Shocking news, an 8-year-old bride died last week in Yemen, on her wedding night. According to the officials, she suffered from severe internal injuries This 8-year-old bride was forced to marry a 40-year-old man. The Human Rights organizations are asking for the arrest of her husband, who was 5 times older than her. According to the local media in Al, Nahar, Lebanon – the death occurred in the tribal area of Hardh in Northwestern Yemen, which borders with Saudi Arabia. This death will bring even more attention to the already existing issue of forced child marriages in the Middle East.
According to the latest statistics of the he UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), just between 2011 and 2020, more than 140 million girls will become child brides. And all of them will marry before they turn 18. And 50 million of these girls will be under the age of 15. The statistics also report that over a quarter of Yemen’s young girls are married before the age of 15. They lose the access to health and education in this way, and these child brides are usually subjected to physical, emotional and sexual violence in their forced marriages.
The experts around the world think that the main cause and problem is that there isn’t any established definition of a “child”, which has been used and agreed in other countries around the world. And this leaves different interpretations in other countries and no protection for those who are affected. Well, one of the top priorities for human rights groups, like HRC is establishing the age limit. This human rights group was responsible for publishing the 54-page report – “How come you allow little girls to get married?”, documenting the lifelong damage to girls who are forced to marry at young ages. Many different organizations also agree that 18 should be the legal age for marriage. And, in Yemen, this type of law was created in February, 2009. This law set the minimum age for marriage at 17. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share with your friends and family.
