Houthi Summer Centers: Factories for Indoctrination and Raising a “Scream” Generation

The summer centers organized by the Iran-backed Houthi group in areas under its control are once again at the center of debate among Yemenis, amid mounting accusations that they have been turned from educational and recreational activities into tools for ideological indoctrination and recruitment.Human rights and media reports say these centers target children and adolescents through ideologically charged programs and lectures presented as educational activities, while their content is tied to the current conflict.This comes as the summer break is being used to expand their reach, particularly in poor communities.

From education to recruitment  

Sources say these centers have become active platforms for attracting young people and children, instilling the Houthi group’s sectarian ideas, and pushing participants toward paths linked to the front lines.

In documented cases, children and young people are pulled out of regular schooling and enrolled in closed courses that pave the way for their involvement in fighting.Recruitment also takes place through various means, including financial incentives for families or social pressure that pushes them to enroll their children in these programs.

An impact that goes beyond the war  

Human rights reports warn of the far-reaching effects of these Houthi practices on children’s awareness and behavior, including entrenching a culture of violence, weakening national identity and creating divisions within society.The issue is not limited to students. Sources say teachers are also being subjected to sectarian ideological courses aimed at influencing the content of the educational process inside schools.

In this context, political activist Adel al-Harsh says in a published article that the danger “is not only about weapons, but about the intellectual project that seeks to reshape society from its roots.” 

Al-Harsh added that “instilling these ideas in children’s minds turns them into a long-term tool for reproducing conflict,” noting that what is happening inside some schools “goes beyond education to an organized mobilization process.”  

Legal warnings  

Human rights organizations say the recruitment of children in Yemen is a clear violation of “international humanitarian law” and child protection conventions, warning of long-term consequences if these activities continue.As the conflict continues, children in Yemen remain among the most vulnerable to exploitation, amid repeated calls for action to protect them and preserve their right to education in a safe environment, away from the paths of conflict.