International Human Rights Day brings back into focus the declaration that envisioned a world built on human dignity and freedom, where rights are the rule, not the exception, and an obligation, not a choice. This day, which marked a moral turning point in the conscience of humanity, arrives in Yemen, where these principles are tested in their harshest forms, as state institutions have collapsed and individuals have faced an uninterrupted existential trial for years.
Despite annual global celebrations of these values, Yemen exposes the painful gap between international commitments and realities on the ground. Since the armed coup that dismantled state structures and plunged the country into a protracted war, institutional fragility and the inability of political forces to build a state capable of protecting its citizens and guaranteeing their rights have been evident. With the fall of the political center, geography fragmented, militias proliferated, and power shifted from a constitutional function to a force imposed by arms.
In this expanding vacuum, state tools weakened and institutions withdrew, turning the country into a theater of multiple authorities, conflicting laws, and divided loyalties. The judiciary lost its independence, public administration disintegrated, and security forces fractured to the point that citizens no longer know where the law begins or where the influence of armed groups ends. This collapse has not only paralyzed the state but also struck at the foundation of human dignity, leaving individuals defenseless before unaccountable authorities.
Amid this collapse, the culture of human rights—intended to be society’s first line of defense—has receded. Rights derive their strength not from texts alone, nor are they protected by conference speeches or condemnatory statements, but through public awareness of individual worth. Without cultivating this awareness, society becomes vulnerable to tyranny, violations become normalized, and rights turn into privileges subject to power rather than justice.
One of the main challenges in Yemen’s human rights experience is that this culture has remained confined to elite circles, functioning within closed conference halls and limited workshops, expressed in statements that rarely extend beyond paper. Human rights are not entrenched through official lectures or protocol meetings—they are built in the field, through engagement with people, integrating dignity, freedom, and accountability into education, media, and public culture. Transforming rights into a societal language that belongs to all remains one of the key challenges for spreading and solidifying human rights, bridging the gap between legal principles and public understanding. Raising awareness requires intentional engagement in streets, schools, universities, mosques, and media platforms so that rights become part of daily consciousness, not an exclusive knowledge reserved for a few.
Despite this bleak context, a rare group of human rights defenders—organizations, individuals, journalists, and activists—has carried the burden of truth in a time of competing narratives. Despite threats, harassment, and the shrinking civic space, they remain the last safeguard for victims and a barrier against attempts at erasure.
On this day, it is the duty of all to speak out clearly and demand an immediate end to violations, the release of humanitarian and relief workers who have spent years behind bars without fair trial or legal grounds, and clarity on the fate of the forcibly disappeared, whose absence leaves unbearable gaps in the lives of their families and children. Fragile courts issuing death sentences without basic guarantees violate not only the right to life but also the very notion of law and distort the reality in all its dimensions.
Economic rights in Yemen are similarly violated with severity. Salaries—the minimum condition to uphold human dignity—have been absent for years, and public services, from health and education to water, have become burdens on citizens rather than guaranteed rights. This is not merely a livelihood crisis but a crisis of dignity, reminding that freedom cannot be exercised when basic life necessities are denied. Economic rights are not peripheral; they are the foundation upon which all other rights are built. Without them, citizens’ voices weaken, poverty deepens, and structures of oppression are entrenched.
Breaking this cycle of violations requires genuine will, acknowledging that war is not destiny and that rebuilding the state is not a political luxury but a necessity for saving society. Ending the war is the first step toward restoring life, building institutions is the path to restoring law, and accountability is the only guarantee against repeating tragedy. Transitional justice provides a framework to grant victims their rights, restore human dignity, and set standards to prevent future violations.
Achieving a clear human rights path requires broad national unity to end impunity and establish strong transitional justice involving political parties, organizations, civil society, women, youth, and all social groups without exception. Building a secure future for Yemen requires a political process that holds violators accountable, restores victims’ rights, upholds freedom and democracy, and ensures inclusive participation in decision-making and resource management. A state lacking transparency, accountability, and broad participation is at risk of repeated collapse; only a rights-based approach can pave the way toward a Yemen rebuilt on citizenship, not domination, and on the rule of law, not the logic of force.
Yemen deserves a state grounded in citizenship, not arms; in law, not loyalties; in dignity, not subjugation. It deserves a society where human rights are upheld as the foundation of existence, not as a privilege granted. SAM Organization reaffirms its commitment to continue amplifying victims’ voices, defending human rights defenders, and working toward a Yemen where human dignity is restored and the state regains its true meaning.