7. Yemen
Points: 5
Areas of human rights violation as identified by HRW: air strikes, cluster munitions, landmines, indiscriminate attacks, children and arm conflicts, attacks on health and humanitarian workers, terrorism and counterterrorism; harassment of critics; women’s rights; sexual orientation and gender identity.
Humanitarian crisis and media freedom
The war which broke between Houthi rebels and state’s military in 2015 created a large-scale humanitarian crisis. According to UN, out of total 26.7 million population, 21 million needs humanitarian aid, 20 million do not have access to drinking water and 12.9 million lack food. In September last year, the death toll was 4,855, while the number of displaced reached 1.3 million. At the same time, according to Reporters Without Borders, 33 journalists were kidnapped by Houthi militias and Al-Qaeda in Yemen last year, compared to two in 2014.
Children’s rights
Since the escalation of conflicts, women and children rights have worsened. According to Unicef, eight children are being killed or maimed every day in Yemen as a direct result of the conflict. The recruitment of child soldiers has also dramatically increased. Children who escaped death and direct involvement in battles face food and drinking water scarcity.
Women’s rights
In courtrooms, a woman is regarded as half a person, which means that her testimony does not carry the same weight as a testimony of a man. Furthermore, women are not allowed to testify in cases of adultery, libel, theft or sodomy. They can not marry without approval of male relative. Once a woman enters a marriage, she literally becomes a property of a husband who decides when his wife can leave the house. Even in cases when women need medical care, consent of male relative is often prerequisite for hospital admission. If Yemen woman wants a divorce, she has to justify her reasons for wanting to end the marriage in a court. Needless to say, the same rules do not apply to men.
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