Unknown Heroes: Nujood Ali and Arwa Abdu Muhammad Ali
There are people out there who change our world, and we have no idea
who they are. I intend on highlighting them with "Unknown Hero"
postings.
Part of the world still lives with antiquated laws that spit in the face of human rights. In Yemen, it's still legal for men to marry girls. When I say girls, I mean 9- and 10-year-olds. Recently, two girls took on the system. This is Nujood (top) and Arwa (bottom, a few years ago, with her father):
Part of the world still lives with antiquated laws that spit in the face of human rights. In Yemen, it's still legal for men to marry girls. When I say girls, I mean 9- and 10-year-olds. Recently, two girls took on the system. This is Nujood (top) and Arwa (bottom, a few years ago, with her father):
The content of this post, along with the photos, comes from this past weekend's New York Times. The article by Robert Worth, Tiny Voices Defy Child Marriage in Yemen, explores how child marriage is common in Yemen. It's not illegal, but it is not really discussed. In fact, in a recent survey done by Sana University, the average age of marriage in Yemen's rural areas is 12 to 13. Holy. Moly.
The problem is more than just about these girls who lose their childhood. Child marriage continues the cycle of Yemen poverty and illiteracy as these girls are pulled from school and forced to have children far before their bodies are ready. Not only does motherhood keep them from school, but it can be very damaging to their bodies. Their babies are stunted as well.
Yemen has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
In addition, spousal abuse is common, so not only are these girls forcefully introduced to sexual activity, but they are usually then beaten.
This system benefits no one but the husband's sick fantasies.
Given that average bride age of 12 years, you can imagine the practice of child marriages is entrenched in Yemen culture. The predominant religion is Muslim, and Yemeni point to Profit Mohammad's marriage to a 9-year-old to set the example. In fact, Worth includes a popular tribal expression: "Give me a girl of 8, and I can give you a guarantee" for a good marriage.
Nujood Ali, our first heroine, was living with her father in the Capital city of Sana when he abruptly took her to his home village to marriage Faez Ali Thamer, a 30-year-old. Their first night together, Nujood's husband took off her clothes and she ran out of the room. He caught her, brought her back to the bedroom, raped her and beat her. She had not been given a talk to explain what marriage is, what it is to be a wife and what sex is. Nujood was 10 years old.
Nujood's father, Ali Muhammad ai-Ahdal, defends marrying off his daughter because two of his other daughters (older than Nujood) had been kidnapped and he feared a similar fate for his 10-year-old. Marriage seeemed to him like the only safe place for her. (He now has 16 children with 2 different women.)
Safe for her?
Nujood couldn't take her life with her husband. They moved back to the capital city of Sana where Nujood complained to her husband's family about the rape and physical abuse. She complained to her family. Their advice? Stick with it. They were fearful that breaking the marriage would shame the family name. Eventually Nujood's uncle told her to go to court. Three months ago, on April 2, she left he house, hailed a cab and went to the courthouse. It was the first time she was out alone. Nujood asked to see the judge, but he was busy, so she waited for him on a bench. When the judge finally come to her, she told him she wanted a divorce.
A 10-year-old asking a judge, on her first time alone in the city, for a divorce? It brings tears to my eyes. The judge responded similarly. Since court was closed for the day, he took Nujood home with her. The judge also jailed her father and husband to guarnatee they come to court. The court was crowded with reporters, as this was the first time they were seeing a case like this. The judge simply asked the young girl, "Do you want a separation, or a permanent divorce?"
"A permanent divorce," she responded.
He immediately granted it. She lived with her uncle for a while until she insisted she get back to home with her father. "I've forgiven him," she said. She claims she will never marry again and that she wants to be a human rights lawyer or journalist. (Her lawyer was a female as well.)
The way the case rolled out seemed like a slam dunk--yougn girl asks for a divorce, she is granted it--but the truth is that Nujood came across a very sympathetic judge. Others would have simply refused to hear the case and would have sent Nujood back to her husband.
The other heroine? Arwa Abdu Muhammad Ali was 9 years old when she was married. She ran to a local hospital and announced that she had been sexually molested and abused. She had been married to a 35-year-old who was also raping and beating her. The hospital employees took her to the police station. The judge who took her case actually had the judge who approved the marriage contract jailed. She is living with family until her case is resolved, but she is not leaving the house for fear of being kidnapped by her husband. He's refused to show up in court, and they fear he will kidnap her if he gets the chance.
These two cases are gaining traction. Shawki al-Qadhi, a member of Parliament, is aiming to ban child marriage, but he faces an uphill battle. The history of child marriage is actually revealing. In 1992, the government set a marriage age of 15, but in 1998 Parliament revised it so girls could be married earlier as long as they didn't move in with their husbands until they reach sexual maturity.
Whatever the law, the reality is horrifying. Hopefully the stories of these two heroines will bring the issue to the forefront. Changes need to come.
