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Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has documented a disturbing escalation in violations against Yemen’s education sector, as the Houthi militia continues to convert universities and educational institutes into centers for military and ideological mobilization.
These actions pose a grave threat to academic freedoms and violate international human rights laws.
Between October 2024 and January 2025, WJWC recorded 23 public and private universities and 7 educational institutes in several governorates—including Sana'a, al-Hudaidah, Ibb, Dhamar, Amran, Saada, Hajjah, and al-Bayda—being systematically used for recruitment and military training.
According to eyewitness accounts and verified reports, the Houthis have imposed compulsory enlistment on thousands of students through “al-Aqsa Flood Courses,” which include training in the use of firearms and heavy weaponry. Many students have been forcibly integrated into what the militia calls the “General Mobilization Forces.”
Beyond military training, students and faculty members have been subjected to intense ideological pressure, with mandatory indoctrination sessions imposed across campuses. Those who refuse to comply face expulsion, detention, or other forms of persecution, a direct assault on academic and intellectual freedoms.
Female students have also been subjected to compulsory military and ideological courses under the supervision of female Houthi enforcers known as the “Zainabiyat.” Reports indicate that these courses are aimed at preparing women for ideological mobilization and potential recruitment into Houthi-controlled security structures, further expanding the militia’s militarization efforts.
WJWC has also documented cases of academic extortion, where university degrees, faculty positions, and student grades are being conditioned on participation in military and ideological activities. Many professors who have refused to comply with these policies have been dismissed, and thousands of students have been deprived of their right to fair and independent education.
The escalation of these violations in recent months comes as the Houthis exploit regional tensions to intensify recruitment efforts within universities, effectively transforming educational institutions into tools for political and military propaganda.
The actions of the Houthis violate multiple international agreements, including Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to education free from coercion; Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects freedom of thought and belief; and Article 10 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which ensures women’s right to education without restrictions. Additionally, these actions contravene the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the recruitment of civilians into armed conflicts.
Women Journalists Without Chains calls on the international community, human rights organizations, and global academic institutions to take urgent measures to protect Yemeni students and faculty members from these violations. The continued militarization of Yemen’s education sector must be condemned and addressed through diplomatic pressure, legal accountability, and support for Yemeni educators and students. WJWC urges immediate action to ensure universities and educational institutions remain places of learning, free from coercion and militarization.
