Reem Al Numery

Reem al Numery from Yemen

Reem Al Numery is a children's rights activist in Yemen. In 2009 she received the International Women of Courage Award. [1]

Life

When Al Numery was 12 years old, she had to marry her 30-year-old cousin. She protested the wedding, but her father gagged her and tied her up. After the wedding, she tried to kill herself twice. [1]

Al Numery's father would not let her have a divorce. A judge said she was too young to decide, and she could decide when she was 15 years old. [2] Al Numery went to live with her mother. Her lawyer said she would appeal. [1] Reem's father said he would kidnap her but Al Numery wanted to go to school. [3] She got her divorce in 2010 [4]

Awards

  • In 2009 Al Numery received the International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. State Department. [1]
  • In 2010 Al Numery was named one of Time Magazine's most influential people. [5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "2009 International Women of Courage Award Winner Biographies".
  2. State Dept. Issues 3rd Annual Awards for International Women of Courage. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/11/AR2009031103860.html. 
  3. The Christian Science Monitor (22 August 2008). "Yemen confronts plight of child brides". The Christian Science Monitor.
  4. Stange, Mary Zeiss; Oyster, Carol K.; Sloan, Jane E. (9 January 2013). The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World. ISBN 9781452270371.
  5. "Reem Al Numery - The 2010 TIME 100 - TIME". TIME.com. 29 April 2010.