Yemeni children; No childhood

Childhood is declining in Yemen day by day. The situation of Yemeni children at the beginning of 2022 is extremely critical. Years of civil war in Yemen have not only claimed the lives of many children, but their educational status has also entered a long-term crisis.

A classroom in Yemen is very different from other parts of the world. Not only have many school buildings been damaged, but desks, doors and windows have often been destroyed. This causes the children to sit on the floor.

Meanwhile, about three million children in Yemen are unable to enroll and continue their education. The UN Children's Fund announced in early August that 8 million children in Yemen needed urgent educational assistance.

The average age of marriage for girls in some rural areas, even before the conflict began, was only 14, and has fallen sharply since then, while 11-year-old boys have been recruited by the warring parties.

Hundreds of thousands of children have been displaced, and most of them has no access to educational facilities. There is a lot of pressure to drop out of school and work to support the family.

The war has not only destroyed the education system, but also the infrastructure needed to continue educating. Water tanks have been bombed, Yemeni children want gloves, masks and disinfectants, but many schools do not even have baths or tap water, and soap is a luxury for millions of malnourished families.

More than 170,000 teachers in Yemen have not been paid in the last four years. Local communities often donate milk and food, but many teachers survive through weird jobs and small grants from aid organizations.

The situation of Yemeni children in terms of food, hygiene and educational facilities requires rapid follow-up and serious action by international organizations. What is happening to children in Yemen is taking on a wider dimension every day.

 

_{Source and Credit: AA،NRC, UNICEF, GUARDIAN}