Yemen’s Ensaf Organization for Women and Children’s Rights has affirmed that Yemeni youth are marking International Youth Day, observed on August 12, amid extremely difficult humanitarian, economic, and living conditions resulting from more than a decade of Saudi-American aggression and blockade.
In a statement issued on the occasion of International Youth Day, the organization said that the continued aggression and blockade, accompanied by economic deterioration and the collapse of basic services, have directly affected young people’s rights, future prospects, and opportunities for education, employment, and a dignified life.
The statement explained that young people, who constitute a vital segment of society and a major force in building the present and the future, have found themselves facing harsh conditions imposed by years of aggression.
Opportunities for education, training, and employment have declined, while unemployment, poverty, and displacement have worsened, and infrastructure and public services have been damaged.
According to the statement, the latest statistics indicate that more than 22 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2026, including 10.95 million women and girls, highlighting the continued expansion of the humanitarian crisis and its impact on various segments of society, particularly young people.
It said that young people are facing growing economic challenges amid declining employment opportunities and sources of income and rising living costs.
This has pushed large numbers of them into unemployment or unstable work, depriving many of the ability to build independent economic lives, establish families, and fulfill their future aspirations.
The statement reported that universities and institutes have been destroyed or sustained extensive damage to their infrastructure during the years of aggression.
The economic situation has also affected young people’s ability to continue their university education and afford tuition, transportation, and educational expenses, in addition to the decline in opportunities for training, capacity-building, and scientific research.
It added that the latest data for 2026 indicate that approximately 5.4 million people will face Crisis-level or worse food insecurity from June to September 2026, reflecting the scale of the difficult living conditions facing families and young people in particular.
The statement pointed out that the aggression and blockade have left deep psychological and social impacts on young people as a result of continued displacement, the loss of sources of income, and declining prospects for the future. This requires genuine responses that take into account their psychological, social, and economic needs.
The Ensaf Organization stressed that marking International Youth Day should not be limited to events and slogans, but should be an opportunity to highlight the reality of Yemeni youth and the rights that have been adversely affected by the aggression and blockade, and to work toward providing an environment that guarantees them education, training, employment, healthcare, and active participation in society.
The organization called on the international community, the United Nations, and international and humanitarian organizations to assume their responsibilities toward Yemeni youth and intensify efforts to support higher education and vocational training, economically empower young people, provide employment opportunities and income-generating projects, and strengthen health and social services. Such measures would contribute to mitigating the effects of the aggression and blockade and opening new prospects for young people.
The organization also called for placing Yemeni youth at the forefront of recovery, humanitarian response, and development plans, and ensuring their participation in shaping policies and programs related to their future.
It affirmed that empowering young people and protecting their rights are fundamental pillars for any stable and secure future.
It further stressed that the continued deterioration of young people’s conditions means the loss of enormous human potential that could have contributed to development and reconstruction.
Protecting their rights, it said, is not solely a national responsibility, but also a legal and humanitarian obligation incumbent upon the international community. The organization called for urgent and tangible measures to ensure Yemeni youth’s right to a better future and a dignified life.
