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00.00

In a hilltop village in Yemen, Arwa is playing hide-and-seek with her friends. What makes Arwa unusual is the fact that, at ten years old, she’s already been married and divorced.

Tilt down to hilltop village.

Arwa plays hide ‘n’ seek

19.00

I came home from school and my father told me he was my cousin.

Arwa interview

I played with him and then he said he was going to marry my sister, but she refused.

Then my father decided to marry me to him instead of my sister.

35.00

The thirty-five year old man promised Arwa’s family over one thousand pounds for her hand, and her father, desperate for money to support his family, agreed - on condition that he didn’t sleep with her for another four years.

Arwa plays hide’n’ seek

Village shots

The husband moved in, but before long, his behaviour became unbearable.

56.00

I became indifferent and said to him “If you want to kill me, okay, stab me!”

Father interview

Then he started stabbing the women and children.

He used to take young Mohammed and throw him.

He prevented us from entering this room and stayed here for eight months.

01.14

He used to treat me roughly. He would ask me to bring him something

Arwa interview

And if it wasn’t there, he would beat me.

01.22

Finally I asked my daughter, Arwa, to go and complain.

Father interview

“We are tired, we have no money, and we will die.”

I didn’t even care if the court would kill me or do whatever.

My daughter complained and when I arrived at the court, I said,

“Well, this is my head. You can cut it off. I know I’m guilty.”

01.43

But things got even worse, and when the man tried to molest Arwa, she ran away to the nearest hospital. A local charity, Seeage were called, and took care of her until she was successfully divorced.

Arwa studying

02.00

Arwa’s lawyer, Shada Nasser, has long campaigned for a legal minimum age for marriage  to protect girls such as Arwa.

Shada Nasser in office

STRAP:

Shada Nasser

02.09

According my opinion, I think it is not a marriage, it is rape children, because it… you cannot compare, or we cannot find a good balance between the husband and the girl. It is not not marriage, it is only rape.

Shada Nasser interview

02.27

Child marriage is widespread throughout Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world. A quarter of the country’s women marry before they’re fifteen.

Earlier this year, Nasser’s campaign eventually convinced the government to make seventeen the minimum marriage age. But not everyone in the country is happy about this - even the doctor who helped Arwa escape disagrees.

Arwa studying

Village shots

STRAP:

Dr. Najeeb Al-Ghurbani

02.52

Islam determines the age of marriage to be when the girl is ready for intercourse.

03.01

Islamists – who are hugely influential in religiously conservative Yemen – are opposed to the law, which for them is an unIslamic Westernisation of their culture. They often cite the case of the prophet Mohammed, who married Aisha when she was nine.

Shots of Sana’a

Poster of girl

03.20

Human rights campaigners are concerned that the hard-won law may be reversed before it’s even ratified by the president.

Shada Nasser by bookshelf

03.28

For Arwa, as with all young girls in Yemen, the future is uncertain.

Arwa running

03.34

Arwa, she is very worried because sometime her ex-husband tried to kidnapping her because he ask about his money, and I think all the girls in Yemen maybe they will be worried

Shada Nasser interview

03.51

Arwa is back with her family and attending school again. For her father, it’s back to square one.

Arwa playing

04.01

I’m happy but still poor.

Father interview

04.05

For now at least, she can enjoy being a child again. As for marriage…

Arwa playing

I’ll get married when I’m your age.

Arwa interview

04.17

END