UNICEF information on Yemen : Yemen. 11/02/1995.
(CRC). (Report of UN Agencies/Organs)

Convention Abbreviation: CRC
UNICEF input to the
Pre-Sessional Working Group of the
Committee on the Rights of the Child
November 1995
YEMEN

Introduction

The Government report was prepared by a working group composed of seven members selected from the Ministry of Social Security and Social Affairs. The working group compiled the information for the report and eventually wrote it. While the bulk of the work was carried out by the Ministry of Social Security and Labor, a number of specialists from other relevant governmental ministries and departments (i.e. Education, Television) were consulted in the preparation of particular sections of the report. Very little consultations with local NGOs took place. UNICEF was not involved in the preparation of the report Even though most of the issues affecting children have been touched upon in the report, it was nonetheless affected by the limited availability of reliable statistics.
The representative of about 20 NGOs dealing with children met together and prepared, at the end of 1994, the alternative report. These NGOs felt that the government report did not sufficiently reflect their points of view and, consequently, they have issued their own alternative report. UNICEF has given a "behind the scene" support to the efforts of the above NGOs. Information provided by UNICEF country Office - Yemen
The general political conditions that the country went through in the past five years have adversely affected the well being of children in Yemen. The aftermath of both the Gulf War and the last year's Civil War had devastating affect on the children. The economic situation deteriorated, aggravated by inflation, deficit and debt. The most notable symptoms of the economic deterioration were a rise in the number of family members to an average of 5.8 per cent, a rise in the unemployment level to 36 per cent, and a greater incidence of begging among children. CRC Report

Gender-Discrimination

Gender discrimination seems to be a fairly serious problem in Yemen. With the reunification in 1990, many of the equalities that women enjoyed in South Yemen were disseminated. For example, divorced women's rights to custody of their children has been restricted. The subsequent law of 1992 also allows for polygamy. International Labour Review - South Yemen: Women's rights at risk Opportunities for girls to education and
employment are extremely limited.
Other examples include the stipulation in Yemen law that the guardian of a child, if she is a woman, should not have renounced Islam. In addition, she should not be so busy outside the home that she is unable to devote attention to the young person's needs. If the guardian is a man, he should have religious leanings. CRC Report Also, the Constitution does not entitle the children of a Yemen women married to a foreigner to enjoy Yemeni nationality as their birthright. CRC Report

Basic Health and Welfare

Yemeni health indicators are among the lowest in the world. The figures also show a concentration of services in urban areas, while rural especially remote regions and those difficult of access, are still deprived of health services. CRC Report
The monitoring of growth is one of the most difficult components of the health strategy for child survival. Effective use of a health card called "The Road to Health" is still far from satisfactory in many mother and child health care centers, although health workers have been
trained to use it. CRC Report
Major child health problems - Large numbers of Yemeni children continue to die of contagious and infectious disease and malnutrition, most of which could be treated by means of preventive services. Yemen launched a widespread immunization pro e in 1977 to protect
children against diseases for which vaccines are available. However, the suspension of support for the immunization programme following the economic crisis in the country led to a decline in the coverage ratio. CRC Report
Maternity care - Maternity care has been given insufficient attention in Yemen Statistics on maternal disease and mortality are poor. It is not surprising, therefore, that the maternal rate, estimated at 800 to 1,000 per 100,000 live births, is one of the highest in the world. CRC Report
Disabled Children - Although a Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled Act was drafted by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, it has not yet appeared. CRC Report
In 1992 only some two percent of the 300-400,000 disabled Yemeni's received any kind of rehabilitation. In addition most disabilities could have been prevented by improving the basic underlying conditions (nutrition, immunization, etc.). UNICEF S.A. 1992

According to the report steps have been taken to provide social services and training for the disabled. Homes and centers providing services, social welfare, education and training have been established for children with motor, mental and visual handicaps, and recreational activities are organized on their behalf. However, in view of the large number of beneficiaries and the paucity of resources available in relation to the scale of the services required, the personnel employed in this branch obviously lack the expertise required for this kind of work and need training, continuous profession development and more material incentives to remain in their jobs. CRC Report

Social services - Child-welfare establishments - crèches, kindergartens, orphanages, homes for juveniles, and centers and homes for the disabled lack proper furnishings and equipment for the pursuit of the kind of social, educational, vocational and recreational activities that children need in order to develop on an equal footing with their peers. Moreover, girls tend to be neglected in many programmes. These establishments also lack trained specialists and the few who are available lack the materials and resources they need. It should be noted that these basic services reach only about 2 per cent of those in need. CRC Report

Education

In spite of two literacy campaigns adopted by the State in 1981 and 1984, the objectives to eradicate illiteracy, however, have not been achieved, since not all children can be accommodated in education, nor do they all continue with it, particularly in the case of females. In addition, educational opportunities differ between the sexes, as they do between rural and urban areas. Illiteracy is therefore mainly among females, given the contrasting enrolment rates
between males and females and between rural and urban areas. CRC Report
In 1991-1992, the illiteracy rate was 55.3 per cent among sections of the population aged 10 years and over, 77.8 per cent among females and 32 per cent among males at the overall level, 93 per cent among females and 49 per cent among males at the rural level, and 70 per cent among females and 38 per cent among males at the urban level.
Although the population is increasing by an annual 3 per cent, there is no corresponding increase in educational resources. The illiteracy rate is therefore expected to remain static for the next five years, particularly in view of the delay in implementing measures that could help to surmount the difficulties that face girls' entry into education, such as increasing the absorbtion capacity in basic education, attempting to reduce drop-out rates from the first grades and applying the principle of compulsory education from the age of six, as provided for in the education legislation.
The principle of equal educational opportunities

