Interview with Khadija Al Salami

• October 16, 2011
• Article

Ali Shujaa Al Afeefi

16.10.2011 - 'I am Nujood, 10 years old and divorced' isa book based on true eventsthatdescribesthe struggleof a young Yemeni girl from her village to the suburbs of the capital city Sanaa. Forced to marry a man in his thirties,abused by her in-laws, she finally ran away to a court. Khadija Al Salamiis working on the adaptation of this story to the screen.

You almost have the same story as Nujood, which you published in a book called 'Tears of Sheba'. What was your feeling when you heard about Nujood?

I was devastated because it brought up bad memories and reminded me of my painful experience when I was her age. I understood the humiliation this brings, the pain and desperation that make you hate everything around you. This is why I have dedicated my life to fight against the conditions that young girls and women in traditional societies must endure through the documentary films I made on the subject. I also helped other young girls to obtain their divorce and I made sure to put them in school because I believe strongly in education, which is the only rescuer to them as it was for me.

How important is the issue of early marriage to you? 

In my opinion, early marriage is a major issue, how we can expect to raise a healthy generation in a society that violates the rights of its own children! That is why we have to make a film that will reach as many people as possible, whether they are educated or not. The effect of the images will draw their attention and speak louder than words.  The film will heighten the spectators' awareness of the traumatisms related to forced marriages, which still exists today. The film will help families concerned by these dramas to think about their situations. One of my objectives is to make the spectators become aware of the physical and psychological after-effects that the young girls suffer, caused by ancestral traditions and reinforced by ignorance.

Is there any legal attempt to put an end to early marriages in Yemen? 

Unfortunately, a law prohibiting marriage before the age of seventeen was blocked in 2009 by the Islamic Party and by some tribal leaders. It is a long battle but I have faith we are going to win it.

When do you plan to shoot the film?

The film was supposed to be made this year but due to the crisis in Yemen, we postponed it for next year. The upraising happening in Yemen now will not be included in the film because it is a different subject. But on the other hand, I am actually making a documentary about this subject from the point of view of women in Yemen.

Is there any planto screenI am Nujood, 10 years old and divorcedin Yemen?

The main purpose of the film is to be screened in Yemen so to bring awareness and to push people to think. I am sure the film will stir many discussions on the topic. I hope to stimulate an interest in my own country as well as that in other countries that are also affected by this problem. I want to give a political dimension to my film in order to mobilize women's associations in Yemen, with the objective to exert pressure on the government, so that our leaders react more quickly and vote at last for a law that prohibits marriage before the age of eighteen.