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Raquel Evita Saraswati
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Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 5, 2008 - 03:57 PM
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"I asked and begged my mother, father, and aunt to help me to get divorced. They answered, 'We can do nothing. If you want you can go to court by yourself.' So this is what I have done."
Nojoud Muhammed Nasser is just eight years old. Yet this young girl from Yemen has already demonstrated the kind of moral courage we can all be inspired by.
This year, Nojoud's father forced the child into a marriage with a 30 year old man. Nojoud was repeatedly and violently raped by her husband. Despite her pleas for help, she found herself without assistance from anyone.
Rather than protecting her, Nojoud's father beat her - and told her that she would find no way out of her situation because of their culture. Nojoud's other relatives also refused to help - saying instead that if she wanted a divorce, she'd have to go to court alone.
So she did.
On April 2nd, Nojoud became the first girl in Yemen's history to ever appear alone in court to request a divorce.
After escaping her husband, she took a taxi to her local court and filed to press charges against both her father and the man she was forced to marry.
While Yemeni law permitted Nojoud's father to marry her off to an adult, the country's laws wouldn't permit her to prosecute. The odds were stacked against her in every way.
However, court judge Muhammad Al-Qathi, impressed with Nojoud's courage, heard her case. He ordered that both Nojoud's father and husband be arrested.
On April 15, a Yemeni court granted Nojoud an annulment. She is now living safely with her uncle, and is inspiring Yemenis to change the country's marriage laws.
Nojoud's decision to stand against an oppressive system on her own put her at great risk. Those who should have protected her did not. Nojoud knew that the only way to change her situation was to act on her own.
As an Agent of Moral Courage, Nojoud's initiative didn't just change her life. Her choice made history - and paved the way for change.
This 8-year old is a very special Agent of Moral Courage. She had no natural allies. She did not enjoy the freedoms and privileges many of us take for granted. She hadn't even completed the second grade. Yet she took action. She exemplifies moral courage. May we all work to do the same.
This post was edited on: 2008-05-05 at 03:58 PM by: RaquelEvita (Moderator)
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AA86
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 5, 2008 - 04:21 PM
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When I came across her story, I was completely blown away by the barbaric mindset of her father and her immense courage. We need more of her breed to challenge the current status-quo.
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Corie
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 5, 2008 - 05:12 PM
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There's a song called, 'Not a Girl, not Yet a Woman"...and this young girl, 8 yrs old, 8 yrs old...a child, but helll...whole lot more mature than a lot of us. May Allah sheiled her with grace and keep her in good company. Truely remarkable. 
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davyk
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 6, 2008 - 08:19 AM
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A pity such things are still happening in this day and age.
I cant help but admire the courage of such a young girl and how i wish we all have the same courage to stand for whats right.
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Incia Zaffar
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 8, 2008 - 03:59 PM
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This young girl set a remarkable precedent. Its shocking to know how adults sometimes make the wrong choices and children are forced to grow up and set examples of right from wrong. Her story brings forward such as important issue of child marriages, I was exposed to child marriages especially in Yemen through a book I read called 'No Mercy' by Mariam Ali. I These stories reveal to the world about the atrocities towards children. We need to learn about the exploitation 'children' are subjected to. Let's allow children to be children.....
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Arnold Yasin Mol
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 11, 2008 - 10:02 AM
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Peace to all,
This marriage was inhuman and contradicting the Qur'an.
From a Qur'anic point of view, the girl should have never been married to the older man since Zawaj, classic Arabic for spouse, means "something equal", "2 wheel on a cart".
The 2 persons must be equals otherwise the "car can't ride.."
And the "couple" clearly were not equals.
Also in 4:6 and 4:19 it is addressed the person must be mature enough to handle their own finances and to accept or reject a partner. This is also why I know the Prophet was never married to a 9 year old. Interesting is that several historical books in the Istanbul Museum clearly mention Aisha being 18 and even 48.
It is sad to see the parents caring more about peer pressure and their honor then the happiness and rights of their own daughter.
Muslims have fallen far from the Qur'anic ideal...
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Arnold Yasin Mol
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 21, 2008 - 05:41 AM
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Was Ayesha A Six-Year-Old Bride?
The Ancient Myth Exposed
by T.O. Shanavas
http://free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=16831.msg168559#msg168559
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aaa86
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 24, 2008 - 02:18 PM
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However, court judge Muhammad Al-Qathi, impressed with Nojoud's courage, heard her case. He ordered that both Nojoud's father and husband be arrested.
Was the judge impressed with her courage because she was a young kid?
Were Nojoud an older grown woman, something tells me the judge might not have been that nice towards her.
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nlsmlla
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
May 28, 2008 - 02:09 AM
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She for sure was courageous and moral , these are all against Islamic beliefs and has nothing to do with Islamic states and Islamic beliefs these incident occure every where in each country , so why are always Islamic states victims of such accusation ,, I can’t really make it up.
Case of rape and insist are every where ..
A lot more then in Islamic states . so why target Islamic states .?
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Andi
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
June 3, 2008 - 12:51 PM
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I'm not sure that I know an 8 year old anywhere who would be aware of and capable of exercising her right to freedom from abuse.
Children are never too young to be empowered, this is surely evidence of that.
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Michelle
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
September 2, 2008 - 02:34 PM
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I'm disgusted that a child should be forced through such turmoil especially in the 21st century. However, i am awed by her courage and her strength there are many adult women in similar situations that would not have the courage to do what she has done. She is a remarkable person and evidence that courage has no age limits.
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Hafiidhaturrahmah
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Re: Very special Agent of Moral Courage: 8 year old girl challenging Yemeni law
October 4, 2008 - 06:47 AM
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i'm so proud to Nojoud
she did it well
^_^
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