In its 2013 report on Yemen, Human Rights Watch - prominent rights organization - established that while Yemen had transitioned away from deposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the government had yet to prove the state is more mindful of its citizens' rights as well as its obligation of care, fairness and equality in its dealings.

Human Rights Watch noted that despite activists' repeated calls and rejection of the immunity blanket which the Parliament granted deposed Saleh, aides and close family members; President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi chose to sit outside international law by abiding the agreement, preventing citizens from filing law-suits against the former regime.

Tawakkul Karman - 2011 Nobel Peace prize winner - sent a letter to the UN Security Council earlier this week demanding the very thing revolutionaries have been clamoring for over the past year -- a lift of the immunity, Saleh's forced departure of Yemen and a freeze of assets for all men and women linked to the looted funds of Yemen --

HRW stressed accountability in Yemen was still a source of concern, citing President Hadi's attempt to bring citizens a sense of closure by allowing the trial of pro-government gunmen who in 2011 killed a reported 45 protesters.
"Political interference and failure to investigate evidence
that implicated government officials marred the prosecution’s case. Most key defendants remain fugitives," read the report.

In regards to Yemen issues with recruitment of child soldiers, HRW accused both the government and the opposition of perpetuating the trend, hence disregarding international conventions.
"Human Rights Watch received credible reports of Islamist militants and pro-government popular committees deploying child soldiers in Abyan."

Moreover, reports from local rights researchers and activists highlighted that schools were still being used as bases for militias and government troops, preventing children from properly attending schools and putting civilians populations at risk to be caught in a cross-fire or military escalation.

The right group also criticised the government for failing to address issues relating to Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech, saying journalists were still living under the tyranny of Yemen specialized media courts - which by their nature are contrary to international press freedom standards -

"Abdulelah Haidar Shae of Saba news agency remained in prison on terrorism
charges, despite having received a pardon from then-President Saleh in
February 2011. Yemeni and international media reported that US President
Barack Obama requested Shae’s continued detention. The specialized media
court in January 2011 sentenced Shae to a five-year term after a trial marked by
procedural irregularities. Shae had alleged that the Yemeni and US governments
had committed abuses in their fight against al-Qaeda."

In terms of Yemen's humanitarian situation, HRW noted the country remained entrenched in a grave and debilitating crisis with over 10 million of people - more than half of Yemen population - being at food risk - among which one million children - and 500,000 registered IDPs - Internally Displaced people -
This figure doubled from last year 2012; essentially due to the fighting against Islamic fighters in the southern province of Abyan.

Addressing Yemen's fight against terrorism, HRW reported - according to the Bureau of
Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), a UK-based public interest reporting service - the government authorized 83 US-led drone strikes against alleged al-Qaeda militants and/or hideouts which in turn led to the death of at least 173 civilians -amongst whom women and children -
TBIJ reported lack of access to the targeted areas prevented independent verification of the data, including the number of civilian casualties.

In Aden and Mukallah the main flash-points of the southern secessionist movement, the right group estimated the central government had allowed Central Security Forces to "use disproportionate force against peaceful factions of the Southern Movement.
"Security forces threatened health care in Aden by forcibly removing wounded
alleged Southern Movement militants from hospitals, exchanging fire with gunmen seeking to block the arrests, and beating medical staff. Gunmen protecting
the alleged militants fueled the violence by firing at the security forces on hospital grounds.
In December 2011, security forces released two Southern Movement leaders,
Hassan Baoum and his son Fawaz, after arbitrarily detaining them for 10 Months."

While women rights have somewhat improved, essentially in terms of political representation and involvement in public life, HRW warned against the ill effects of sexism and child marriages as they were both clear and grave violations of one's human rights.
"Child marriages remain widespread, exposing girls to domestic violence and truncating their education.
Yemen has a high maternal mortality rate of 370 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Seven or eight women die each day from childbirth complications."

While Yemen made some positive changes toward becoming a more open and human rights' abiding society, the state will have to implement reforms at a much greater speed and assertiveness if it is to fulfill its citizens' demands.