Nearly half a million students left school in Yemen since 2015: UNICEF

29, Mar 2018 | CJP Team

According to the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, almost half a million children in Yemen have left school since 2015. That year, Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in Yemen’s civil war. The total number of children in Yemen who lack access to education is two million. Meritxell Relano, UNICEF’s representative in Yemen said, “The journey to school has also become dangerous as children risk being killed en route,” adding, “Fearing for their children’s safety, many parents choose to keep their children at home. The lack of access to education has pushed children and families to dangerous alternatives, including early marriage, child labour and recruitment into the fighting.” Since 2015, armed groups have drafted at least 2,419 children. An addition 4.5 million children are in danger of being deprived of their access to education because teachers have not been paid in over a year, with Yemen being considered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.