I AM NUJOOD, AGED 10 AND DIVORCED
This week, in a New York Times Op-Ed piece, Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Nicholas D. Kristof, who is also co-author of Half of the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (Knopf, 2009), talks about an amazing new book, I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced (Three Rivers Press, 2010).
In the book, the now 12-year old Nujood from Yemen recounts her life story, which involved being married off at the age of 10 to a man in his 30′s, and then courageously seeking to escaping this marriage by getting a divorce.
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced is already a bestseller in several countries, and is now available in the States in a paperback format.
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Nujood Ali’s story is well-known in the human rights community, but she expands her power by telling her story in this book. I am especially glad to see that “I Am Nujood” is available in Arabic.
I have had the honor of meeting with Yemeni teachers and working with American colleagues who train Yemeni teachers. I know the teachers are deeply committed, despite horrible conditions in schools, to bring as many girls as possible into the classrooms. Nujood is an astonishing role model.
This is something the world needs to know about. In too many places and for too long girls have been subject to arcane and clearly abusive practices (like child marriage and female circumcision aka FGM). This girl is to be celebrated. I certainly hope she fares well in life.
Terrible things go on right in our own cities as well as in countries far away. But individually and cooperatively, we can make a positive difference.
I hope people will be inspired by this young girl’s courage and strength.
The fact that little girls are being married and raped grieves my heart deeply. I also hope, after facing so much profound loss, that Nujood–still a child–has found protection and healing.
Thank you, Nujood, for sharing your story and shining a light upon an evil practice.
May God protect you and may we see an end of this brutality.
wow, great article, and so sad that child marriage is happening still…I would love to win a copy of this book, have long admired Mr. Kristof’s work
Girls are so often the silent majority. They suffer grievously and no one take ntoice. In telling her story to the world, the author helps girls to speak out and be heard and helped.