Word Out 2011

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

July 21, 2011 | Alan H. | Comments (22)

Alan H. posting here on behalf of my colleague Helena D., who's currently AFK IRL, but found time before saying "BBL" to provide some discussion of this week's nonfiction selection, I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced:

Week3-nf-nujood
Far too often, women and girls are victims of violence and exploitation.  Nujood Ali was a victim.  When she was just ten years old, her father forced her into a marriage with a man three times her age who abused her terribly and whose family abused her as well.

The incredible thing about Nujood, though, is that she didn't stay a victim for long.  Within two months of getting married, she had successfully fled and secured a divorce from her husband in a landmark case.  Nujood's story is said to have inspired others in forced marriages to fight for annulments.  This is the power of testimonies. 

This is why these stories must be told – so that victims can be inspired to be victims no longer and so that those of us, who are fortunate enough not to be victimized, can advocate for those who are.  Are you motivated to effect change when you hear these stories?  What issues do you care deeply about?

Comments

22 thoughts on “I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced”

  2. This is one of those books that is so important, and even if it can be hard to read, it is very inspiring. So impressed by her courage in standing up for herself when everything would be telling her not to. I also really enjoyed “Sold,” which is fiction about a girl who is sold into child prostitution – it’s told simply, and doesn’t dwell on the horrors, but on her survival and eventual escape. Powerful stuff.

  3. While I haven’t read this book myself, I’ve heard of it before– I hear it’s a really touching story!

  4. This story is very inspiring to others victims that are going this same situation. i would recommended this book to anyone that likes stories that are life changing.

  5. That is truly amazing. Who marries off their 10 year old though to a 40 year old man, that’s just plain disgusting.

  7. This book is really inspiring and we should read it. We all in Canada is lucky enough to get to choose of what we want in our life and for Nujood , she is a very brave girl to take a stand to say what is wrong and I am so proud of her.

  12. Wow this boook sounds amazing!! For those of you who might be interested in this i would recommended Sold, its also very good!

  13. Just by reading the summary of this book, it makes me want to read it. In my perspective, ‘I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorsed’ is a brillant story and I think that the theme is pretty apparen’t- Stay up for yourself. Additionally, this book is very motivative especially because Nujood is only 10 and she had been forced into an arranged marriage. However, against all odds, she managed to break the barrier that enveloped her life. I hope to read this book soon!

  14. This book sounds amazing and it shows reality. I am really interested to be a perfect global citizen and I want to learn all the events that are going on around the world.This bok sounds like a great book for that.

  15. This book sounds like it has the details about more wars around the world and I really want to read this book so badly.

  16. OMG This is the book I am searching for. I am really interested about reading books about wars like my sisters.

  17. Wow! I thought things like that only happened in the olden days :/ I’ll definitely try to find this book 🙂

  21. I think the thing that upset me most about this book, don’t get me wrong I really liked the book, but I was horrified when the night after her marriage and ordeal she suffered, her new mother-in-law and sister-in-law said “Congratulations!” to her the next morning.

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