A/HRC/42/CRP.1 691. This centre, established in 2017 in Ma’rib city, is funded by King Salman Relief Centre, a charity in Saudi Arabia.1082 According to the information received by the Group,1083 children are selected by field workers in various regions, mostly from camps for internally displaced persons in Ma’rib and ‘detention centres’ run by Government forces. The centre only accepts children as long as their parents have provided consent. Interviewees stated the centre has mostly treated former Houthi child soldiers, but a number of the children have been formerly associated with the Yemeni armed forces and affiliated groups.1084 692. While a witness described this centre as the only place ‘certified’ by the Government of Yemen to provide such services, what is unclear is the level of government oversight on the centre’s activities and any further coordination with child protection agencies, including those of the United Nations.1085 The support provided to those able to reach the centre is a crucial part of their rehabilitation. However, the Group observes that identifying these children as ex-soldiers might lead to stigmatization, counterproductive to reintegration. In this regard, the Group echoes the Secretary-General’s call upon all parties to enhance their engagement with the United Nations to develop and adopt standard operating procedures for the release and reintegration of children associated with parties to the conflict and grant immediate access to civilian child protection actors to facilitate the release and reintegration of those children into their communities.1086 4. Violations of the rights to liberty and security of person and protection from violence “I was arrested just before my final exams and so I have no hope of finishing my education. I was a good student. My family sold their house to save my life … the people who arrested me injured and scarred me, they took my education and life away from me”1087 Survivor of torture including sexual assault at the age of 16 by de facto authorities Detention 693. The Group of Experts found cases of children deprived of their liberty for their alleged association with opposing parties.1088 International humanitarian law affords specific protections to detained children under the age of 15. 1089 International human rights law provides additional protections for child detainees under the age of 18. 1090 Firstly, the detention of children shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time, and the best interests of the child should be the primary consideration.1091 Children must be held in separate facilities from adult detainees. 1092 1082 Confidential Sources on File. Confidential Sources on File. 1084 Confidential Sources on File. 1085 On 25 March 2019, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Virginia Gamba, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Force Commander of the coalition, Lieutenant General Prince Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to reinforce the protection of boys and girls affected by armed conflict in that country.” Available at https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/mou-to-strengthen-the-protection-of-children-affected-byarmed-conflict-in-yemen-signed-with-the-coalition-to-support-legitimacy-in-yemen/. 1086 UN Secretary-General Report 2019 - S/2019/453, para 75. 1087 Confidential Sources on File. The child was arrested by the Houthis at age 16, tortured and sexually abused. He was released in 2017, paralyzed, with permanent injuries to his genitals, and severely traumatized. 1088 Confidential Sources on File. 1089 Additional Protocol II, Article 4(3) provides that “[c]hildren shall be provided with the care and aid they require” and sets out a list of specific measures to this end. See also ICRC Customary IHL Study, rule 120. 1090 CRC, Article 37; see also United Nations Standard Minimum rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (hereinafter the “Beijing Rules”), 29 November 1985 adopted by General Assembly resolution A/RES/40/33. 1091 CRC, Articles 3 and 37 (b). 1083 166