[... I]t is the women and children that get affected most by social, political, economic, health or educational problems. If the child is a female then the double vulnerability automatically falls upon the child girl and makes her victim number one. She is the first to be sacrificed and the last to be fed. [... T]he female children [...] are seen as a wasted investment since they eventually get married and go away.

The issue is not a personal case of an eight year old girl who was forced to grow too soon and live with a man who demanded so much from her. It is the story of hundreds of Yemeni girls who have lost their innocence to a cruel society and harsh circumstances. It is the sto...

[... I]t is the women and children that get affected most by social, political, economic, health or educational problems. If the child is a female then the double vulnerability automatically falls upon the child girl and makes her victim number one. She is the first to be sacrificed and the last to be fed. [... T]he female children [...] are seen as a wasted investment since they eventually get married and go away.

The issue is not a personal case of an eight year old girl who was forced to grow too soon and live with a man who demanded so much from her. It is the story of hundreds of Yemeni girls who have lost their innocence to a cruel society and harsh circumstances. It is the story of the absence of a good law, the lack of implementation and monitoring systems that make sure whatever legislation is being applied in reality. It is the story of an ever-growing social tension and economic deterioration that forces humans into a state of barbaric crudeness. What was not reported in Nujood’s case is that her two elder sisters have been equally abused by the father and married off to abusive husbands at an early age, although not as young as Nujood. This shows a scary trend as the father’s conscience is getting worse with the years as the age of his daughters sold out in a marriage contract gets younger. Luckily Nujood is the youngest female in that family.

It is my firm belief that the solution for such an issue must start immediately and through society mobilization. People must start taking responsibility for their neighborhoods and not turn a deaf ear as if it does not concern them. [...]
As educated Yemeni people we must start advocating for children’s rights and stop such violations. We must live up to our Islamic teachings which tell us to stop harm from being inflicted on others.

Editorial - Yemen Times