In an August edition of the Christian Science Monitor, Ginny Hill explores the issue of early marriage in Yemen. In recent months child brides from Yemen have come forward to tell their stories. In Yemen, a country where much of the population is struggling from poverty, families often choose to give or sell their young daughters into arranged marriages. Hill notes that the girls, sometimes as young as 10 years old, are often unable to be granted a divorce and sometimes face instances of domestic violence at the hands of their husbands. These girls become pregnant at an early age, resulting in complications during childbirth and sometimes death. In her article, Hill states that researchers and development agencies estimate that approximately half of the brides in Yemen are younger than 18 years of age. Deep-rooted tradition combined with vulnerability contributes to the occurrence of child brides. For full article, click here.
Compiled from: Ginny Hill, “Yemen Confronts Plight of Child Brides: Widespread Poverty and Deep-rooted Tradition Keep Young Girls at Risk for Early Marriage”, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 August 2008.