Pages

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Nigeria protest over senator's child bride

Ahmad Rufai Sani (Photo from Nigerian Senate website 
www.nassnig.org/senate)

I read about this marriage some weeks ago and I have been waiting for human rights groups to take action. Marriage of this kind has to stop in this modern world. Childhood is a stage in life that must not be deprived from any kid. 

Nigerian Women Rights Groups protest this act:
Women's groups in Nigeria are threatening to take legal action against a senator, following reports he married a 13-year-old Egyptian girl.

Ahmad Sani Yerima, 49, is reported to have married her at the national mosque in Abuja several weeks ago.
Female senators have promised to table for debate a petition from the groups calling for Mr Sani to be reprimanded.

The women's rights groups believe Mr Sani has broken the law, pointing to the Child Rights Act of 2003.
"When you marry them out at this early stage, is it because it is viewed as a commodity that can be easily disposed of and a new one acquired," Nigeria's Punch newspaper quotes Mma Wokocha, the leader of the coalition protesting about the marriage.

Newspaper reports have also accused him of having previously married a 15-year-old girl in 2006. BBC

0 comments: