This human rights issue taking
place in Yemen is emphasized by a video available online through Human Rights
Watch in which the viewer is able to see and hear the young women whom being
married prematurely. Human Rights Watch interviewed young girls who were
married and recorded the interviews. The girls being interviewed did not want
to be married early but were forced to by male figures in their lives. The
video really brings the issue of premature marriage in Yemen to life and
emphasizes the ability of technology to bring attention to global issues.
The
premature marriage issue in Yemen is one of great concern. No one likes to see
the rights of anyone being taken away and people are especially concerned with
human rights issues when it comes to dealing with young children. It seems that
the girls who are being married at a young age are having their innocence stolen
from them—they are being physically and emotionally harmed in the process.
The fact that many young girls are
being married to dangerous older men in Yemen indicates that Yemen is a male
dominated country—if equal rights were given to men and women in Yemen it would
be highly unlikely that an eight year old girl would be married to a 40-some
year old man.
The internet is a great source to
figure out about human rights issues like the one happening in Yemen. Many
people are probably concerned for the girls being married at such a young age
in Yemen—especially after seeing the video linked to the article; however, it
is hard to take action against the human rights violations taking place in
Yemen from America. It is also hard for the UN to take action against young
marriages in Yemen as they have little power.
Yes, this is the case in many countries in which woman are considered inferior. And, as you can see, it is all a horrible chain reaction - women don't get equal education, access to good jobs that can pay them well means that they are dependent on those with more education and money = the men. When a family has a daughter in these countries, she is often seen as a financial burden - she won't make money for the family so the only hope is to marry her to someone wealthy - an older man who sees her has his property. What if women could have good education and equal rights so they wouldn't have to depend on men this way? That seems to be the solution at the bottom of the issue.
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