Migrants Rights Monitor (MRM) is an independent Yemeni human rights initiative that monitors and documents violations against migrants, with a particular focus on African migrants in Yemen. The initiative was established to address the urgent need for systematic and specialized documentation of abuses faced by migrants in a context marked by armed conflict, humanitarian deterioration, and a lack of effective protection mechanisms.
Yemen is one of the main transit routes for migrants from the Horn of Africa, especially Ethiopia and Somalia, on their way to the Gulf countries. Along this dangerous journey, migrants face multiple forms of serious human rights violations, often without sufficient documentation or accountability. MRM seeks to fill this gap by producing reliable information that supports accountability and strengthens protection and advocacy efforts at both national and international levels.
Our Objectives
Migrants Rights Monitor aims to protect the rights of migrants and promote their human dignity through a set of integrated objectives:
- Monitor and document violations against migrants in Yemen, including abuses committed by parties to the conflict, armed groups, and networks involved in migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
- Highlight the situation of irregular migrants, who are among the most vulnerable groups and often fall outside legal and humanitarian protection.
- Raise public awareness about the human rights of migrants and educate local and host communities on the importance of ethical and humane treatment, emphasizing the protection and care required for these vulnerable groups.
- Challenge negative stereotypes about migrants and promote discourse based on human dignity and non-discrimination, especially given the exploitation, violence, and social exclusion migrants often face.
- Provide reliable information for human rights mechanisms, humanitarian organizations, media, and policymakers to support accountability and advocacy.
- Support initiatives aimed at strengthening the protection and care of migrants, recognizing them as one of the most vulnerable groups in Yemen in need of rights-based and humanitarian assistance.
Our Values and Principles
The work of Migrants Rights Monitor is guided by core values and principles:
- Independence: The initiative operates independently of any political, military, or governmental influence.
- Neutrality and Impartiality: The monitor documents violations without discrimination, regardless of the responsible party.
- Human Dignity: The dignity and rights of migrants and victims are at the core of all activities.
- Professionalism and Credibility: The initiative follows strict professional standards in collecting and analyzing information.
- Do No Harm: MRM ensures the protection of victims and witnesses and avoids exposing them to additional risks.
Our Methodology
Migrants Rights Monitor uses a rigorous documentation methodology that combines primary and reliable secondary sources. Primary sources include testimonies from victims and witnesses, medical reports, and information collected through direct observation whenever possible. Secondary sources include reports from human rights organizations, data from international bodies, and verified publicly available information.
All collected information undergoes careful verification according to international documentation standards and ethical principles. The initiative places strong emphasis on data protection, confidentiality, and respect for the dignity of victims throughout all stages of work.
MRM operates within the framework of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and relevant humanitarian standards, aiming to strengthen justice, accountability, and the protection of migrants along one of the most dangerous migration routes in the region.