According to the report social distinction occurs in education between boys and girls, between and urban areas, and between the most and least privileged members of society. Statistics indicate that 70 per cent of girls do not attend school and that the enrolment rates for boys and girls are clearly different, namely 85 per cent for boys and 30 per cent for girls. Statistics indicate that it is extremely difficult for rural inhabitants to attend schools because they are far away built in inaccessible areas.


CEDC/SPECIAL PROTECTION MEASURES

Refugee/Displaced Children

The report did not pay any attention to this point, but outside sources clearly show that it is a serious issue. There are thousands of Somali refugees in Yemen who fled the civil war there. In 1992 it was estimated that some 40,000 Somali refugees lived in Yemen. UNICEF S.A. The Yemeni government has tried to address this problem somewhat by erecting refugee camps. Because of the Yemeni civil war many refugee children became orphans. Three schools were opened with cooperation of NGOs. NGO Report Fifty per cent of the sample from a 1994 UNICEF study found that its population had been displaced by the war. Yemen - 1994 Annual Report (For internal use only, not for quotation)
In addition, the Gulf war, which forced some 1 million Yemeni expatriates to leave their jobs and sources of income and return without compensation to Yemen, had a far-reaching effect on numerous families and children. Over 56.5 per cent of returnees were dependent children.

Children Affected by Armed Conflict

Internal wars and internal conflicts have had a catastrophic effect on children. The events of January 1986 left many people injured and mutilated and also caused the migration and displacement of many families towards the northern regions. In addition, the loss of the family
provider led to homelessness among children, who were thus forced to work or beg.
As a result of the April 1994 war, a large number of families were displaced from the combat zones, leaving behind them many demolished homes. They were also accompanied by various people who were injured or disabled, most of them children.
In addition, the internal wars and conflicts caused mental distress to those people and also affected their food and medication. The expenditure on the above two wars exceeded the overall debt of the State. This human and psychological aspect reflects the extent to which women and children suffer as a result of war. According to the estimate of the World Health Organization representative some 375,000 inhabitants, most of them children, were suffering from the results of the war.
According to the report, accurate statistics concerning the number of dead and wounded and the material losses resulting from this armed conflict have not yet been published, although the competent authorities we expected to announce them eventually. However, all enormous number of families have most certainly been displaced from their places of origin, particularly areas where battles took place, damaging their homes and amenities and making schools vulnerable to looting and sabotage. CRC Report that out of a sample of about 400 children, 102 children were enrolled in the army. Sixteen per cent of all children's deaths in 1994 were casualties of military operations. Yemen - 1994 Annual Report (For internal use only, not for quotation)

Juvenile Justice

We refer to the alternative NGO report for additional information about this issue.


Economic Limitation
According to the law the working hours of young persons must not exceed 6 hours per day or 24 hours per week. Young persons must not be required to work overtime or on weekly rest days, official holidays or other periods of leave. The draft Labour Act prohibits the employment of young persons in arduous or harmful occupations or industries. CRC Report
The Basic Labour Code prohibits the employment of young persons up to 16 years of age who have not completed their basic education unless special approval is granted by the Minister after each case has been considered on its merits in the light of a special social study and report.
Although the Convention may require the protection of children from all forms of economic exploitation, harsh economic conditions are not easily tackled by mandatory decree. The circumstances imposed by such conditions produced a social and economic upheaval in various fields in which children were among the victims, despite the existence of legislation teeing protection from all forms of child exploitation. CRC Report

Children Belonging to a Minority or Indigenous Group

There are Jewish minorities in Yemen and some very poor marginal minorities like the El-Akhdaam (and others, especially those who originate from East Africa). Many of them suffer social and economic discrimination which makes it very difficult for them and their children to escape the cycle of poverty and ignorance that characterize their lives. UNICEF S.A. 1992 No programmes seem to exist to integrate them into society. NGO Report

Nomad schools, which used to provide services for orphans and the children of nomads in areas inhabited by the Bedouin, no longer operate because they were unable to cover their costs and they lacked the necessary financial and material resources. They operated like
mobile schools, catering to the needs of the Bedouin community. CRC Report

Street Children

According to a 1993 study of child beggars in Sana'a, family disintegration as a result of polygamy, death or divorce plays a major role in compelling many people, including children, to resort to begging. A disturbed and fraught family environment has an adverse impact on children's psychological make-up and drives them to vacancy and begging, which in turn prevents them from attending school. CRC Report
Although the report does go into these problems y this seems to be a major problem in Yemen. There are many street children and beggars. Some children are even mutilated by their parents in order for them to become more `successful' beggars. There is no law in Yemen which prohibits begging and no programmes to deal with children who do, so the problem is seen to be spreading. NGO Report

DPA-CRS/20NOV95/E.Detiger/A.Ferrario

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