Yemen Timeline By: Julia Gilboy & Maya King 2nd hour Key: ● Government/ Politics/ Military= I am Nujood Red ● Arts & Humanities= Blue ● Noteworthy citizens= Purple Yemen ● Span of book events= Green (1964-2015) 1964--Shada Nasser Shada Nasser was born on May 1, 1964 and is the first female Yemeni lawyer and the first female lawyer to not cover her face in Yemen courts. This bold woman was Nujood's Lawyer who helped her reach justice and divorce her abusive husband. In 1996, she founded an all female law firm with three other female Yemeni lawyers in the capital of Sana'a. She has dedicated her work to protecting the rights of women in Yemen. Nujood had loved her and felt very comfortable around her. Shada had told her, “Nujood, you're like a daughter to me. I won't abandon you” (85). This quote shows her compassion and decimation to her job. If it weren't for Shada, Nujood would not have gotten a divorce and been the first to rebel against illegal marriage. 1967--People's Republic The formation of People's Republic of Yemen, comprising Aden and former Protectorate of South Arabia took place in 1967. The Marxists changed into the People's democratic republic of Yemen. Because of this, thousands of people flees to the north. This affected and shaped Nujood’s life and her story. Her life wouldn't be the same without these historical events. 1967--Yemen's civil war Yemen was engaged in the civil war in the year 1966. By November 28, 1967 the Yemeni people had finally gained their independence from Great Britain. The British troops withdrew, they gave up or just left the fight, so it wasn't that difficult of a win for the Yemeni people and military. The outcome of Great Britain withdrawing was that they ended 128 years of Britain ruling Yemen. By the time Nujood was born this war had been finished. In the book, I am Nujood, Delphine, Nujood’s ghost writer, explains a little about the history of Yemen and says, “Still later, the British, with their white skin, put into port in the south, in Aden, while the Turks set up shop in the north”(Page 9). So this being stated, the British were having conflict in Yemen that Nujood had knowledge about during her story. 1990--Capital of Yemen, Sana’a Sana'a is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. At an elevation of 7,500 feet, it is also one of the highest capital cities in the world. Sana'a has a population of approximately 1,937,500 people as of 2012, making it Yemen's largest city. Nujood makes a journey to the capital in the hopes of finding a judge to help her get a divorce. As she makes her way into the courthouse she realizes that this could ultimately change her life that had just crashed down on her. This capital city is a place that marks her first step in her journey. 1990--President, Ali Abdullah Saleh was elected Saleh served as the President of North Yemen from 1978 until unification with South Yemen in 1990. He then became the head of the country as a whole. In school Nujood was taught to call the president of their country, “Uncle Ali”. Saleh term ended in 2012 when he left office to get medical treatment in New York, United States. At the courthouse he was treated with lots of honor. As Nujood wandered in this place she was very unfamiliar she said, “I recognize, in a place of honor on a wall, a framed photograph of Amm Ali, “Uncle Ali”(19). Everyone in Yemen looks up to this great leader, especially Nujood because she is the only leader she has had for the whole time has lived. 1992--Laws about marriage In Yemen a law had been made that the minimum marriage age is 15 for males and females. Laws also about marriage guardianship; the judge can overrule guardian if his objection to marriage of ward is considered unjust, with proviso that the wife receive her proper dower from husband of equal status. A dowry is a property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage. Nujood was given a dowry of 750 dollars and the promise that the her husband wouldn't touch her until she was older. Nujood, at this time had only been 10 and therefore this marriage was breaking the law. Marriage before age 15 was very common although is was illegal. 1998--Nujood Ali, herself Nujood Ali was born in 1998 and has become a central figure in Yemen's movement against forced marriage and child marriage. At the age of 9, she was told that she was getting married. At the age of ten, she obtained a divorce, breaking with the tribal tradition. In 2010, Ali's family was living in a new two-story residence bought with the help of her French publisher and running a grocery store on the ground floor of the building. At this time, Ali and her younger sister were attending private school full-time. Nujood is the main character of her book, I am Nujood, and is now one of Yemen’s most courageous women. One of her famous quotes from the book was when she said, “Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no”(back cover). This quote is bold and shares how she was not going to take being treated unjustly. 1999--Village of Khardji Nujood is one of the 16 children born just outside the remote village of Khardji to her father’s first wife. One day in 1999, Nujood's family had to leave Khardji for Sana’a, the capital. Nujood grew up in the city of Sana’a until she was married to a man from Khardji and was forced to move there to live with him. Nujood hated this place not only because it was far from her home and family but because there was no cell service or easy transportation to and from this place. Nujood thought of running away from this place many times and had said, “Khardji, my native village, had become my prison” (95). 2000s--Al Qaeda attacks On December 29, 1992, the first attack by Al-Qaeda happened in Aden, Yemen. This attack is known as the 1992 Yemen Hotel Bombings. That evening, a bomb went off at the Gold Mohur hotel, where U.S. troops had been staying while en route to Somalia. Even though the troops had already left when the bomb exploded, this was still a large terror attack. Al Qaeda attacks have been happening sporadically ever since. They are happening in the world today, our presidents are still working hard to see what they can do to prevent it. This must have affected Nujood seeing that her story was happening throughout all these attacks. Terrorists from where sh lived attacked the US, and she came her to share her story with us, but most likely got judged before they even knew her 2004--Terrorists In 2002 there was a bombing of the Limburger tanker. No one was sentenced for this act. In August of 2004 the court sentences 15 men on terror charges. This is relative because terrorism is a big situation in present day. This relates to the book because this happened in 2004, before and after 2004 and Nujood's was alive for all of it. These terror attacks can really affect someone so it would've affected Nujood's story and overall life. , 2008--Harbi al-Himyari (scholar, teacher) Arab scholar from Yemen, Harbi al-Himyari who lived between the 7th and 8th century AD was a mentor for teaching Koran and mathematics. This man had lead teachings that are still used in today's schooling requirements. Nujood had loved learning and going to school. She was heart broken when forced to leave school seeing her best friend, Malak everyday. February(2008)--Azaan In the book Nujood says, “There it's every man for himself, they all want to be the first to snag a job for the day at dawn, just after the first Azaan, the traditional summons to prayer called out five times a day by the muezzins from the minarets of their mosques” (Page 14). Azaan is the call of prayer in the Muslim religion, this is an event that happens very often in the book in her town and her life, but also in real life for a Muslim. February(2008)--Marriage In the prologue of the book, they talk about Nujood’s life, what is was like and how this marriage was brought upon her. Delphine says, “One cold February evening in 2008, however, that appealing and mischievous grin suddenly melted into bitter tears when her father told her that she was going to wed a man three times her age” (Page 10-11). In their culture, government and religion it is normal for girls to get married at a very young age. In the book and in life today the Muslims still have different normalities than what most of us are used to. These events of young girls marrying older guys happen in the book and in life but not as much in present day anymore. March(2008)--Islam Religion Islam in Yemen dates back to about 630 when it was introduced into the region by Muhammad Ali when he was alive. It was during this period that the mosques in Janad (near Ta'izz) and the Great Mosque of Sana'a were built.