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Divorce in Yemen
Divorced women in Yemen struggle to find independence and acceptance in society
Last Modified: 11 Jun 2009 10:16 GMT

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At the preparation for a wedding, women dress the bride and sing of the loyalty expected in a wife: "I will follow you like a shadow, even if you go to the moon."

On the day of her own son's marriage, Suwad recalls how her husband's attitude towards her changed. He spent time in the rural areas of Yemen, where women are treated very differently. And this was a factor in her subsequent divorce.

Meanwhile, in rural Yemen, Aisha was given to her husband after her mother's death, by her father as part of the deal for his own marriage. After three years of misery Aisha moved back with her father – but he had to pay the family to get her back.

Amani Zain visits families up and down the country facing difficult choices as social attitudes determine how women are treated after divorce.

Source:
Al Jazeera
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