Geneva | 7 October 2026
Minister of Human Rights, Mashdal Mohammed, met with James Mears, the Human Rights Officer at the Permanent Mission of the United States of America to the United Nations in Geneva, at the Mission’s headquarters, to discuss the latest developments in the human rights situation in Yemen and ways to strengthen cooperation and joint coordination between the two countries.
The meeting discussed the provision of technical and institutional support to the Yemeni government under Item 10 of the Human Rights Council, strengthening the capacities of national institutions in the areas of human rights protection, monitoring, and documentation, and supporting accountability efforts for violations.
Minister Mashdal praised the continued U.S. support for the Yemeni government and the Yemeni people in various international forums. He reviewed the systematic violations and crimes that the terrorist Houthi militias continue to commit against civilians, the repercussions of their recent military escalation, and the targeting of residential neighborhoods with drones and ballistic missiles, resulting in threats to civilian lives and the worsening of the internal displacement crisis.
He also addressed the militias’ continued recruitment of children and abduction of United Nations personnel and staff of international and humanitarian organizations, as well as the threats they pose to international navigation and global trade in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab with the support of the Iranian regime, and the humanitarian and security repercussions of these practices.
The Minister affirmed the commitment of the Yemeni government and the Presidential Leadership Council to supporting the transitional justice process, protecting victims’ rights, and continuing to enable national mechanisms, foremost among them the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human Rights, to carry out their mandates.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, Nabil Abdulhafeedh, reviewed the institutional projects and strategic plans that the Ministry is working to implement to develop the system of monitoring, documentation, and field analysis. He emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships with the U.S. side and international partners to support the implementation of these projects and build the capacities of national personnel, law enforcement agencies, and the Office of the Attorney General, thereby enhancing accountability efforts.
For his part, James Mears affirmed that the U.S. side is closely following developments in Yemen and that his country supports the legitimate Yemeni government and its efforts to strengthen the rule of law and protect human rights. He noted the continued coordination between the two sides to address humanitarian and security challenges and support efforts aimed at achieving sustainable peace in Yemen.