Yemen has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
In addition, spousal abuse is common, so not only are these girls forcefully introduced to sexual activity, but they are usually then beaten.
This system benefits no one but the husband's sick fantasies.
Given that average bride age of 12 years, you can imagine the practice of child marriages is entrenched in Yemen culture. The predominant religion is Muslim, and Yemeni point to Profit Mohammad's marriage to a 9-year-old to set the example. In fact, Worth includes a popular tribal expression: "Give me a girl of 8, and I can give you a guarantee" for a good marriage.
Nujood Ali, our first heroine, was living with her father in the Capital city of Sana when he abruptly took her to his home village to marriage Faez Ali Thamer, a 30-year-old. Their first night together, Nujood's husband took off her clothes and she ran out of the room. He caught her, brought her back to the bedroom, raped her and beat her. She had not been given a talk to explain what marriage is, what it is to be a wife and what sex is. Nujood was 10 years old.
Nujood's father, Ali Muhammad ai-Ahdal, defends marrying off his daughter because two of his other daughters (older than Nujood) had been kidnapped and he feared a similar fate for his 10-year-old. Marriage seeemed to him like the only safe place for her. (He now has 16 children with 2 different women.)
Safe for her?
Nujood couldn't take her life with her husband. They moved back to the capital city of Sana where Nujood complained to her husband's family about the rape and physical abuse. She complained to her family. Their advice? Stick with it. They were fearful that breaking the marriage would shame the family name. Eventually Nujood's uncle told her to go to court. Three months ago, on April 2, she left he house, hailed a cab and went to the courthouse. It was the first time she was out alone. Nujood asked to see the judge, but he was busy, so she waited for him on a bench. When the judge finally come to her, she told him she wanted a divorce.
A 10-year-old asking a judge, on her first time alone in the city, for a divorce? It brings tears to my eyes. The judge responded similarly. Since court was closed for the day, he took Nujood home with her. The judge also jailed her father and husband to guarnatee they come to court. The court was crowded with reporters, as this was the first time they were seeing a case like this. The judge simply asked the young girl, "Do you want a separation, or a permanent divorce?"
"A permanent divorce," she responded.
He immediately granted it. She lived with her uncle for a while until she insisted she get back to home with her father. "I've forgiven him," she said. She claims she will never marry again and that she wants to be a human rights lawyer or journalist. (Her lawyer was a female as well.)
The way the case rolled out seemed like a slam dunk--yougn girl asks for a divorce, she is granted it--but the truth is that Nujood came across a very sympathetic judge. Others would have simply refused to hear the case and would have sent Nujood back to her husband.
The other heroine? Arwa Abdu Muhammad Ali was 9 years old when she was married. She ran to a local hospital and announced that she had been sexually molested and abused. She had been married to a 35-year-old who was also raping and beating her. The hospital employees took her to the police station. The judge who took her case actually had the judge who approved the marriage contract jailed. She is living with family until her case is resolved, but she is not leaving the house for fear of being kidnapped by her husband. He's refused to show up in court, and they fear he will kidnap her if he gets the chance.
These two cases are gaining traction. Shawki al-Qadhi, a member of Parliament, is aiming to ban child marriage, but he faces an uphill battle. The history of child marriage is actually revealing. In 1992, the government set a marriage age of 15, but in 1998 Parliament revised it so girls could be married earlier as long as they didn't move in with their husbands until they reach sexual maturity.
Whatever the law, the reality is horrifying. Hopefully the stories of these two heroines will bring the issue to the forefront. Changes need to come.
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This is horrendous, but before we get all high and mighty, let's remember that we, in the west, don't treat gays like full humans, either... Changes need to come.
I'm the best blogger, ever.
- JLF
JLF -
I really don't think you can equate not giving gays in this country the right to marry with allowing a little girl to be raped at the age of 9 or 10 by her husband because mohammed did it to his little 9 year old wife (or 8 years and 9 months by some sources) and then making the little abused girl pay her rapist abuser husband $200 to get out of the marriage. no one is raping and beating gays in america (and if someone did, we wouldn't condone it). No one is causing them physical harm. Instead, society is trying to transition from one perception to another here in the US. There is already gay marriage in California and Mass. And even if every state doesn't allow gay marriage someday that in no ways compares to this story at all. I am a little sickened you would think there is a comparison
Well, Anonymous, if I'm not controversial, I'm not doing my job.
Of course there are degrees to human right infractions, and of course marrying an 9-year-old is worse than not letting gays get married... I wasn't comparing them. But, we in the west have a tendency to think we're superior in how we treat each other (9-year-olds aren't married here, girls aren't circumcised), but just because we're better doesn't mean we can't improve. I'm just reminding people of that. Let's stop patting ourselves on the back all the time, eh, until all citizens are treated the same.
Need I remind that the U.S. is torturing people?
I appreciate your comments. Sorry mine made you sick, because we agree, after all. I just look at the glass is 5% empty instead of 95% full.
I'm the best blogger, ever.
- JLF