266 Human Rights Organizations, Including “Irada”, Demand Urgent International Action to Protect Civilians from Houthi Terrorism in Yemen.

​Human Rights Statement

​Irada Organization Against Torture and Enforced Disappearance participated, alongside 266 Yemeni civil society organizations and institutions, in issuing a joint human rights statement addressing the violations committed against civilians and children in Yemen, and the serious humanitarian and human rights consequences resulting from them.

​Irada Organization and the organizations signing the statement affirmed that the ongoing escalation and grave violations committed by the Houthi militia have contributed to worsening the humanitarian crisis.

They noted that the violations monitored and documented by civil society organizations included killing, abduction, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, house demolitions, road blockades, and the targeting of civilian vehicles, alongside sniper fire and shelling that hit residential neighborhoods, villages, health and educational facilities, and other civilian objects.

The statement explained that the impacts of these violations have affected all segments of Yemeni society, led by the most vulnerable groups, particularly children, women, and the elderly.

​Regarding children, Irada Organization and the civil society organizations expressed their deep concern over documented cases of child recruitment by the Houthis in summer camps, in addition to those deceived due to poverty and taken out of schools. The Houthi militia prepared recruitment centers for these children, indoctrinating them with sectarian ideas and conducting brainwashing operations, before throwing thousands of them into the blazes of death by forcing them to participate in combat operations. The organizations emphasized that recruiting children or using them in hostilities constitutes a grave violation of international law and amounts to a war crime, as all legal elements for it have been met.

The statement noted that, following the recent military escalation on the coast and across several frontlines, civil society organizations documented cases of children who were recruited and sent to combat zones, with several of them captured during clashes in areas within Taiz, Marib, Al-Jawf, and the West Coast governorates.

Irada Organization and civil society organizations affirmed their continued commitment to monitoring and documenting these cases, and to coordinating with relevant Yemeni, regional, and international entities to secure protection, care, and rehabilitation for children affected by the conflict.

​In the context of violations against civilians, the statement highlighted the Houthi militia’s targeting of a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Raghwan District, Marib Governorate, with a ballistic missile on September 7, 2026. According to initial figures provided by relevant authorities and monitoring organizations, the attack resulted in the death of two children, aged five and seven, and the injury of 15 civilians, including eight children, in addition to damaging 16 homes and three civilian vehicles.

The statement also noted the documented shelling of populated villages in Taiz Governorate using medium and heavy weapons, as well as reports of the December 2nd Hospital in Al-Mokha City being targeted by a ballistic missile on the same day.

The organizations stressed that medical and civilian facilities enjoy special protection under the rules of international humanitarian law, and that any deliberate targeting of them warrants an independent and effective investigation and accountability for those responsible in accordance with the law.

Regarding displacement, Irada Organization and civil society organizations referred to data issued by the Executive Unit for IDP Camps Management regarding movement from Taiz and Al-Hudaydah governorates, confirming that thousands of families were forced to leave their homes due to the escalation, and that displaced families face urgent humanitarian needs including shelter, food, water, healthcare, and protection.

Furthermore, Irada Organization and civil society organizations warned in their statement against the spillover of the conflict’s impact and violations to international navigation and maritime lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They noted that continued attacks and threats against ships and sea lanes pose a danger to maritime security, international trade, food security, and regional stability.

The organizations expressed their condemnation of attacks targeting civilian navigation, warning against the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab turning into a permanent hotbed of conflict, while emphasizing the necessity of investigating any funding, arming, or external support networks contributing to the continuation of violations or the expansion of the conflict.

​In the same context, Irada Organization and civil society organizations expressed concern over reports regarding the exploitation of the fragile humanitarian and legal conditions of African migrants in Yemen, alongside information regarding the recruitment or forced exploitation of some of them in combat.

The statement affirmed that exploiting migrants or forcibly recruiting them constitutes a severe violation of their human rights and dignity, necessitating investigation and accountability. It called on international organizations concerned with migration to bolster protection programs against recruitment, exploitation, human trafficking, and violence.

The organizations warned that any political or international path that ignores victims’ rights or detaches a political settlement from the requirements of justice and accountability risks entrenching impunity and creating an environment for ongoing violations.

Irada Organization Against Torture and Enforced Disappearance and the signatory civil society organizations called on the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and the international community to assume their responsibilities in protecting civilians, working to halt child recruitment, migrant exploitation, and threats to international navigation, while strengthening accountability mechanisms and preventing impunity.

They also called on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and relevant international mechanisms to intensify monitoring and documentation work, and to strengthen professional investigation mechanisms and evidence preservation to aid in delivering justice to victims and holding perpetrators accountable.

​The organizations demanded that international agencies concerned with children and migration enhance targeted protection for children and migrants, verify recruitment and exploitation cases, and support demobilization, rehabilitation, and reintegration programs. They also urged countries and entities concerned with the security of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab to take necessary legal and diplomatic measures to protect international navigation and investigate the sources and networks of funding and armaments linked to the attacks.

In this context, Irada Organization Against Torture and Enforced Disappearance affirms that, since September 14, 2026, it has continued its intensive human rights advocacy within the UN corridors in Geneva, having conducted over 14 meetings, seminars, and sessions with UN mechanisms, international missions, and human rights bodies, and continues its work in Geneva to date.

​Throughout these engagements, the organization carried dozens of files concerning victims of violations it monitored and documented, submitting three human rights reports containing testimonies, incidents, and data on violations affecting civilians across several districts in Taiz, Al-Hudaydah, Marib, and Al-Jawf.

Irada Organization reaffirms its commitment to continue monitoring and documenting violations, conveying the voices of victims to UN mechanisms and international forums, and advancing legal accountability efforts to deliver justice, preserve victims’ rights, and uphold the principle of non-impunity.

Irada Organization also stresses that the protection of civilians and victims’ rights must remain at the forefront of any international efforts addressing the Yemeni crisis. Achieving sustainable peace remains inextricably linked to attaining justice, accountability, and ensuring non-recurrence. It emphasizes that through the years of war in Yemen, there is no prospect for peace with the Houthi militia, as it executes Iran’s agendas and terrorism in Yemen.

Issued by:Irada Organization Against Torture and Enforced DisappearanceSaturday, September 26, 2026Geneva, Switzerland