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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Yemeni Child Bride, 12, Dies in Childbirth

Girl forced to marry 24-year-old dies after three days in labor

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(Newser) – A pregnant 12-year-old Yemeni girl has died after three days of excruciating labor that also claimed her baby, a human rights group tells CNN. Fawziya Ammodi's poverty-stricken family forced her to drop out of school last year to marry a 24-year-old man. More than half of Yemeni girls are married off before the age of 18—many times to much older men

The issue gained prominence last year when a 10-year-old successfully obtained a divorce from an older husband she said beat and raped her within weeks of their marriage. Yemeni legislators have since tried—unsuccessfully—to set the minimum age of marriage at 17, but the practice remains commonplace.

Nujood Ali, 10, and her lawyer leave the stage after being honored at the Glamour Women of the Year awards in New York last year. The Yemeni girl went to court to be freed from her forced marriage.
Nujood Ali, 10, and her lawyer leave the stage after being honored at the Glamour Women of the Year awards in New York last year. The Yemeni girl went to court to be freed from her forced marriage.   (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
A 12-year-old Yemeni girl and her baby have died after three days in labor.
A 12-year-old Yemeni girl and her baby have died after three days in labor.   (©TonyChen)
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Although the cause of her death was lack of medical care, the real case was the lack of education in Yemen and the fact that child marriages keep happening. - Ahmed al-Qureshi, president of the Seyaj Organization for the Protection of Children

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14 comments
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bewilderbeast
Sep 15, 09 4:00 AM CDT
Ah, religion and child abuse. When we say "Suffer the little children" we really mean it. Reply
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+16
rosy_s
Sep 15, 09 4:03 AM CDT
its sad. i hope the yemeni people would learn from this tragic incident that girls that young are not ready to bear children and it is morally wrong to force them into it. (not to go into the debate of marrying them that young or forced marriage to begin with). Reply
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+4
chas_m
Sep 15, 09 4:04 AM CDT
If there was a god, the husband would be charged with child rape and (at least) two counts of manslaughter. Sadly, there is no god. Reply
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+8
jagerhans
Sep 15, 09 4:14 AM CDT
I'm a fierce enemy of all religions but this is not a religious issue, it's cultural, like female circumcision. Someone should explain the Yemeni people that, since our lifespan is much longer today and we have modern medicine, they can discontinue their ancient costume of taking children as wives. Reply
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+6
Jojo
Sep 15, 09 5:12 AM CDT
It is sickening and barbaric that certain cultures still hide behind religion as an excuse for underage sex. They would behead you for drinking alcohol but think nothing of having sex with an 10 year old girl. What is wrong with this picture? Reply
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+14

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