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EDHS Contemporary World Affairs -> Discussion Topics, Week K -> Saudi Arabian bride, 8, divorces husband aged 50
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jacobcorbin


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Saudi Arabian bride, 8, divorces husband aged 50
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Ruth Gledhill | May 02, 2009

Article from:  The Australian

AN eight-year-old girl in Saudi Arabia has won a divorce from her 50-year-old husband at the third attempt.

The girl, who has not been named and who has been living with her mother in the city of Onaiza, was given to the older man in marriage by her father to pay off a debt.

Neither his wife nor the child was told the marriage had taken place.

A previous judge, Sheik Habib al-Habib, refused twice to annul the marriage but said he would look again at the case when the child reached puberty.

He had also imposed a condition that the marriage should not be consummated until the girl reached puberty.

The case was dismissed because the judge said the girl's mother lacked the right to file for divorce on her behalf.

Abdullah al-Jeteli, the lawyer for the girl, said he had reached an out-of-court settlement enabling the divorce to go ahead.

The case has reopened the debate in Saudi Arabia on whether a minimum age for marriage should be introduced.

After the first two petitions failed, Saudi newspaper columnist Amal al-Zahid wrote: "The trafficking of child brides - a most reactionary practice that takes us back to the days of concubines (and) slave girls" - should be outlawed.

The country was incurring "behavioural abnormalities and problems of which only Allah knows", she added.

Human rights groups in Saudi Arabia and abroad have condemned the practice of child marriages. The divorce rate in Saudi Arabia has risen from 25per cent to 60 per cent in the past two decades.

Ann Veneman, director of Unicef, said: "Unicef joins many in voicing concern that child marriage contravenes accepted international standards of human rights."

But some attempts are being made to strengthen women's rights. The Justice Ministry is reported to be considering reforms to impose a minimum age for marriage and to end abuses of the system by fathers of girls.

In February, King Abdullah appointed Norah al-Fayez as Deputy Minister for Women's Education, the first woman minister in the kingdom.

It has also signed up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

But many traditionalists in positions of influence in government and religious life are becoming more strict in their observance of Islamic law.

The country's highest religious authority, Grand Mufti Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Shaikh, has said it is not against Islamic law to marry girls under the age of 15.

no your thoughts???



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geriatric1991


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icky stuff. is it acceptable in their culture or is it wierd is my question? practically slavery really

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Jaymie Parkkinen
DaisyVo1212


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 "The trafficking of child brides - a most reactionary practice that takes us back to the days of concubines (and) slave girls" - should be outlawed.

definitely!! that is so sad and soo messed up. that is child abuse...

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Sandy


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i just read this article earlier today
Good for her haha, i dont think it is right that her dad sold her in the first place, and come on...an 8 year old with a 50 year old man?
thats wrong, but to a certain point because i understand that in some cultures they have pre arranged marriage but i dont think that it is right when the child is replaced with money.

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ericaedgley


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GOOD. IM GLAD. no 8 year old girl should be married to a 50 year old man. that is nayasssstay!

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edepuy


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seriously, what kind of a parent is this? people like this don't deserve kids...ugh so sad, good thing she FINALLY got the divorce.

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four eyes
alecralph


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that is really weird, a 42 year difference, pretty disgusting.

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Natasha


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thats sad, and disturbing. what a messed up life that kid may have its sad that she is that young and got put in a situation like that and had to fight so hard to get out of. horrible parents. so sad. and the 50 year old....what a creep. ew.

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LaurrenM


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This makes me thankful for the rights that i have.. that poor little 8 year old... Why would 50 year old want an 8 year old anyways. What a freaking pervert.

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moniCA92870


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They should definately have a law for a minimum age for marriage.  THis girl should not already be married! she's only 8 - a child.  she should not be forced into something like this.  They really need to start watching bride trafficking now. 

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ich_binJason


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Its acceptable in those cultures for brides to be offered by the father for marriage. Some for money, to pay off debt (in this case), for other gains.  This practice isn't going to stop and I'm not going to overly criticize this, because in those society's the father rules and makes the rules.  The only thing I think would be appropriate is an age limit, an 8 yr old girl is way too young. They should at least be an older teenager.  Its Saudi Arabian cultural values...

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Luis777


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her dad is messed up for letting her 8 yr old daughter marry a 50 yr old man jus to pay off a debt and im glad she got out of it cuz she is way to young and she probablly doesnt even really kno what is going on.

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saraheckberg


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I'm glad she finally got out of it, but I wonder what the consequences will be for her dad if she was payment for a debt? Thats like taking your money back, in a way. I bet the old man is going to ask for money from her family, which they obviously dont have since the dad had to sell her in the first place.

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Co Captian Bwall.


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props to her for gettin a divore. how is that even in a sense or a tad bit legal. what a creeeper.

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B_Marshburn


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This is pretty disturbing that she was actually ever married to him!! I am glad that she was able to get a divorce. Saudi Arabia should definately have an age limit law for marriage and that age should definately be higher then 8!

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Brittany Marshburn
xn1coleex


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o m g.

he could be a young grandfather
to the child.

holy moly. that is just GROSSSSSS.

why the heck would he want a 8 year old
as a wife?
ugh people these days....CRAZY!

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Vanessabug


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its truly sad because you KNOW that the man isnt like in love with the girl or really wants to take care of her. marriage??? thats like grandparent-hood aha

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coramarie:p


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I hope that a law will be enforced for there to be the freedom to marry who you choose, putting a stop to arranged marriages in settling parents debts. Looking at these situations, parents are literally selling their children to men! Let alone giving their young daughters to much older men! It discussed me!

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