Media in Yemen: Efforts to Convey Juvenile Issues Despite Difficulties

Hanan Hussein – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

The issue of juvenile delinquents in Yemen is a significant humanitarian and social concern that requires the combined efforts of all relevant parties, including the media. Media plays a vital role in shedding light on the stories of these children, the reasons that led them to commit crimes, and the importance of their reintegration into society. It also raises public awareness about their plight and consequently pressures policymakers to provide them with necessary care.

An Important Role

Haidara Al-Kazmi, president of the National Forum for Childhood and Youth, says: “There is no doubt that the media plays a vital role in presenting the issues of children and juveniles in our country. It is the window through which the public learns about these issues that concern society, the suffering of these children, and the impact of conflicts and difficult economic conditions on their lives and future.”

He adds: “Since the conflict began, the role of the media has been weakening in the Yemeni street regarding addressing the issue of juveniles, and children’s issues in general, as a result of its focus on the conflict in all its aspects.”

The Importance

Regarding the importance of the media in highlighting children’s issues, Ali Al-Moshki, director of Yemen FM Radio, believes that the media, whether audio, visual, or even written, has a significant role in influencing society. Presenting children’s issues to the public and related events proves this importance. Educating, supporting, and informing them by presenting materials about children’s rights and the violations they face, and teaching them the laws related to children is also crucial.

He explains that the media works to convey issues to public opinion. No matter what the issues are, they can’t reach public opinion and society completely if they are not raised in the media.

Al-Kazmi believes that the importance of the media lies in its ability to shed light on the issue of juvenile delinquents in all its aspects, and for several reasons.  The media contributes to raising societal awareness about the problems, rights, and living conditions of these children, prompting society to take action and help. It also plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion about their issues, pushing decision-makers to take measures to protect their rights, and mobilizing funding from local and international organizations to implement projects and programs that address the impact of these issues on children.

He adds, “The media exposes violations of children’s rights, contributing to holding perpetrators accountable. It can also support child protection programs by promoting them, highlighting their importance, and disseminating information about activities and programs focused on juvenile delinquency and child protection.”

He believes that raising public awareness about children’s issues can contribute to changing the societal view of juveniles from perpetrators of crimes to victims in need of care, rehabilitation, and integration. When society is aware of children’s rights, it becomes more protective and supportive of them.”

The Spotlight

“The media plays an important role in raising awareness about children’s issues for the local and international community, whether through traditional media or social media. However, the problem lies in the way these issues are presented and the extent to which the media message aligns with the correct standards and controls for addressing childhood issues; this will have a positive, not negative, impact on children and families,” said Mutahar Al-Khadhmi, a journalist interested in human rights (children and youth).

Al-Khadhmi believes that the media’s role is to shed light on juvenile delinquents to raise awareness in society about the necessity of making efforts to raise and nurture children properly and provide social care for families suffering from poverty. The low economic status of the family reflects on the upbringing of children and even pushes many children to engage in illegal activities, such as theft, cheating, and other acts that are contrary to law and morals.

In Reality

Al-Kazmi believes that media programs covering juvenile issues in Yemen are not commensurate with the importance of the issues. Therefore, it is very necessary to make a great effort to highlight their issues, specifically juveniles. It is difficult to find a specific program that has had an impact on society.

According to him: “Yemen is suffering from a humanitarian crisis that makes it difficult to measure the impact of any media program in the long term. There are also not enough studies to assess the impact of media programs on changing behaviors and attitudes towards juvenile delinquents.”

Marginalization Despite Importance

Regarding juvenile issues and the importance of highlighting them in the Yemeni arena, which has been suffering from ongoing conflicts for several years, and in the Arab world in general, Al-Moshki says: “Children are the victims, as they are the most vulnerable group in society, just like women and the elderly in Yemen. Unfortunately, there are children’s issues that have been greatly marginalized due to the media’s focus on political, economic, security, and other events in the country, especially those related to the conflict.”

He adds: “If the media marginalizes any issue, society will marginalize or ignore it because there is no one to pressure public opinion and present the issues to society.”

The Impact of Social Media

Social media has become more important and influential than traditional media in highlighting the issues of juvenile delinquents in Yemen. It is a powerful platform with the ability to reach wide segments of Yemeni and global society, contributing to spreading awareness about the issues of juvenile delinquents and the impact of conflicts on their lives.

These platforms contribute to the dissemination of information and news very quickly, making it easy for activists and human rights organizations to deliver their voices to the public. They also allow direct interaction between the public and activists, which encourages finding solutions to the issues raised. Photos and videos can be used to document the violations that children are exposed to, which increases the impact and draws community attention to these issues, thereby contributing to pressure on decision-makers to take measures to protect children’s rights.

Many reports confirm that social media plays a crucial role in highlighting the suffering of juvenile delinquents in Yemen if used wisely and responsibly, with a focus on disseminating correct information and working to protect children’s privacy.

The Challenges

Haidara explains that the media in Yemen faces many challenges when highlighting children’s issues, specifically juveniles. The reasons are attributed to a lack of understanding of the laws and weak enforcement, a lack of community awareness of how to deal with these laws, in addition to a lack of awareness among most media professionals and some employees in official and specialized bodies that have a direct connection to children’s issues. There are also censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression, which prevent the media from covering some sensitive issues related to them, and a lack of financial and human resources, which limits its ability to produce good media content. In addition, conflicts and their impact on journalists’ work expose them to danger and prevent them from covering events.

On the same subject, Al-Khadhmi discusses the most prominent challenges and believes that it is unfortunate that the media focuses all its attention on issues related to the conflict in Yemen or presents content directed at children that aims to present the viewpoints of these parties to consolidate ideas with political goals.

He adds: “The media has become less interested in programs and content that present children’s issues in awareness-raising media messages targeting society and the family to enhance the level of awareness regarding raising children and educating them about the dangers of juvenile delinquency and the factors causing it, and how to confront the discourse of violence and hatred to create a stable society where children obtain all their rights.”

The Solutions

Al-Kazmi proposes a set of solutions and treatments that would allow the media to present children’s issues effectively. These include supporting freedom of the press and the right to access information to ensure a safe environment for journalists to work in and guarantee their access to information. He also suggests providing training programs for journalists to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to cover children’s issues professionally and legally.

He adds: “Financial support must be provided to journalists and independent media institutions. It is also important for journalists to cooperate with organizations working in the field of child protection to exchange information and experiences. Accountability mechanisms must be developed to ensure that those responsible for violations of children’s rights are held accountable.”

He also stresses the importance of the media focusing on presenting impactful human stories, and practical solutions to the problems children face, and encouraging the public to participate in solving these problems.

For his part, Al-Moshki sees the necessity of starting to use different means to raise public awareness in society about the issues of juvenile delinquents to try to mitigate their delinquency.

A group of experts and specialists summarize the treatments, emphasizing the importance of providing a safe environment for journalists to be able to perform their work freely and objectively, training in children’s rights and issues related to juveniles, in addition to supporting media institutions working in the field of children’s rights and providing them with the necessary resources.  They also stress the need to encourage cooperation between the media, government institutions, and non-governmental organizations working in the same field.

The media plays a fundamental role in highlighting the issues of juvenile delinquents in Yemen, but it may face a set of challenges that must be addressed through several points proposed in the report as treatments and solutions. However, we still wonder: When will the children of Yemen live without growing old in their youth?!