The United Arab Emirates reiterated its compliance with its obligations under international humanitarian law and the serious handling of the Alliance for the Support of Legitimacy in Yemen with its responsibility for the protection of all civilians in armed conflict, especially children, as a member of the coalition formed at the request of the legitimate government of Yemen .
This was stated in the statement made by the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, Amira Al-Hafiti, to the open debate held yesterday by the Security Council on children and armed conflict, in which she stressed the need to continue working closely with the United Nations and other international partners , In order to strengthen the protection of children in Yemen, which was reflected in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the Special Representative, in March this year.
Amira al-Hafiti expressed her deep concern about the exploitation of children, schools and educational centers by the militias to cause damage and destruction of buildings, especially the fact that the Houthi militias in Yemen exploited the schools as centers for storing weapons, recruitment, training and detention of children, reflecting their total disregard of their obligations under international law. In connection with the Security Council to hold accountable the Houthis for their gross violations.
She stressed the UAE's commitment to alleviating the suffering of children in conflict by providing all possible support and humanitarian assistance. She also mentioned the State's contribution to meeting the needs of children over five billion dollars that have been provided to the Republic of Yemen and to the Yemeni people over the past four years. In which it pledged a joint aid package with Saudi Arabia amounting to an additional $ 240 million to fund WFP operations in Yemen.
She referred to the UAE's humanitarian efforts to safeguard the long-term interests of children in the conflict areas by providing education to them, believing that education is not only a fundamental right of every child but also an essential tool for the comprehensive development of societies. Reducing conflicts and exploiting children in conflict. To this end, the UAE has provided educational assistance to more than 270,000 students through WFP, as well as $ 35 million to UNICEF to pay teachers' salaries. The UAE's firm belief that the best way to protect Yemen's children is ultimately through peace and stability in Yemen and its support for the Stockholm Agreement and the United Nations-led political process.
At the end of its statement, Member States called for the investment of relevant platforms to discuss and discuss emerging challenges, the requirements for the short- and long-term reintegration of children and to formulate recommendations to bridge funding gaps and urged the international community to examine and adopt an innovative response to gender-based violence in conflict By enhancing the participation of women and girls in local communities as active partners in the design and implementation of humanitarian action.