Saudi Human Rights Body Demands UN Action to Stop Houthi Child Soldier Recruitment

• The National Society for Human Rights urges the release of recruited children and accountability for those responsible.
• Prolonged conflict in Yemen has left minors vulnerable to recruitment, combat involvement, and disrupted education.

Updated 15 sec ago

Arab News Pakistan

October 9, 2026 04:34

RIYADH: The National Society for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia has appealed to the United Nations and the Security Council to take decisive steps to halt the recruitment and exploitation of children by Yemen’s Houthi militia, demanding the release of enlisted minors and accountability for perpetrators.
The organization denounced the ongoing enlistment of children in combat, noting that such practices endanger their lives, rob them of education and a safe upbringing, and jeopardize their future, as highlighted in a report issued by the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.
It referenced multiple international reports that detail the Houthi‑linked recruitment of child soldiers and their exposure to military training and propaganda.
The society emphasized that mere condemnation and documentation are insufficient; it called for concrete actions to cease recruitment, liberate children already within Houthi ranks, prevent re‑enlistment, and ensure those responsible face justice.
Furthermore, it urged the UN and Security Council to engage existing international mechanisms to hold offenders accountable and curb their ability to continue the practice.

Documented violations
Human rights groups and UN investigators have repeatedly recorded the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Yemen’s conflict, with evidence showing the Houthis responsible for a significant portion of these cases.
A 2024 Human Rights Watch report titled “Exploiting the Gaza Conflict” revealed how the Houthis leveraged the Gaza war to entice children into recruitment drives through schools and summer camps, subsequently sending some to front‑line positions in Yemen.
An independent study, “Militarized Childhood,” conducted by SAM for Rights and Liberties together with Euro‑Med Human Rights Monitor, documented the enlistment of at least 10,300 Yemeni children between 2014 and 2021.
The United Nations continues to monitor and report grave violations against children in Yemen, including recruitment by all parties to the conflict. Although the Houthis signed a UN action plan in 2022 pledging to end child soldier recruitment, monitors have persisted in reporting breaches.
The society warned that involving children in armed conflict fuels violence and extremism, prolongs hostilities, and undermines prospects for lasting peace and stability.

Conflict takes toll on children
Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting a Saudi‑led coalition intervention in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government. Despite intermittent lulls and diplomatic initiatives, the war remains unresolved.
The Houthis have persisted in launching missile and drone strikes against Saudi Arabia, which are intercepted by Saudi and allied air defenses, further heightening regional security concerns amid the prolonged war.
The society stressed that ending child recruitment must be paired with comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration programs—offering psychological, social, and educational support—to enable affected children to return to their families, schools, and communities.
It argued that protecting children cannot be postponed, urging a shift from merely documenting violations to actively stopping them and from condemnation to enforceable accountability.

The United Nations has likewise urged all parties to the conflict to release children from their ranks, halt recruitment, guarantee humanitarian access to impacted communities, and investigate violations against children.
In September, the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Frazier, visited Saudi Arabia to meet with government officials and other stakeholders on safeguarding children affected by armed conflict. Her visit underscored the necessity of international cooperation, humanitarian aid, and sustained support for children living in war zones.

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