A/HRC/27/44 reported as recruited and used by armed forces, which represented an increase of 15 per cent from the previous reporting period. 46. Children continued to be victims of killing and maiming due to the conflicts in the north and the south of the country. According to UNICEF, there was a 29 per cent increase in children affected by armed conflicts, with a total 229 children (190 boys, 39 girls) killed and 188 maimed. A significant increase in child casualties was recorded in Al Dhale’a Governorate due to armed clashes and attacks by Yemeni Armed Forces. 47. Throughout 2013, over 560 unaccompanied children from Yemen were caught at the borders crossing illegally into or being returned from Saudi Arabia or were stranded in Haradh while attempting to reach Saudi Arabia.20 In addition, many children escaped the famine and drought in the Horn of Africa and undertook the hazardous journey with the help of smugglers across the Gulf of Aden to reach the shores of Yemen. According to UNICEF, out of 271 unaccompanied children from Ethiopia assisted in Haradh, the vast majority ended up in the hands of traffickers and experienced terrible ordeals. A significant number of them, mostly boys between 13 and 15 years of age, were detained in adult prisons because they did not possess any identification confirming their age. H. Women’s rights 48. At the National Dialogue Conference, among the participants of which 30 per cent were women, the Working Group on Rights and Freedoms recommended that the principle of equality be at the core of the Constitution. Other recommendations set the minimum age of marriage at 18 years, addressed violence against women and set a 30 per cent quota for women’s participation in public service as well as in State-elected bodies. Following the finalization of the Conference, four women were elected on the Constitutional Drafting Commission. 49. As a result of conflict and displacement, gender-based violence was increasingly reported. This particularly affected internally displaced persons, migrants and other communities touched by conflict. Sexual violence, domestic violence and cases of early marriage were also recorded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).21 Despite the informal reports, survivors often did not report the violence committed against them, fearing retribution from the assailants. Women were often denied access to services due to traditional practices, such as that male spouses or relatives should provide authorization for women to seek health care and/or other forms of aid. In general, women refrained from disclosing gender-based violence because of stigma, fear of reprisals or honour killings. 50. There is a major gap with regard to prosecution of sexual violence. The Penal Code does not include a basic definition of sexual violence compliant with international human rights standards and does not incorporate any sections on war crimes and crimes against humanity. This translates into a complete absence of provisions regarding sexual-violence related to conflict. 20 21 12 According to UNICEF, 377 unaccompanied children were expelled from Saudi Arabia in 2013; 85 were caught by general security officers; 13 by border guards; one by central security and seven children went voluntarily to the centre. In the first half of 2014, 290 unaccompanied children were expelled from Saudi Arabia; 82 were caught by general security officers; one by border guards and three children went voluntarily to the centre. Between January and May 2014, UNFPA recorded 752 cases of violence against women in conflictaffected areas including rape, sexual and physical assault, psychological abuse, denial of resources as well as early and forced marriages.