It was April 2008. Nujood Ali had been forced by her family to marry a man who was about 30 years old, when she was still a child.
According to her account, she suffered beatings and sexual abuse during the marriage. Desperate, she sought help from her family, but they did not manage to free her.
On April 2, she decided to go to a court in Sana’a on her own, where she finally found someone willing to listen to her.
The lawyer Shada Nasser took on her case for free, and on April 15, Nujood managed to get a divorce.
However, the court ordered her ex-husband to be compensated with more than 200 dollars, according to CNN. He did not face criminal charges for the reported acts.
Her story spread around the world and inspired other girls to demand their freedom. In 2008, she received recognition from Glamour magazine alongside her lawyer.
A girl who should still have been enjoying her childhood had to confront her family and a judicial system to regain her freedom.