The text was adopted several days after Shiite militants seized control over much of Yemen's capital and the U.S. State Department began removing some of its diplomats from U.S. facilities and advised Americans living there to leave the country.
The text of the resolution is entitled "Technical assistance and capacity building for Yemen in the field of human rights." It includes such language as: " The Human Rights Council... Welcomes... the commitment of the government of Yemen to fully promote and protect human rights...Welcomes the measures of the government of Yemen to end the recruitment and the use of children...Notes with appreciation the considerable representation of women...Looks forward to the Government continuing its efforts to promote and protect human rights... Reiterates the commitments and obligations of the government of Yemen to promote and protect human rights".
The actual record of human rights in Yemen, as detailed in the most recent State Department report of 2013 includes:
- "The most significant human rights problems were arbitrary killings and acts of violence committed by the government and various entities and groups; disappearances and kidnappings; and a weak and corrupt judicial system that did not ensure the rule of law... The government still enforced restrictions on coverage of security and military related events, confiscated newspapers, and harassed journalists... Other human rights problems included: torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; poor prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; lengthy pretrial detention... Impunity was persistent and pervasive...Child Soldiers:...persons under age 18 reportedly directly participated in armed conflict during the year for government, tribal, and militant forces...Most rape victims did not report the crime due to fear of shaming the family, incurring violent retaliation, or being prosecuted...According to the law, without a confession the [rape] victim must provide four male witnesses to the crime... Violence against women and children was considered a family affair and usually went unreported to police... The testimony of one man equates to that of two women... A close male relative has the authority to approve or prohibit a female citizen's travel... A husband may divorce a wife without justifying the action in court...The law does not define or prohibit child abuse...There was no minimum age of marriage...The penal code criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual conduct, with the death penalty as a sanction, under the country's interpretation of Islamic law."