The 11 year
old Yemen girl, Nada Al-Ahdal (pictured above) who ran away from home after her
parents promised her hand in marriage, has spoken out online saying 'she's not
an item for sale.'
Nada said
she was forced to run away and live with her uncle after she was promised to
another man.
"They
told me that I am engaged, and that my fiance had already paid them money and
brought the engagement ring. They said that I couldn't leave and even
threatened to kill me if I went back to my uncle. I'm not an item for sale, I'm
a human being and I would rather die than get married at this age. I've decided
that I have two choices: to leave or to die. So I chose the first"
Nada said
in a video that was released online July 8th
Nada's
saving grace is her uncle who has refused to let her family marry her off. Her
uncle told reporters:
''When I
heard about the groom, I panicked. Nada was not even 11 years old; she was
exactly 10 years and 3 months. I could not allow her to be married off and have
her future destroyed, especially since her aunt was forced to marry at 13 and
burnt herself. I did all I could to prevent that marriage. I called the groom
and told him Nada was no good for him. I told him she did not wear the veil and
he asked if things were going to remain like that. I said 'yes', and I agree
because she chose it. I also told him that she liked singing and asked if he
would remain engaged to her.''
Nada now
stays with her uncle, her father's brother, who is against child marriage.
According
to a report in 2010 by the Social Affairs Ministry, more than 25% of females in
Yemen
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