A friend shared this video on Facebook and I thought of sharing it and adding to my previous post about women’s rights being violated in the name of culture. I should add that it’s quite evident from this video that it’s not just women’s rights that are being violated.

Article 16 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states: “(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.”

It very clearly states: “men and women of FULL AGE”… This girl is just 12, she is barely a teenager, I think it’s absolutely unacceptable that this child should be deprived of her childhood and her education and be given responsibility as a wife. At the same time I think she is incredibly brave to come forward and speak about her predicament on television. I was heart-broken when she said the only thing left is for her to commit suicide if she doesn’t get the divorce. I hope that she will be guided and counselled and that the law of Yemen would grant her the right to get divorced.

In the end, what we can gather from this is that the UDHR will never be truly universal until all countries absolutely ratify to it, regardless of their religious and cultural traditions. I hope that day will come soon.