Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, rejected the allegations, stating that “such false claims are baseless and further threaten the safety of our staff and hinder our ability to serve the people of Yemen and our partners”.
Allegations made against the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other humanitarian partners.
He reiterated that UN agencies have been working tirelessly to address the impact of the terrible crisis in Yemen, where more than half the population – or some 19 million people – depend on humanitarian aid and protection.
Protect the right to education
Since 2021, UNICEF and partners have working to ensure quality education for Yemeni children through the Recovery of Education and Learning (REAL) program.
This national partnership – with the Ministry of Education, the World Bank, the Global Partnership for Education and others – has provided critical support, including regular bonus payments to more than 40,000 teachers and the renovation of more than 770 schools.
In addition, the organization provides school bags and educational materials to more than half a million children, provides school meals to more than 600,000 students, and supports professional training for more than 9,000 teachers, among many other investments.
“With more than 4.5 million children out of school in Yemen, UNICEF calls on the authorities in Sana’a to adopt a constructive and collaborative approach, working with all partners to address the urgent needs of all children,” said Mr. Dujarric.
UN staff must be protected
The UN spokesperson further stressed that the safety of all UN personnel must be respected and ensured.
More than three months have passed since the Houthis (also known as Ansar Allah) arbitrarily detained 13 United Nations staff, along with members of civil society, national and international NGOs, and diplomatic missions.
Additionally, four UN staff detained in 2021 and 2023 remain in custody.
“The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the immediate and unconditional release of all United Nations staff and partners arbitrarily detained in Yemen,” said Mr. Dujarric.
“In the meantime, those detained must be treated with full respect for their human rights and they must be able to contact their families and legal representatives,” he added.
