Reem Al Numery

Yemeni child rights activist

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

Reem al Numery from Yemen

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

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  • 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

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  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". The Washington Post.
  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.