152. The Republic of Yemen applies the principle of equal opportunities in regard to education, which is free and compulsory. Article 32 of the Constitution stipulates that the State, together with society, must contribute to the provision of education, which is a prerequisite for social development and progress. Article 53 further stipulates that all citizens have a right to education which the State must safeguard, in accordance with the law, by establishing various educational institutions and making basic education free. […]

13. Article 37 affirms that:

"education is a right of all citizens guaranteed by the State in accordance with the law through the establishment of various schools and cultural and educational institutions. Education at the primary stage shall be compulsory ... […]

62. The principle of compulsory education has not been applied for various reasons, including:

(i) The inability of schools to absorb everyone of school age, particularly in rural and remote areas;

(ii) Social opposition to application of the principle of compulsory education, since families need child labour, particularly in rural areas;

(iii) The lack of equal educational opportunities for children who work to support themselves at other times.

87. Within the overall framework of Yemeni law and legislation, care is taken to protect children from exploitation. The Labour Act grants children the right to work and to benefit from employment opportunities under special terms and conditions, which effectively ensure that they will not be exploited. The general provisions of the Social Assistance Act also cater for the psychological and material welfare of families, and particularly of children, in order to protect them from need, destitution and economic exploitation.

106. The Labour Act No. 5 of 1995 regulates the employment of young persons by laying down a series of rules that ensure the requisite protection for young persons entering the labour market and enable them to exercise all their rights.

28. Article 19 of the Basic Labour Code (Act No. 141 of 1978) promulgated at Aden prohibits the employment of young persons up to 16 years of age who have not completed their basic education unless special approval is granted by the Minister after each case has been considered on its merits in the light of a special social study and report.

6. (c) The Personal Status Act. Article 15 of this Act sets the minimum age for marriage at 15 years in the case of both males and females. […]

6. (f) The Penal Code. With regard to criminal responsibility, this Code stipulates that a child under seven years of age who commits an act constituting an offence is not liable to criminal prosecution. If the act is committed by a child over 7 but under 15 years of age, instead of the prescribed penalty the judge can impose only one of the measures provided for in the Juveniles Act. […]