In a joint letter, human rights organizations call on the United Nations to take firm and urgent measures to hold the Houthis accountable

We, the undersigned civil society representatives, write this statement to express our deep disappointment and frustration with the UN’s approach to Yemen over the past decade. We believe that the UN has failed to uphold the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, enabling the Houthis to politicize, divert and militarily profit from aid, commit serious human rights violations, enhance their military power and undermine efforts to end the war in Yemen.

We are also deeply disappointed by the UN’s inaction following the recent mass abductions and enforced disappearances by the Houthis of civil society leaders, UN staff, and international and local NGOs that began last June. The Houthis have accused these Yemeni civilians of spying for the CIA and Mossad, and have also accused UN agencies such as the World Food Programme, UNICEF, OHCHR, and Save the Children of providing cover for them.

At a time when we expected the UN to hold the Houthis accountable for their actions – the abduction of staff, the raid on the OHCHR office and the seizure of equipment and documents, the systematic erosion of women’s rights, the indoctrination and recruitment of children – we were deeply disappointed by the approach of the new Resident Coordinator, Julien Harneis.

Rather than taking a tough stance, Harneis appears to be taking a softer approach toward the Houthis. Since taking office, Harneis has stressed the need for the UN to continue working with the Houthis, resume the WFP’s general food assistance program regardless of the circumstances, and “strengthen relations” with them.

Throughout the response, the humanitarian community has undermined its own operating environment by establishing and continuing poor practices that directly impact aid access. The response has allowed, and continues to allow, unacceptable behaviour by primarily Houthi authorities, such as the detention of staff, restrictions on movement, refusal to allow independent assessments and responses, diversion of aid, and interference in operational processes. Furthermore, the use of parties to the conflict to directly implement humanitarian assistance continues.

“Using the very entities that created the problem to fix it does not provide an incentive for change, and in the long run has only served to reduce direct access to populations. The unwillingness and inability to set and enforce red lines on these issues has only emboldened authorities who continue to obstruct the delivery of aid. Without boundaries and a willingness to enforce consequences for unacceptable behavior, we can only expect the operating environment and access to aid to continue to deteriorate.”

The Risks of Localization and Normalization: Enabling Houthi Control over Food Aid Distribution

The current UN resident coordinator, the WFP director, and other UN leaders are taking a softer approach in the hope of ensuring that operations run smoothly, regardless of the broader impact on Yemen. At a staff meeting earlier this month, in preparation for a UN-INGO meeting organized by the Supreme Council for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and International Cooperation (SCMCHA), the WFP director described the meeting as an opportunity to rebuild trust with the Houthis and demonstrate that WFP is a reliable and credible partner. His security chief even described it as an opportunity to “show respect” to the Houthis. Staff were told to leave their phones at home or turn them off, and were banned from recording or taking photos of the meeting.

During both meetings with the Sakmasha, staff were instructed to chant the slogan “Death to America, Death to Israel, Damn the Jews, Victory to Islam.” While UNICEF and UNDP staff refused, on August 11 local WFP and WHO staff complied and chanted the slogan to their UN bosses. The Houthis made several derogatory jokes about women, which were met with laughter from male staff.

The meeting was attended by the Resident Coordinator and the directors of the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization and their deputies, but they did nothing. During the Sakmasha meeting, the Houthis demanded the localization of humanitarian operations. The UN Resident Coordinator has also been promoting this since his arrival in Yemen. This approach is risky, as it will direct funds directly into the hands of NGOs and local businesses linked to the Houthis.

The famine narrative is full of flaws and problems.

The UN’s unwillingness to impose red lines on the Houthis reflects its concern about losing funding and operating space, as well as fears that the Houthis might push them out of the north of the country. To justify its continued operations in the north, the UN has doubled down on crisis concerns—such as famine, hunger, worsening food insecurity, and disease—in an effort to convince donors to maintain their support. This strategy is deeply problematic, as former World Food Programme official Sarah Felstick reports:

“Portraying Yemen as a country where the problems are linked to war, and a problem that can be solved with more money to provide more food baskets to more needy people is as straightforward and seductively obvious as it is inaccurate. This rarely-specified narrative persists in part because acknowledging its flaws requires acknowledging a failure on the scale of billions of dollars.”

“Along with the lack of motivation for change, the lack of transparency and the real challenges that exist in complex and protracted conflict environments have enabled these narratives to persist unchecked. Informed analysis has been difficult to obtain in the humanitarian response in Yemen, which has been marred by the UN’s acceptance of partial, often biased, and often outdated data.”

There is no direct evidence of the risk of famine in Yemen, and independent studies have not conclusively proven that aid has effectively mitigated the threat of famine, nor is there any independent evidence that the population has been seriously affected by the suspension of the World Food Programme's food distribution programme since last November. Phase 5 (Famine) of the Food Security Phase Classification ( IPC) indicator) It incentivizes the provision of emergency aid on a large scale without delay or scrutiny. As a result, some organizations may manipulate data to portray widespread famine, knowing that donor countries will have to respond quickly.

The Houthis have exploited the UN’s ongoing operations in northern Yemen, ostensibly to prevent famine, to extract financial concessions and benefits from the UN and international donors. The Houthis’ diversion and exploitation of aid resources has turned humanitarian aid into a tool of conflict, which in turn has fueled the war and enabled the Houthis to enhance their military capabilities.

