News - Yemen: Entisaf organization has held the US-Saudi coalition fully responsible for the dramatic rise in illiteracy in Yemen, citing the long-term impact of over a decade of war and blockade on the country’s education system.

The organization highlighted that illiteracy among the population aged 10 and above has reached 29.2 percent, equivalent to 6.4 million people, exacerbating social and economic hardships, including poverty, school dropouts, and unprecedented levels of child labor. 

Female illiteracy surpasses 60 percent in some governorates, such as Hodeidah, where more than 1.2 million people are unable to read or write, 62 percent of them women. The destruction of thousands of schools and the displacement of tens of thousands of families have further deepened the educational crisis.

Entisaf stressed that the continued air, land, and sea blockade, along with deliberate targeting of educational infrastructure, is the main driver behind rising illiteracy. The organization added that the war has quadrupled child labor compared to pre-conflict levels.

The statement called on the international community and UN organizations to fulfill their legal and humanitarian responsibilities, take serious measures to halt the aggression, protect civilians, and establish an independent international commission to investigate violations and hold perpetrators accountable.

Yemen’s education system has been devastated by more than a decade of US-Saudi attacks, during which thousands of schools have been destroyed, tens of thousands of teachers displaced, and millions of children denied access to basic education. The blockade and repeated targeting of educational facilities have intensified illiteracy, particularly among women, and contributed to widespread social and economic deterioration, making education a central humanitarian concern.