Bride, 12, Fights To Divorce Husband, 80
Tuesday February 09, 2010
A girl of 12 is fighting to divorce her 80-year-old husband in a landmark test case in Saudi Arabia.
Child marriages are common in poorer tribal areas of Saudi Arabia
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The child was married to her father's cousin last year, against her wishes and those of her mother. The girl, from Buraidah, a conservative town near the capital, Riyadh, was married for bridal money of 85,000 riyals (£14,500). Activists hope the divorce proceedings could pave the way for introducing a minimum age for marriage in the kingdom where child marriages are common in poorer tribal areas.
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We need to affect public opinion and I believe that Saudi Arabia will issue a law preventing child marriages soon.
<cite> Saudi rights activist Wajiha al Huweider
</cite> The child's mother had earlier filed for divorce on her daughter's behalf but withdrew, without giving a reason, after a second court hearing in early February, according to lawyer Sultan bin Zahim. Saudi's Human Rights Commission is now filing for divorce on behalf of the child. Zahim said: "(HRC) became involved in this case as a public rights issue that concerns the Saudi community... this case is still valid even after the mother withdrew."
This is the first time the commission has intervened in a case of child marriage, an issue that was previously seen as a "family affair" and outside the commission's remit. Saudi rights activist Wajiha al Huweider said: "This case is an investment in order to push for a law. "We need to affect public opinion and I believe that Saudi Arabia will issue a law preventing child marriages soon." Zuhair al Harthi, a member of the advisory Shura Council, said a draft law on banning child marriages was being studied by a government committee.
