Noora Al Shami, aged 11, found herself in a distressing situation when her 35-year-old cousin, who would later become her husband, subjected her to sexual abuse after a celebratory event in Yemen’s Al Hudaydah. Adorned in elegant attire during the family gathering, young Noora’s innocence was shattered as she endured years of exploitation at the hands of Mohammed Al Ahdam.
Initially, the act of dressing up brought joy to Noora, unaware of the torment awaiting her. Recalling the events, now 47-year-old Noora shared how the festivities led to unimaginable suffering. She expressed, “I was allowed to wear adult clothes, to put on jewellery, to accept presents,” before the tragic reality unfolded.
The revelation of Al Ahdam’s intentions caused Noora to flee initially, but pressure from his sisters eventually led to the heinous assault. Despite being rushed to the hospital following the incident, the abuse continued relentlessly as Noora, legally wed at 11 to her much older cousin, faced a harrowing existence.
In a stark report by UNICEF in 2021, a staggering 4 million child brides were identified in Yemen. The prevalence of child marriages, as highlighted by Human Rights Watch data from 2006, indicated that 14% of Yemeni girls were married by age 15, with over half wed before turning 18. Deep-rooted financial hardships often drive families to marry off their daughters for dowries, with little regard for the protection of these vulnerable young individuals under Islamic law.
Noora’s personal ordeal saw her endure multiple pregnancies from a young age, marred by complications and the unrelenting brutality of her husband. Despite facing a decade of anguish, support from organizations like Oxfam and the Yemeni Women’s Union provided Noora with the strength to seek a divorce and fight for her children’s well-being.
Her journey towards independence and advocacy for stricter legislation against child marriage exemplifies her resilience. Noora’s unwavering determination to break free from the shackles of her past trauma is a testament to her commitment to safeguarding the future of children in similar circumstances.
While efforts persist to raise the legal marriage age to 18, the enduring physical and emotional scars borne by survivors like Noora underscore the urgent need for societal transformation. The challenges in reforming laws, especially in tribal communities where customs often supersede legal statutes, present formidable obstacles to eradicating the pervasive practice of child marriage.
The prevalence of early marriages in Yemen, with 30% of girls marrying before 18 and 7% before 15, as reported by Girls Not Brides, highlights the urgent need for comprehensive societal change. Noora’s call for a shift in cultural norms underscores the imperative for sustained advocacy to protect the rights and well-being of vulnerable young girls in Yemen and beyond.