Reports indicate that the Houthi group is the main cause behind the spread of this crisis, as landmine planting is part of the group’s military strategy. The Houthis have planted mines not only in combat zones but also in densely populated areas. Worryingly, they have been manufacturing mines disguised as children’s toys, cosmetic tools, and household items, making them incredibly difficult to combat. Recently, Masam project team uncovered many of these deadly mines.

The planting of landmines in this manner represents a criminal approach aimed at harming civilians, constituting a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the First and Second Geneva Conventions of 1949, as well as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, which prohibits the use, storage, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines and mandates their destruction.

On the International Day for Mine Awareness, we remember the civilian victims of mines in Hodeidah, Taiz, Al-Bayda, Al-Jawf, Saada, Hajjah, Al-Dhale, and other areas, where thousands have been killed or injured. Thousands of Yemeni families, especially those displaced from their homes, still wish to return to their homes, which remain contaminated with random mines and unexploded ordnance. Meanwhile, most mine clearance programs and projects have come to a halt.

Mayyun Human Rights Organization would like to commend the tremendous humanitarian efforts of the mine clearance teams, particularly Masam project, which is one of the few remaining humanitarian initiatives in Yemen. Although this project has successfully cleared more than 65 million square meters of contaminated land as of March 2025, the scale of the disaster exceeds the capacity of any single organization to address.

Therefore, this year’s theme of “From Here, a Secure Future Begins” calls on the world to re-fund mine clearance programs and awareness initiatives to assist local communities in overcoming these challenges, as well as to apply maximum pressure on the Houthi group to hand over minefield maps, reveal mine locations, and immediately cease the manufacture of mines. Protecting civilians and creating a safe environment for them is a humanitarian duty that must be upheld by all. Mayyun also seizes this opportunity to reiterate its call for the internationally recognized Yemeni government to urgently form the National Committee for Mine Action and involve civil society in all efforts to combat mines and raise awareness about their dangers.

Issued by Mayyun Human Rights Organization
April 4, 2025

It is regrettable that this occasion comes at a time when most women in Yemen continue to suffer from deprivation of many of their needs, and more importantly, their rights. According to the latest United Nations statistics, 19.5 million people in Yemen are in need of humanitarian assistance, half of whom are women and girls. Moreover, of the 4.8 million displaced persons, 80% are women and children.

In a country where women make up nearly half of the population, there is no representation of women in the current Yemeni government. This reflects the failure of the ruling powers to provide women with a seat at the decision-making table and denies them political empowerment. It also signifies a lack of belief in the ability of women to hold leadership positions.
Violations against women in Yemen continue to escalate, including killings, injuries, denial of access to education and basic healthcare, and restrictions on their freedom of movement. Many are forcibly disappeared or held in prisons and detention centers, particularly within Houthi-controlled areas, where some have been detained for months or even years, subjected to severe human rights violations during their captivity.

At the Mayyun Organization, we will continue to fight for women’s rights in Yemen, advocating for their empowerment and rightful place in society. We believe that Yemeni women are capable of leading efforts to bring peace to Yemen and to actively participate in its establishment.

Issued by the Mayyun Organization for Human Rights
March 8, 2025