Geneva | 1 October 2026
The Minister of Human Rights, Mashdal Mohammed Omar, discussed today at the headquarters of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva with the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, ways to strengthen the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons in Yemen, support the government’s efforts to ease the burdens of hosting them, and address the risks posed by the terrorist Houthi militia’s exploitation and recruitment of migrants and their deployment to battlefronts.
The Minister affirmed that Yemen continues to receive refugees and migrants arriving from countries in the Horn of Africa despite the burdens of war, the economic crisis, and the growing scale of internal displacement. He noted that the number of refugees and migrants in the country has exceeded 400,000 people, placing increasing pressure on basic services and humanitarian response capacities and requiring international support commensurate with the scale of these burdens.
Minister Mashdal warned that the terrorist Houthi militia is exploiting African migrants, recruiting them, deploying them to battlefronts, and using them as human shields. He stressed the need to strengthen mechanisms to protect them from recruitment and human trafficking and to confront practices that endanger their lives and safety.
The meeting addressed the worsening humanitarian needs of internally displaced persons as a result of the recent escalation by the Houthi militia and the need to support the emergency response in displacement areas. The Minister also affirmed the government’s commitment to protecting refugees in Kharaz Camp and shielding them from the risks of military operations, calling for support to reception and shelter centers and the expansion of voluntary return and resettlement programs.
The Minister reviewed the government’s efforts to reactivate the National Committee for Refugee Affairs and follow up on the implementation of Yemen’s pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum, along with the project to reactivate the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, in a manner that strengthens institutional coordination and the protection of victims. He also commended UNHCR’s cooperation with the Ministry and its support for training programs and joint field work.
In the same context, Deputy Minister of Human Rights and Vice-Chairman of the National Committee for Refugee Affairs, Nabil Abdulhafiz, reviewed the challenges associated with the vast extent of Yemen’s coastline and the Committee’s needs in the areas of registration and capacity-building, in order to strengthen response mechanisms and implement the ten pledges.
For her part, Menikdiwela expressed her appreciation for Yemen’s continued reception of refugees despite the humanitarian and economic challenges it faces, stressing the importance of supporting its efforts and strengthening the partnership with the Yemeni government to provide protection and improve the conditions of refugees.
She expressed UNHCR’s concern regarding the issues raised about the recruitment of migrants into the armed conflict and casualties among them, stressing the need to preserve the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum. She also affirmed the continuation of cooperation with the Ministry of Human Rights and the National Committee for Refugee Affairs, support for the residents of Kharaz Camp and self-reliance programs, and efforts to mobilize the necessary international funding.
The meeting was attended by the First Secretary at our country’s Permanent Mission, Yahya Al-Rafiq.
