Hooria Mashhour, Yemen’s Minister of Human Rights, lauded the efforts of the Seyaj Organization, a national non-governmental organization that focuses on protecting victims and providing them with advocacy, protection, psychological and social assistance, and economic rehabilitation.
Mashhour stated in a tribute Seyaj held for its child rights volunteers throughout the governorates of the Republic: Seyaj teams operating in the field had a strong focus on child protection, and they were successful in shedding light on concerns relating to children in society.
“I am honored today to support their honoring ceremony,” she said. ” I want to congratulate the organization for all that it has done for the sake of children, including the demobilization of child soldiers. I also appreciate UNICEF for their work in Yemen on behalf of children.”
She emphasized that the Ministry would pay special attention to women’s and children’s issues, as they are among the most vulnerable groups exposed to violence.
The head of the UNICEF Protection Department, Ghada Kachaji, expressed her appreciation for Sayaj’s role in promoting the spirit of volunteerism in protecting and advocating for children’s rights. In a speech she delivered on behalf of the UNICEF representative Mr. Geert Cappelaere, Kachaji praised the role played by Seyaj and its volunteers since 2011.
At the event’s opening address, Ahmed Al-Qorashi, Head of Seyaj, commended volunteers for their efforts in preserving children’s rights, adding that they should be proud of what they have done when confronted with death. Despite the perils the volunteers faced, they acted with patience and courage in defense of childhood, hanging onto their convictions even during the shelling of bullets, missiles, and bombs.
Since Seyaj’s inception, the organization has opened qualitative files for crimes that have so far gone unreported. It is the first to address the recruitment of children and their involvement in armed conflicts, as well as the trafficking of human organs.
Today, Seyaj is determined to continue making a real and tangible difference in the rights of the child in partnership with all stakeholders in the government and national and international organizations.
Al-Qorashi added, addressing attendees, “Seyaj is you, and it is every mother, every father, and every living conscience that seeks to protect children, who will be the future leaders of tomorrow.”
In his remarks to the audience, Najeeb Qahtan, the head of the organization’s Taiz Governorate branch, praised the work of the Seyaj volunteers throughout all governorates, particularly those that had experienced bloodshed and strife while conducting in-field work.
Musicians Jamil Al-Qadi and his daughter Hanan also performed a musical number that centered on the agony of the child.