U.N. says Yemen’s Houthi rebels have agreed to stop using child soldiers
PBS NewsHourNov 18, 2021
The Facts
The UN announced on Mon. that Yemen's Houthi rebels have agreed an action plan to end recruiting or using children in armed conflict, killing or maiming children, and attacks on schools and hospitals.
Child soldiers, who have fought by the thousands during the country's civil war, will be removed from their ranks.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Houthis are infamous war criminals who have so far shown no reservation or remorse in using children as pawns. This move is a positive step towards ending Houthi war crimes and protecting Yemen's children, but the world must be apprehensive about the motives.
Establishment-critical narrative
The majority of war crimes committed against Yemen's children, and civilians across the board, have been perpetrated by the Saudi-led coalition. This latest Houthi pledge is welcome, but it shouldn't overshadow the horrors of the Saudi and Emirati war machine. More must be done to hold all parties to account.
Narrative C
The new action plan won't guarantee more protection for Yemen's children until it's implemented. It signals another advance toward a peaceful solution following the truce between the warring sides, but both the Houthis rebels and the Saudi-led coalition have failed to commit to previous pledges to stop violations against children.