Barran Press
The United Nations has vehemently rejected accusations by the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by the international community, that UN agencies and partners are "conspiring to destroy" the education system in Yemen.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated in a press release: "Such false claims are baseless and threaten the safety of our staff and hinder our ability and that of our partners to serve the Yemeni people."
The Houthi group had made these allegations against the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and other humanitarian partners.
Dujarric emphasized that UN agencies are working tirelessly to address the devastating impact of the crisis in Yemen, where over half the population – approximately 19 million people – rely on humanitarian assistance and protection.
"With over 4.5 million children out of school in Yemen, UNICEF calls on the authorities in Sana'a to lead a constructive and collaborative approach, working with all partners to address the urgent needs of all children," Dujarric stated.
He stressed the importance of respecting and ensuring the safety of all UN personnel.
Dujarric reiterated the Secretary-General's call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN staff and partners arbitrarily detained in Yemen.
"In the meantime, detainees must be treated with full respect for their human rights, and they must be able to contact their families and legal representatives," he added.
Over the past three months, the Houthis have arbitrarily detained 13 UN staff members, along with civil society members, national and international NGOs, and diplomatic missions.
Furthermore, four UN staff members detained in 2021 and 2023 remain in custody.
On September 3, 2024, the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, stated that the whereabouts of the UN staff members remain unknown three months after their abduction by the Houthi group.
In a statement released on the UN Human Rights website, Shamdasani said, "The de facto authorities in Houthi-controlled areas have not allowed effective access to any of the UN staff members after 3 months of their abduction, despite our repeated requests."
On September 5, 2024, the European Union Delegation stated that the Houthi group's continued detention of 13 UN staff members without any communication for over 90 days severely hinders the international community's ability to assist millions of Yemenis in urgent need of aid.
Since June 2024, the Iranian-backed Houthi group has launched a campaign of arrests targeting UN staff and international agencies. On June 6 and 7, they abducted 13 UN staff members, including six from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, along with over 50 NGO staff members and a staff member from the embassy.