The story of Nojoud, the serial-raped 8-year-old forced bride in Yemen, has a happy ending. Someone paid her wretched husband for a divorce, and she is now free and something of a celebrity, taken care of and showered with affection. Unfortunately, many girls in similar situations still face the same problem. From the Yemen Times:
Eight-year-old Nojoud is now safe after an anonymous donor paid her 30-year-old husband to divorce her. Although this chapter of her life has closed, there are many other Yemeni girls who still suffer from early marriage and its consequences. Feminist groups in Yemen are urging the Parliament to legally define a minimum marriage age. However, there is a long way to go before girls like Nojoud can be free from detrimental early marriages.
An anonymous Emirate donor gave the husband 100,000 Yemeni rials (right about 500 US dollars) to set her free. This is frustrating, because the husband made himself a nice little deal, but it was perhaps necessary to secure her freedom. Hopefully, this story won't go away, and will provide an impetus to the Parliament to change an archaic practice.
Nojoud, after her divorce (Yemen Times)
