One of The Most Widespread of All Human Rights Abuses…

36 Commentsawareness, Child, child marriage, compassion, conceptual framework, courage, Critical thinking, empowerment, equality of the sexes, family, justice, rape, Uncategorized, women

 

In 2008 a ten year old girl in Yemen, Nujood Ali, succeeded in obtaining a divorce from the husband who beat and raped her.  She has been allowed to divorce but has to pay more than $200 in compensation to her husband.

 

 

In 2009 a twelve year old girl, Fawziya Ammodi – also in Yemen – died after three days of excruciatingly painful childbirth.

Her baby also died.

Obviously legal protection is needed to shield girls like these against being traded and married and abused.  But the real key to the end of this suffering is education.

We need to become creative about how we might deliver education to the child brides that survive their awful experiences and then, at least, there will be a hope that their daughters will be spared the same fate.

If you are interested in this horrendous abuse of little girls then you may also be interested in  a study called – The Worst Places to Be a Woman – Mapping the places where the war on women is still being fought.  This study is by Valerie M. Hudson who is professor and George H.W. Bush chair in the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.  It makes interesting reading –
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http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/08/26/yemen.divorce/index.html

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-09-14/health/yemen.childbirth.death_1_minimum-marriage-age-child-marriages-child-brides?_s=PM:HEALTH

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36 Comments

  3. The War

    The Last and Greatest War is at hand! The Last and Greatest War is invisible. The battles have been raging for ten thousand years and more, unseen and unstoppable. As humanity multiplies, the war grows and becomes more visible. The bullets and bombs in this war are words and ideas. The casualties are minds.

    The enemy is known by many names, the most common of which are apathy, envy, hate, and greed. The enemy faces the forces of empathy, selflessness, love, and sacrafice. Ideas and beliefs are the weapons used, and are far more lethal then anything man has invented for destruction or control.

    We are all born free, but only for a moment. The war invades us almost instantly, and remains with us throughout our lives. Many people are unaware of the war, and this is the enemy’s greatest weapon. People throughout history have glimpsed the war, fought bravely, and have given their lives to make the war known to others.

    The war is on tv, cellphones, advertisements, music, all media, and in the very air that we breathe!

    The war is becomming apparent and visible to more and more people, a sign that it will reach a conclusion soon. If the war becomes fully visible to all people, then the war will be over, and humanity will have lost. Apathy, envy, hate, and greed will have kept us blind past the point of no return, and the oceans will boil.
    j pontious http://www.johnpnts.wordpress.com

  4. The War

    The Last and Greatest War is at hand! The Last and Greatest War is invisible. The battles have been raging for ten thousand years and more, unseen and unstoppable. As humanity multiplies, the war grows and becomes more visible. The bullets and bombs in this war are words and ideas. The casualties are minds.

    The enemy is known by many names, the most common of which are apathy, envy, hate, and greed. The enemy faces the forces of empathy, selflessness, love, and sacrafice. Ideas and beliefs are the weapons used, and are far more lethal then anything man has invented for destruction or control.

    We are all born free, but only for a moment. The war invades us almost instantly, and remains with us throughout our lives. Many people are unaware of the war, and this is the enemy’s greatest weapon. People throughout history have glimpsed the war, fought bravely, and have given their lives to make the war known to others.

    The war is on tv, cellphones, advertisements, music, all media, and in the very air that we breathe!

    The war is becomming apparent and visible to more and more people, a sign that it will reach a conclusion soon. If the war becomes fully visible to all people, then the war will be over, and humanity will have lost. Apathy, envy, hate, and greed will have kept us blind past the point of no return, and the oceans will boil.
    j pontious http://www.johnpnts.wordpress.com

  5. Have you read Half the Sky? I loved this book about global woman, the challenges they face, and some extraordinary responses.

    Thank you for this information. We need to speak up!

  6. Have you read Half the Sky? I loved this book about global woman, the challenges they face, and some extraordinary responses.

    Thank you for this information. We need to speak up!

  11. It’s so sad. These girls should not be married in the first place, but then to be treated as nothing adds to the horror. Thanks for helping bring this to the world’s attention. Angie

  12. It’s so sad. These girls should not be married in the first place, but then to be treated as nothing adds to the horror. Thanks for helping bring this to the world’s attention. Angie

  13. In some ways no matter how much information I have, these and other abuses of women of all ages, is simply unfathomable. There have been cases of human trafficking right here in m own city–women brought in from other countries on the hope of citizenship and then sold into sex slavery. Other than being outraged, all I know to do is help support organizations dedicated to human rights. It’s a deplorable situation. And yes, heartbreaking. Debra

    1. Hi Debra – those are good things to do and as for trafficking you are right it is here too in Ireland. The irony is that the subjugation and abuse of women is not only damaging women but their whole societies as well. It is really short sighted for the powers-that-be to allow it to continue. Thanks.

  14. In some ways no matter how much information I have, these and other abuses of women of all ages, is simply unfathomable. There have been cases of human trafficking right here in m own city–women brought in from other countries on the hope of citizenship and then sold into sex slavery. Other than being outraged, all I know to do is help support organizations dedicated to human rights. It’s a deplorable situation. And yes, heartbreaking. Debra

    1. Hi Debra – those are good things to do and as for trafficking you are right it is here too in Ireland. The irony is that the subjugation and abuse of women is not only damaging women but their whole societies as well. It is really short sighted for the powers-that-be to allow it to continue. Thanks.

  15. Excellent resource to wake people up to the plight of females in a very large portion of the land masses in this world!

  16. Excellent resource to wake people up to the plight of females in a very large portion of the land masses in this world!

  17. Sadly, it will take more than education to end some cultural practices in our world…. We will need fearless leaders who are willing to stand up to tradition and force change… Education alone will not do much. 🙁

  18. Sadly, it will take more than education to end some cultural practices in our world…. We will need fearless leaders who are willing to stand up to tradition and force change… Education alone will not do much. 🙁

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