At a media meeting with journalists and writers held as part of Seyaj’s campaign against child recruitment in Yemen, Seyaj President Ahmed Al-Qurashi said the recruitment of children is a deeply rooted problem and a war crime being practiced on a wide scale in the country.
He explained that although the phenomenon is not new, the worsening security situation and the competition among different parties to attract fighters and supporters have made children direct victims of the conflict. He stressed that Yemeni law still treats this issue weakly, mentioning the crime without clearly prescribing punishment.
Al-Qurashi called on all parties, whether aligned with the government or with the popular uprising, to respect international standards such as the Paris Principles on the demobilization, reintegration, and rehabilitation of child soldiers. He also said the Yemeni state bears the primary responsibility to confront child recruitment and warned that failure to enforce international law may invite outside intervention.
Participants in the meeting discussed the role of the media in changing public perceptions so that child recruitment is clearly understood in Yemeni society as a crime, not as something normal or acceptable.
