Divorce is never easy, but for one 12-year-old Saudi girl the battle to divorce her 80-year-old husband is about more than just a couple parting ways.The girl, who was married to her father's cousin last year against both her and her mother's wishes, has been given legal assistance by the state-run Human Rights Commission as she takes her case to court in Buraidah, near Riyadh.
Currently there is no minimum age for marriage in Saudi Arabia and girls from poor families are often married off.
But a draft law that could prohibit child marriage is under discussion.
It is expected to suggest a minimum age of between 16 and 18, while in the interim, activists are urging the Government to ban notaries from sealing marriages involving girls under 18.
In such a climate of change and with Government assistance, this young girl's fight for divorce could prove a test case for the banning of child marriage.
The case has already sparked a debate within Saudi Arabia.
While some judges and clerics insist that the Prophet Muhammad's nine-year-old bride is justification for child marriage, senior cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Manie declared that, since that was 14 centuries ago, it does not justify child marriage in the modern day.
Alanoud al-Hejailan, a lawyer for the Human Rights Commission, told The Times: "Our main concern is to safeguard the child's rights... it is in the hands of the court but the commission is firmly on the child's side."
The commission also suggested that it would pursue the case through the appeals court should a divorce be denied.
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Wednesday 10 February
By Sheri Everett
This story turns my stomach. How is it possible for a man of 80yrs to marry a young girl of 12 in this day and age? As far as i'm concerned, it's a good excuse to rape an innocent child and see it as ok because you are married to her. If a man of that age is attracted to a girl as young as 12, then he is just a disgusting paedophile.
I guarantee that this kind of law was passed by a MAN, who doesn't give two monkeys about the rights of women or young girls. Please God, someone with some decency get voted into their government and change this law immediately. Thank God for the internet, which helps to highlight the plight of these poor girls.
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Tuesday 09 February
By Mikey
Why does it have to take a 12 year old girl to highlight the the infringement of human rights caused by any arranged marriage? I think the biggest problem is the fact that a girl whether 12, 16 or 18 years old is told by her family who she is to marry against her will, although I can see another side to this. Perhaps the family has saved her from a life of poverty? Marry into money eh, I wonder where else that goes on? This 80 year old must be every young girls dream! Just put up with him for 10 years and everything will be yours and you'll have a life of plenty. Failing all else she can now sell her story to the News of the World and countless other papers and magazines worldwide! Max Clifford had better get in quick, although the publicity indicates he's already in there! Now why doesn't this Human Rights Commission look at mutilation of baby boys for religion - male circumcision? This whole situation really indicates that deep, deep down the underlying concern is not human rights, it's sex!
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Tuesday 09 February
By Heather
if the old guy died there is no guarantee the child bride would get any money, she would stand little chance against any male heirs the old cock left behind by previous wives. Also their families. In Islamic law it is up to male relatives to care for the women left behind, it is considered proper they do but often they are returned destitiue to their famiies, she would not have the same savvy as some western gold digger hooking up with a geriatric rocker only to screw him in the courts later. The family would probably end up trying to find the girl another old man or if all else failed they would probably conspire to kill her so she was not a burden on them. Talking of the rights of the male, suppose she bears this guy a son. Much older sons will not want to share the readies, he may be slain or sold off to camel racers or brokers in slave labour in Dubai et al.
Tuesday 09 February
By mark
and people wonder why we have wars on with countries like this when there thinking is so wrong, backward and in the dark ages
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Tuesday 09 February
By Retconaddict
So because these people think differently to you your automatic response is to wage war against them? Good for you...
Thursday 11 February
By Jo
i think its disgraceful that a CHILD has been forced to marry such an old man, it is not right whether she is 12 or 28. it should be her choice to marry. even if her parents are trying to save her from a life of poverty its wrong.
it highlights how bad life of a women is in these countries
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Tuesday 09 February
By Heather
she is not old enough to consent to any such union and no doubt has been packed off to a paedophile. If anyone thinks this is normal they need a serious head check....regardless, Mikey, of it being a girl used for abuse or a boy.
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Wednesday 10 February
By Prof Uri
In modern society we view 12 year olds as too young for marriage, but it wasn't that long ago 'children' were working, not just in factories, up chimneys and in brothels, but in the armed forces. History is fascinating and can change our perspectives of the modern world. Let's be honest though, how many 18 year olds are really mature and experienced enough to marry, let alone 12 year olds? Heck, I'm 44 and I'm still not mature enough! Now where on earth did I leave my slippers...
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Wednesday 10 February
By Sheri Everett
History is fascinating, but we must also consider that back in the old days, women and children had little or no rights at all. The laws were all made up and passed by men, hence the reason why there was so much abuse of female rights. We ARE living in a modern society, where no human being (male or female) should be subjected to a life that they did not choose for themselves. I would rather be poor, than raped every day by a pervert and God knows who else. Why in God's name would a man of 80yrs want to have a 12yr old as a wife? What would they have in common? NOTHING!!!! It's just an excuse to rape and abuse a child.
Wednesday 10 February
By Sheri Everett
I totally agree.
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