need to hold those involved in these violations accountable, compensate the victims, and address all possible means to these violations.

It is worth noting that the 41st session of the Human Rights Council began its work on June 24 and continues until July 12 in Geneva, and Maat participates in it with a number of oral and written interventions. It also held a number of side events and meetings on the sidelines of the session, and Maat participates in a mission of 26 individuals from eight countries European, Arab and African.