Societal Views on the Plight and Reality of Juveniles in Yemen

Afrah Borji – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

Amidst the crisis that has plagued Yemen for several years and the absence of family and community support, thousands of children are living a bitter reality. They are paying the price for conflicts and the repercussions that they did not create, transforming from victims of harsh circumstances into perpetrators. Despite the existence of laws regulating the treatment of juvenile delinquents in Yemen, the reality reveals a significant gap between legal texts and practical application.

This report will examine societal views on the reality of juvenile delinquency in Yemen, its causes, the harsh conditions these children face, and the necessary treatments to help reduce their numbers and provide them with assistance.

The Causes

Journalist Arwa Badhawi discusses the general causes of juvenile delinquency, saying, “The absence of the family’s role in containing the child and meeting their psychological and material needs exposes them to many risks that may change the course of their lives. Additionally, not directly answering some of the child’s questions creates confusion and curiosity, leading them to seek answers from their immediate surroundings—the street. This is where the disaster lies, as they may fall into the hands of deviant individuals who instill beliefs and ideas that sow harmful behaviors.”

Badhawi continues, “Violence against children, whether from family, school, or peers in society, leads to reasons that push them towards a world of crime. Leaving children exposed to materials that incite violence, whether through movies, series, regular dramas, or anime/cartoons, can be another cause of delinquency.”

Badhawi points out that Yemeni children growing up in a society exposed to multiple conflicts, witnessing violence and destruction firsthand, causes them deep psychological trauma that affects their growth and development. The recruitment of children and their subsequent demobilization without providing means for proper reintegration also significantly impacts their psyche.

Social worker Raghad Al-Jabri believes that the primary reason for juvenile delinquency is the failure of the child’s first system of protection—the family. The phenomenon of juvenile delinquency is not the result of individual action but rather a product of family and societal breakdown. Children are influenced by their family’s reality, the suffering of society, and its contagious behaviors.

Journalist Hagir Tahir adds, “There are many reasons why children commit crimes, including the absence of a family role, children bearing family responsibilities prematurely due to the death of a parent or separation, and also peers and friends who play a role in shaping children’s behaviors.”

Tahir continues, “In our current situation, social media platforms play a negative role on children. When Yemeni children see their lives and compare them to the lives of children abroad, due to the living, economic, and political situation in Yemen, it affects their psyche. They ask, ‘Why don’t we live like them?’ This often creates feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, leading them to commit crimes.”

In the same context, journalist Rasheed Saif says, “Children committing crimes and becoming delinquents can be attributed to several social reasons, including domestic violence, parental separation, or neglect by the family, leading to a sense of loss and making them unhealthy individuals. Additionally, there are economic circumstances that force children into work at an early age, lack of educational opportunities, allowing children to engage with negative peer groups, and the weak and absent role of media and awareness.”

The Reality of Juvenile Delinquents: Marginalization and Lack of Rights

Juvenile delinquents in Yemen live between family marginalization and the denial of their rights by society, making them outcasts in a community that views them as criminals.

In this regard, journalist Arwa Badhawi states, “I believe that juvenile delinquents in Yemen have not fully received their rights in terms of rehabilitation and appropriate reform in recent years. This is due to the unstable conditions in Yemen, which have significantly impacted juvenile detention centers or reformatories that lack proper infrastructure to accommodate or rehabilitate children, as well as weak rehabilitation and educational programs.”

From Rasheed Saif’s perspective, juvenile delinquents in Yemen face social stigma and are treated as criminals instead of children in need of psychological and educational rehabilitation. In many cases, they are detained in unsuitable environments, increasing the likelihood of their return to criminal behavior instead of their reformation.

Children Deprived of their Most Basic Rights

“In my opinion, the current reality of juvenile delinquents is dire because there is no attention paid to them, their circumstances, or their feelings,” says Hagir Tahir. “In a country like Yemen, rife with conflict, our children live a deprived childhood—no care, no education, no decent or peaceful life. They are deprived of their most basic rights.”

Social worker Raghad Al-Jabri echoes this sentiment, stating that the situation of Yemeni children is deeply concerning, especially for juvenile delinquents. Those working at the detention center struggle to rehabilitate them due to the country’s overall situation.

“Society doesn’t objectively assess the child’s situation, and the courts lack reform and improvement. They hand down punishments without considering prevention, treatment, and development for this group,” Al-Jabri says. “The delinquent today is not just the one who commits a crime. With the spread of various ills, every child is vulnerable to delinquency. We must look closely at preventing this problem.”

The Challenges

Numerous challenges face children and juvenile detention centers in Yemen. “Juvenile delinquents face harsh challenges in our society,” explains Badhawi. “There are no real resources on the ground to contain them, modify their behaviors, and integrate them into society.”

She continues, “The weakness of rehabilitation programs, the lack of juvenile care facilities in some governorates, and their mixing with adult criminals all complicate the situation and make their rehabilitation nearly impossible. They gain more confidence and experience in crime than is normal for their age. Adult criminals can easily influence and exploit them for criminal activities or subject them to physical, psychological, or sexual violence, or all of the above.”

Badhawi concludes, “Even if they are rehabilitated, integrating them is challenging due to the conflict and instability in various sectors, including education, health, and the economy, which are crucial for stability.”

“In Yemen, numerous challenges affect children and their behaviors, related to the political, economic, and social conditions,” says Rasheed Saif, starting his discussion on the challenges facing juvenile delinquents in Yemen.

He points out that armed conflict leads to the disintegration of social and family structures, exposing children to various forms of violence, exploitation, poverty, lack of education, and a weak judicial system.

Raghad Al-Jabri highlights the biggest challenge facing juvenile delinquents in Yemen: the lack of individuals or responsible entities to guide them away from this path and offer support. If a child strays towards delinquency, they don’t know how to return, even if they realize they are in trouble. They can’t find a safe space capable of embracing and helping them rise again to become productive members of society.

The Solutions

Arwa Badhawi highlights the key solutions to curb the rising number of juvenile delinquents in Yemen. These include focusing on children’s education, preventing school dropouts, organizing summer camps that equip children with crafts and skills to develop their talents and occupy their free time, and working collectively to improve the country’s security, economic, and political situation. She emphasizes the need for international organizations and civil society organizations, in the absence of a fully functioning state, to intensify efforts and create safe spaces for children.

Journalist Rasheed Saif stresses the importance of strengthening family support and providing parenting education programs to foster positive interactions with children and reduce the likelihood of delinquency. He also highlights the significance of ensuring educational opportunities, creating decent work opportunities, and focusing on early intervention through specialized programs for children, in addition to developing child protection laws.

Hagir emphasizes the pivotal role of the family in protecting children from delinquency, stressing the need to meet their psychological and social needs. She asserts that early intervention by relevant authorities is crucial if any signs of delinquency or harm to the child are detected. Achieving greater success in this area requires collaborative efforts from families, communities, and relevant institutions.

Raghad Al-Jabri states, “The most important solution to reduce juvenile delinquency is prevention. This involves addressing the root causes, such as straying from proper moral values and the absence of parents from their children’s lives. We are witnessing the spread of silent, destructive gangs that are dragging children into delinquency day after day.

Al-Jabri emphasizes the importance of providing safe spaces for children to seek refuge and guidance, and for parents to be entrusted with their reformation and guidance to achieve tangible results. She concludes that punishment alone does not equate to rehabilitation.