The Siyaj Organization for Child Protection appeals to the security and judicial authorities in Dhamar Governorate to expedite the referral of the father of ten-year-old Saud Yahya Muhammad and her sixty-year-old husband to trial and to annul her marriage contract, as she was forced into the marriage and her consent to it is not considered valid.
Siyaj also calls for the father, husband, and the marriage officiant to be punished to the fullest extent of the law for their assault on a child of this age, which violates the rights of the child that Yemen has ratified, thus making them part of its national legislation and its obligations to the international community.
Following investigation and follow-up by the organization#Siyaj Contacted tribal figures in isolation The Al-Qadma district of Al-Wassab Al-Aali, Dhamar Governorate, has referred the father and husband to the police for necessary action and their referral to the Public Prosecution. The rates of sexual violence against young girls in Yemen have increased, particularly the promotion and forced marriage, as a result of the war, the collapse of the juvenile justice system, and the absence of a genuine role in advocating for and protecting children from these and other economic and social practices that have found a more conducive environment under these circumstances. Siyaj Organization for Child Protection Yemen, August 20, 2020
