Project Masam, on this International Youth Day, recognises the importance of supporting young people in Yemen by protecting their safety and ensuring access to education and essential services.
International Youth Day, marked annually on 12 August by the United Nations, highlights the role of youth in the development of their communities and the need to address the barriers that prevent them from doing so.
In Yemen, young people make up a large part of the population. Around 40 percent are under the age of 15, and those aged between 15 and 24 represent about 23 percent.
Many of them face serious challenges: youth unemployment in Yemen is high, with around one in three (32%) young people aged 15 to 24 unable to find work. Nearly half of young people are not in employment, education, or training. And the ongoing conflict has also had a severe impact on education, with more than 3.2 million school-age children currently out of school.
One of the most persistent threats to the safety and development of Yemen’s youth is the presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance. These explosive devices have caused casualties, displaced families, and forced the closure of schools and public spaces. In some areas, school buildings are contaminated, or have been destroyed, while in others, the routes to school are unsafe. This has deprived many children and young people of the opportunity to continue their education.
Project Masam’s mine clearance operations aim to change this situation. By clearing mines from school grounds, surrounding areas, and access roads, Project Masam helps ensure that schools can reopen and students can return to learning. Clearance work also allows communities to restore playgrounds, sports fields, and other spaces that are important for the well-being and development of young people.
In addition to clearance activities, Project Masam works closely with the Yemen Executive Mine Action Centre to deliver Explosive Ordnance Risk Education sessions. These sessions provide children and youth with the knowledge they need to identify and avoid dangerous objects and to report them to the authorities.
Project Masam’s deminers, working alongside YEMAC, also support young people who have been trained to deliver Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) in their own communities, helping to spread life-saving knowledge among their peers and neighbours, reducing the risk of accidents and increases community safety.
On International Youth Day, Project Masam reaffirms its commitment to protecting Yemen’s younger generation. Removing the threat of landmines is an essential step in creating an environment where young people can safely access education, take part in their communities, and have the opportunity to build better futures for themselves and for the country.
