Imagine being forced into marriage with a thirty year old stranger at the age of ten. This was the unfortunate fate for Nujood Ali, a young girl from Yemen. When she was only ten years old, her parents sold her off as a child bride to an older man, so she could be his wife. She had never met this man, and she quickly came to find, shortly after the wedding, that he was physically and sexually abusive. Though she was placed in such a miserable situation, she chose to overcome it and to fight back, becoming one of the first few girls in her country to successfully file for a divorce and a huge inspiration to girls in her region, as well as all over the world. Nujood is well known for her story, she is an inspiration because of how she overcame …show more content…
In 2013 her book, I am Nujood: Age 10 and Divorced was released and quickly became popular, becoming a New York Times Best Seller. Her book told the story of her life before her marriage, her life during her short marriage, and what she did afterwards to regain her independence, and try to achieve once again the happy life she once had. The book reached all over the world because of its intriguing and unique story and context. In some countries, like the United States, prearranged marriages and deals of that nature aren’t a regular occurrence, so when a story about a ten year old girl who had already been married AND divorced surfaced, it wasn’t a surprise that people were interested to read the book and learn about her story. Her story and the book spread like …show more content…
According to the International Center for Research on Women, one-third of the girls under eighteen years old are married in developing countries, and one-ninth of them are married before fifteen years old. Other research and statistics have pointed out that often times these young girls, some who haven’t even reached puberty, are sold off to older men, who typically abuse and/or rape them, because the parents of these girls want to rid themselves of this burden of having to raise and pay for them. Many families who participate in arranged marriages with these child brides are poor and can’t afford to pay for food, clothing, education, etc. for these girls, so instead they give their daughters away to other families who will “take care” of them. Over time, however, many people are starting to question the ethics of arranged and forced marriages with child brides. Young girls who are sold off are starting to realize because of stories like Nujood’s that there is hope for them and that they too could build the strength and courage to escape their forced
Khaled Hosseini, an inspirational author, has experienced and wrote books based on the society and culture of Afghanistan. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, the main protagonist, Laila, is in the middle of a war-fighting country. At one point, her father says to her, “marriage can wait, education cannot” (Hosseini 103). Her father urges her to take the advantages of knowledge rather than jumping into marriage. Marriage is a life-long process that according to the Quran, bids a woman to follow her husband. All in all, it’s general knowledge that love, respect, and trust is what keeps the strong bond between man and wife. There have been too many times where they have been caged and looked down upon. Women deserve the same equality as men. It won’t happen immediately, but the change is happening, slowly. One way to gain that right, is to create an organization and promote the idea of women being able to get a job, education, and not being married at an early age in Afghanistan. The organization would be able to collect money for two buildings. One building will be for a school, so that women get the education they deserve. The other building opens up for opportunities for a job. Those jobs could range from sewing to cooking. Women are more than just a trophy to just sit there and act as though they do not have a voice. The challenge may be a struggle but not
Some of these marriages are extremely dysfunctional while others seem to be practical. These marriages are considered different from forced marriages and are an acceptable type of marriage in Afghan society. Some arranged marriages lead to poor or horrific outcomes for the brides in order to separate from her spouse. Occasionally these marriages shift into being forced marriages. In the article “Afghan girls bound by family betrothals” the author states “In Kapisa province, just north of Kabul, an 18-year-old girl shot and killed herself because her family would not break off her three-year-engagement to a drug addict.” This exhibits how certain family’s decisions for their children are atrocious. In addition it shows how an arranged marriage turned into a forced marriage. At times young women may run away from as a threat tactic to their family reported by the article “Afghan girls bound by family betrothals.” A 17-year-old girl who ran away from her home for a few days resulted in her parents letting her marry the man that she loved rather than who they set her up with. This shows how some parents would be tolerant enough to let his own daughter marry the person she
The value of a woman as a mother, wife, sister, daughter or aunt has been replaced for sexual please. Greed and perversion disguised as men chose to debase America’s women and children for their own selfish gain. Child sexual exploitation is the most hidden form of child abuse in the U.S. and North America today. It is the nation’s least recognized epidemic. The overwhelming majority of children forced to sell their bodies on the street are girls. Young boys face hardship and abuse as well, but they often fend for themselves to survive. The girls, on the other hand, inevitably fall victim to pimps and organized trafficking networks. (Sher, pg. V)
Take a moment to imagine being held captive in a prison, where you are tortured and violently mistreated at the young age of 16. Instead of planning your senior dance and thinking about the bright future ahead of you, your main concern is how to survive the next 24 hours. You are forced into making decisions against your will and there is absolutely nothing you can do to change them. Marina Nemat, author of the memoir, Prisoner of Tehran, experienced a life similar to the one situation described during the harsh years of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. After getting arrested in 1982, she was taken to Evin, a political prison, where she would spend the next two years of her teenage life. She was sentenced to death for voicing her opinion on the government, but, was saved from execution by a guard named Ali. After threatening to hurt her family if she refused, she was forced to marry him. The next years spent in Evin with Ali, included mistreatment, rape, and being forced to change her religious views to Islam. Ali ultimately took advantage of Marina because she was seen to be a harmless and useless young woman. Prisoner of Tehran demonstrates how women in Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, are oppressed and taken advantage of. By being sexually abused, controlled, and denied basic human rights these women are left psychologically drained and damaged.
Middle Eastern women need to stand up for their rights and get educated to reverse the notion that they are servants and properties of their men. Furthermore, they need to rise up to their potentials and prove beyond doubt that they are equal to men. This practice would lead the path for future generations to follow and protect the inalienable rights of women. Finally, these women need to break the cycle of oppression by addressing these deeply rooted beliefs, gaining the tools to fight back, and joining forces to make lifelong changes.
