Child Bride In Yemen Runs Away From Home To Escape Marriage – Watch Her Heartbreaking Video

An 11-year old Yemeni girl has run away from home after her parents threatened to marry her off. She is now living with her uncle. Nada al-Ahdal explains in the video below that she would rather be dead and if she has to marry she will kill herself. I think it goes without me saying that this child is incredibly courageous and brave and hopefully her video can help raise awareness about what so many little girls all over the world face everyday, being forced to marry men they have never met before, who are usually far older than they are, who will simply abuse them and treat them like indentured sex servants.

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According to Human Rights Watch:

There is no legal minimum age for girls to marry in Yemen. Many girls are forced into marriage, and some are as young as 8.

”Yemen’s political crisis has left issues such as child marriage at the bottom of the political priority list,” said Nadya Khalife, women’s rights researcher for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch. ”But now is the time to move on this issue, setting the minimum age for marriage at 18, to ensure that girls and women who played a major role in Yemen’s protest movement will also contribute to shaping Yemen’s future.”

Nearly half of all women in Yemen are married as children. Myths surrounding child brides in Yemen include that they become obedient wives and that they are able to bear more children. I’m extremely happy that little Nada is safe, but all it does is worry me about the thousands of other young girls in Yemen who are being forced into marriage. No little girl should ever be forced into this way of life, ever.

Another highly disturbing issue is that various, unconfirmed reports state that Nada has been killed. I have found no information to confirm this is true, but I will update accordingly.

(Image: YouTube)