Societal Perspectives on the Reasons for Emigration and the Challenges Facing Yemeni Youth

Yasmine Abdulhafeez – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

In recent years, we’ve been hearing a lot about many young Yemenis seeking asylum in various countries that have opened their doors to Yemenis seeking safety and stability, after their country became a battleground, leading to a worsening of economic, political, and even living conditions.

Some European countries, such as Germany and Sweden, in addition to regional countries like Egypt and Jordan, have become destinations for Yemenis, especially young people fleeing the conflict. But this journey is fraught with dangers; refugees sometimes face the perils of illegal journeys and harsh living conditions in refugee camps.

Many Yemeni and Arab media outlets and social media have covered the stories of many young Yemenis who faced many dangers during their journey. Dozens of young people have died on these perilous journeys.

Many activists and experts on Yemeni affairs believe that the emigration of young people from Yemen is one of the most dangerous phenomena threatening the country’s future and present. Young people are the backbone of any society, and their effective contribution to various sectors achieves sustainable development and progress in various fields. With the ongoing conflict and the emigration of many in search of work or a stable life, Yemen loses a large part of its human potential capable of rebuilding the country and driving development.

Reasons for Youth Emigration

Ibrahim Al-Zubaidi, a young man searching for work to support his family and secure his future, lost his father four years ago to an illness. His father worked in a car repair shop near Al-Hodeidah International Airport, but it closed after the skirmishes reached the area in 2018.

The father returned home with his tools, but he couldn’t afford to rent a shop in the city. The family’s situation deteriorated after his death, and Ibrahim, the only son among four sisters, struggled to provide for the family.

Ibrahim says: “I worked driving a motorbike for a while, but the money wasn’t enough to cover basic needs. Then I got a job in a shop, but I still couldn’t provide for my sisters and mother. I looked for better opportunities but found none. I had no choice but to find a way out of Yemen, to any country where I could find work that would provide a decent life for me and my family.”

Ibrahim’s mother did everything she could to raise the money for her son’s visa to Saudi Arabia. She contacted wealthy relatives, sold her and her daughters’ jewelry, and borrowed money from a friend to get the necessary amount, allowing Ibrahim to emigrate.

Less than two months ago, Ibrahim arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and searched for work without success. He then moved to Riyadh, still searching for a job, without any luck. Ibrahim says: “I’m still searching for work day and night. I don’t want to go back to Yemen, where all the doors are still closed to young people. Some have even been driven to suicide, while others have escaped their current reality for an unknown future.”

In recent years, with restrictions on freedoms, deteriorating living and security conditions that displaced millions of Yemenis and killed thousands, along with the worsening of many economic problems – including a sharp drop in the value of the currency, a shortage of jobs, and the halting of employees’ salaries – the desire of Yemeni youth to leave the country has increased. These economic repercussions are still affecting Yemenis in general, and young people in particular, who now dream of emigrating and see it as their salvation from the bitterness of life in their homeland.

Mohammed Izz Al-Din Al-Himyari, a media professional living outside Yemen, says: “Every young person who emigrated from Yemen has their own reasons, but there are common factors, including a lack of suitable job opportunities, the absence of a real legal system governing public life, and the search for a decent life that the young person lacked in their home country.”

He stressed that a major reason for Yemeni youth emigration is the lack of government attention and support for education and higher education. This lack pushes young people to seek opportunities in other countries that offer them good education, freedom, stability, and the well-being they lack in Yemen. Security also plays a big role in motivating young people to emigrate; they seek to live in safe and stable environments, away from the conflict raging in their homeland.

He also says, “Emotional attachment is the primary bond connecting emigrant youth to their homeland. Despite their love for Yemen, the dire circumstances make returning a very unlikely option.”

Ibrahim believes that if emigrant Yemeni youth were given the choice between staying abroad or returning to Yemen under the current conditions, the vast majority would not choose to return, given the challenges facing the country.

He emphasizes that Yemeni youth abroad are valued based on their competence, unlike the situation in Yemen, where many young people find it difficult to find suitable job opportunities.

He also explains that the absence of a real state and effective government organization is one of the biggest reasons pushing young people to emigrate. In closing, Ibrahim points out that many Yemeni emigrants have established themselves abroad and are able to support and care for their families in Yemen through their earnings—something that wasn’t possible while they were at home. This success has encouraged more young people to consider emigration as a solution to improve their situation.

Ahmad Aamir, a young man in his thirties living in a European country, confirms that the conflict in Yemen is the main reason behind the increasing wave of emigration among Yemeni youth to various countries around the world in recent years.

He explained that there was a semblance of freedom before the conflict in Yemen; young people tried to work within those limits, but now, that freedom is completely gone, making the country seem like a prison for anyone who wants to exercise their freedom in all aspects of life.

The Challenges

Regarding the challenges facing Yemeni youth abroad, Ahmad A’arif, a young man who emigrated to South Korea, says, “Many Yemeni youth who had never traveled abroad before find themselves trapped between homelessness, poverty, hunger, and death due to the conflict in Yemen, forcing them to emigrate. Others emigrated voluntarily, seeking a better life.”

He added, “Others were forced to leave after being pursued because of their political stances or affiliations. In the new country, young people face significant challenges; they don’t know the laws, language, culture, or customs, making language learning and integration difficult. In addition, some find it difficult to find work that matches their skills or specializations.”

He also noted that some Yemeni youth without sufficient experience in applying for asylum face significant difficulties upon arrival in the countries they emigrated to. These young people may face challenges in understanding legal procedures, and dealing with the required documents, and may feel helpless when confronted with complex systems requiring knowledge of the language and local laws. These difficulties make the asylum process a grueling and difficult experience for them.

Solutions and Proposals

Qais Al-Mu’afari, a youth activist, explains that emigration among Yemeni youth has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon in recent years due to the economic, political, and social challenges facing Yemen.

He points out several solutions that could alleviate this: improving the economy by supporting small businesses, providing job opportunities for young people by investing in sectors like agriculture and energy, promoting political and security stability, strengthening security, and resolving political conflicts—all key steps in attracting investment and providing a safe environment for young people, thus reducing the urge to emigrate.

He stresses that improving education and vocational training is essential to addressing youth emigration. This requires developing curricula and providing practical training that aligns with the needs of the local market. Additionally, developing infrastructure and providing essential services like electricity, water, and internet will improve the quality of life. He also highlights the importance of encouraging community participation by involving young people in decision-making and supporting civil society organizations to enhance their role in society.

Al-Mu’afari continues by saying that crucial solutions to reducing youth emigration include reforming the legal system by simplifying business registration procedures and guaranteeing workers’ rights to improve the work environment. He emphasizes the importance of rural development and supporting agriculture to provide local job opportunities for young people.

He stresses that these solutions require a collective commitment from the government, the private sector, civil society, and young people themselves; these efforts must be coordinated and sustainable to achieve tangible results in reducing emigration.

Fatima Al-Huraibi, a community activist, emphasizes that a young person won’t emigrate if they find a homeland that embraces them and provides the opportunities they need, pointing to the importance of working to create this homeland.

She notes that one of the most important solutions to alleviate Yemeni youth emigration is creating a suitable environment for work, investment, and development by restoring the authority of the state and its institutions. She also highlights the importance of restarting ports and factories to provide jobs for a large segment of unemployed youth.

For more than nine years, the phenomenon of Yemeni youth emigrating to different countries around the world has been noticeably increasing. The dream of emigration has become a hope for many young people, burdened by the country’s situation across all fields and sectors, including education, health, and the economy, which has increased the suffering of citizens in general and added to the pressures on young people seeking better opportunities and a more stable future abroad.