Over 2 million children are sold into sex trafficking each year (Global). Sold gives the eye-opening narrative of just one of them. I followed Lakshmi through her journey as she learned about life outside her small hometown in Nepal. She loved her mother and baby brother and worked hard to keep up with her repulsive step-father’s gambling habit. When given the opportunity to take a job that could provide for her family, Lakshmi accepted the offer. Unknowingly, she walked into the hands of horrible people who led her blindly on the path of prostitution. Discovering her fate, Lakshmi latched onto hope when all seemed bleak. After months of endless abuse, some Americans gave her the opportunity to escape her situation, and, thankfully, she took
Individuals face new challenges everyday, whether it is about making the right decision or reconsidering an action that has been made. The way individuals approach challenges they face is examined in the novel, I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Delphine Minoui. Minoui, a recipient of the Albert Loudres Prize, has been encountering complications in Iran since 1997. During her life changing experiences in Iran, she met 10 year-old Nujood Ali, a girl with horrifying news that no 10 year-old should ever experience. Minoui talks about Nujood Ali's disturbing story of her marriage and subsequent divorce by the age of ten.
However much the issue is discussed, the topic of child sex trafficking in South Asia still seems distant and foggy. It is hard for people living in America and other far-away nations to understand to what extent these girls (mostly girls in this area, although boys will be trafficked as well) are forced to participate in non-consensual sexual activity. Most children will be under the age of 13 when first sold into brothels and live their lives in the darkness of trafficking, only to end up dying from causes related to unsafe sexual activity such as diseases like HIV/AIDS and botched abortions, dying from horrible treatment and punishment from brothel leaders, starvation or mutilation. Author Patricia McCormick was inspired to tell the story
The practice of female infanticide shows how desirable having a male child is that parents would take the lives of a female baby. The dowry system in India is the main cause of female infanticide in India. Gender inequalities in the rural part of northern India exhibit female infanticide occurs here the most despite laws to abolish these acts. Men hold a higher value in this society because a system they adapted many years ago. Men are seen as an asset or of value because at one point his future wife and her family will “pay” for him. Daughters are opposite and viewed as a burden to the family because she will have to marry one day and that will cost her parents. So women are not viewed equally here even as infants, they don’t even stand a chance. Officials have tried to make laws to assist in reducing female infanticide but people have continued to follow traditions of the dowry systems putting the population at risk as well
The bravery Nujood demonstrated opened the doors for many other child brides. The issue of underage marriage had never gained as much exposure as it had after Nujood was publicly recognized as the youngest divorcee in the world. Yemen Times, along with other journalist wanted to share Nujood’s story. As uncomfortable as it was for Nujood to replay her occurrences for the journalist, she did it for a greater purpose. To help others in a situation like
An article released by the BBC entitled “Horrors of India’s Brothels Documented” brought this shocking global issue to my attention. The article provides information about a young Indian girl who was only 11 when she was sold into sex slavery by her neighbor (who had persuaded her family to let her go with him to Mumbai); she was taken from her impoverished village in West Bangel. Brutally raped the first night she arrived in a brothel, Guddi is only one of 20,000 sex workers in that specific area [Kamathipura] (2013). The article elaborates on the history of sex slavery in India. It points out that laws have recently been put into place against human trafficking. However, the laws are not being strongly enforced due to the sheer number of the cases. Human trafficking is like a plague that is spread throughout the world, and India is one of the hardest hit places. This paper will elaborate on the reasons this condition exists in India, and explain the connections that India has with the rest of the world that stem from this issue.
Child marriage is a global issue, transpiring in all parts of the world. Abducted from their home and family, young girls - below eighteen - are married off against their own will not only affecting the girls (mentally and physically) but the country as a whole. The organization, Too Young to Wed, says “… marrying them off at such a young age, they are putting the girls at risk and perpetuation the cycle of powerlessness and poverty.” Child marriages occurred throughout history and still an affair today due to society’s tolerance. And the number of young girls forced to wed increased and will continue to increase if society remains tolerant to this sensitive matter.
In document UN/ CRC/ 531, analyzed through UNICEF, an estimated 25% of the world’s children (developing world) are in the web of child labor. To add to this, nearly 70% of all girl/female laborers go unregistered, often performing acts of prostitution and strenuous domestic housework. This form of unregistered work is dangerous to young girls because the employers often abuse their employees sexually and physically, as well as psychologically scarring them for years. This alarming fact can be attributed to the inequality of education given to young girls.
Girls all over the world are forced into marriages due to financial necessity, tradition and to ensure their future. Most of these girls married are at a young age: “One third of the world’s girls are married before the age of 18 and 1 in 9 are married before the age of 15”( “Child Marriage Facts and Figures”). The young ages of those being married reveal how crucial it is to resolve this problem. When child marriage occurs the parents of the bride usually chose the groom for their daughters; and these grooms can be three times older than the young brides. Some children are brought into the world of marriage at the of 8 or sometimes less depending on their cultural views. The following can be used to help reduce the impact of early marriage: reinforcing laws that are passed against child marriages, and providing information on contraceptives to victims of early marriage. The most efficient way of resolving the problem of child marriage is through educating the people who practice it about its adverse effects.
Child marriage is a popular practice in India and Middle Eastern countries. It is defined as “a formal union before the age of eighteen” (unicef). In some cases the husband can be more than twice the age of the young girl. The median age of women at the time of their marriage is starting to increase, although this primarily includes women in higher income families. Seen as taboo in western countries, the practice is common in rural towns in places like India and Yemen. As a result of the marriage many young girls get pregnant, which is a serious health risk due to their underdeveloped bodies. The practice of child marriage takes away a young woman’s right to an education and also poses serious health risks.