Nujood Ali, now 12, has already been married and divorced. Living in Yemen, Nujood was forced to marry a 30 year old man at the age of 10. Nujood’s husband committed marital-rape, physically abused Nujood, and forced her to stop going to school, where she was in the second grade. Eventually, Nujood bravely snuck to a courthouse, came face to face with a judge, demanded a divorce, and eventually won one.
She and her divorce gained media attention and celebrity in and out of Yemen. She has even authored a best selling book, I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced. Nujood’s life has changed dramatically, but most importantly, she has been able to return to school, her own home, and her family-who are now supported by Nujood’s income and entrepreneurial spirit. Despite facing crushing circumstances, Nujood has emerged bright and hopeful. She dreams of being a lawyer. (Read more of Nujood’s story here.)
Julie Gunlock reminds us that Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8th) is a good time to reflect on women throughout the world. As women in America, we have much to be grateful for and, therefore, much we take for granted. It is a story like Nujood Ali’s which reminds us how much is still at stake for women around the world, and how blessed we are to have grown up in a country where we are afforded truly great opportunity. The problems that still plague too much of the world–child marriage, sex-trafficking and slavery, honor-killings, girls’ education in the developing world, and women amid conflict zones–deserve our attention.