The Houthis have established a repressive theocratic regime, committing serious human rights abuses. They have made more than 500 changes to the school curriculum to indoctrinate children with their sectarian and jihadist ideology. In 2024 alone, 1.1 million boys and girls graduated from Houthi-run summer indoctrination camps. Earlier this year, the Houthis announced the recruitment of more than 360,000 individuals for what they call the “Battle of Promised Conquest and Holy Jihad,” signaling their commitment to expanding their destabilizing military operations in Yemen, the Red Sea, and the region.

Continued inaction or lack of an adequate response by the UN will only embolden the Houthis and prolong the suffering of millions of Yemenis. If these issues are not addressed decisively, the UN and its donors risk becoming complicit in enabling a highly repressive and violent group to determine Yemen’s future. When the UN and its donors eventually withdraw from Yemen and the region, Yemenis will have to deal with the consequences – a generation brainwashed by medieval ideology and a society plagued by fear and terror. This situation not only fails Yemen, but also undermines global stability and humanitarian norms.

A firm, principled stand is essential to uphold the values and effectiveness of the United Nations. We urge you to prioritize this urgent issue and take decisive action to support the Yemeni people in their time of need. The international community cannot acquiesce to appeasing the Houthis at the expense of Yemeni lives and regional stability.

How Diplomatic Efforts Backfired: Strengthening the Houthi Challenge and Escalating

Diplomatic efforts have so far only emboldened the Houthis, who have repeatedly demonstrated arrogance and open disdain for international norms. Statements of condemnation and appeals to their conscience by the UN special envoy or UN officials have had the opposite effect, emboldening the Houthis to become more defiant and violent. The Stockholm Agreement, signed in 2018 under UN auspices, is a prime example of this.

The Houthis have failed to abide by its terms, repeatedly breached its provisions, and used the period to regroup, escalate military operations, and secure significant territorial gains. These gains have given the Houthis greater military power, making them less willing to compromise in peace talks. For example, the Houthis continue to refuse to grant visas to UN envoy Hans Grundberg to visit Sanaa, and they continue to refuse to engage in negotiations in good faith, preferring to use violence as a means of blackmailing the Yemeni government, regional actors, and the international community, further undermining the prospects for a sustainable solution to the conflict.

Recommendations:

In light of these troubling issues, we urge the UN leadership to take the following immediate steps:

4. Setting red lines against extortion and aid diversion: The UN must impose strict measures to combat Houthi extortion and prevent the diversion of humanitarian aid. Non-violent lines must be set to protect the integrity and effectiveness of aid programs. Transparent monitoring and accountability mechanisms are essential to ensure that aid reaches those who deserve it and is not exploited for political or military purposes.

5. Finally, we call for the immediate replacement of the current Resident Coordinator, who is worryingly focused on programmes and operations only, with someone who prioritises conflict sensitivity and adheres to the principle of “do no harm”. The next Coordinator must also ensure that aid delivery does not exacerbate the situation or undermine peace and stability.

With sincere appreciation,

Signatories:

1 Rights Radar Human Rights Organization

2 Association of Mothers of Abductees

3 Human Rights Accountability Organization

4 Mayon Human Rights Organization

5 SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms

6 Peace Track Initiative

7. The Existence of Human Security Foundation

8 I am an organization for rights and freedoms

9 Association for the Protection of Abused Women and Survivors of Houthi Prisons

10 Yemen Future for Cultural and Media Development

11 Justice for Rights and Development Organization

12 Rescue Call Organization for Rights, Freedoms and Relief

13 Free Voices Organization for Awareness Media

14 Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms

15 Yemeni Women Empowerment Foundation

16 Yemeni Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms Hood

17 Yemeni Coalition to Monitor Human Rights Violations

18 organizations advocating for development and human rights

19 Rights and Freedoms Monitoring Organization

20 human rights struggle organizations

21 Sahih Human Rights Foundation

22 Gulf of Aden Foundation for Human Development and Social Services

23 National Institution for the Protection of Women and Children

23 Coordination Council of Civil Society and Human Rights Organizations

25 Taiz Human Rights Center

26 Free Voices Organization for Media and Freedoms

27 Yemeni Legal Center

28 Masar Foundation for Development and Human Rights

29 Elaph Foundation for Community Development

30 Message Organization for Community Development

31 NED Human Rights Organization

32 Eye for Human Rights Organization

33 Witnesses for Human Rights Organization

34 My Message for Human Rights Organization

35 Equality Human Rights Organization

36 Humanitarian Journalism Foundation

37 Civil Orientation Protection Organization

38 Civil Authority for Victims of House Bombings

39 Queen Foundation for Development and Human Rights

40 Rights and Development Monitoring Center

41 Yemeni Future Center for Strategic Studies

42 National Center for Development and Freedoms

43 Media and Human Rights Awareness Center

44 National Organization for Human Rights

45 Peace Foundation for Humanitarian Relief

46 Parliamentarians Against Corruption Organization

47 Yemeni Women Empowerment Foundation

48 Women's Alliance for Yemen

49 Foundation for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms.