About 2 million children are out of school in Yemen:UN

“Nearly half a million children have dropped out of school since the 2015 escalation of conflict in Yemen, bringing the total number of out-of-school children to 2 million,” UNICEF said in a statement on Tuesday, Anadolu reported.

“Almost three quarters of public school teachers have not been paid their salaries in over a year, putting the education of an additional 4.5 million children at grave risk,” UNICEF warned.

According to UNICEF, more than 2,500 schools are out of use, with two thirds damaged by attacks, 27 percent closed and 7 percent used for military purposes or as shelters for displaced people.

At least 2,419 children have been recruited in the fighting in Yemen since March 2015, UNICEF said.

Moreover, nearly half of Yemeni girls were married before age 15, according to UNICEF.

“Close to three quarters of women had been married before the age of 18, while nearly half had been married before age 15,” UNICEF said.

The UN will convene a high-level pledging conference on April 3 for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The UN has launched an international appeal for $2.96 billion this year. Currently 10 percent are funded.