Zulai

married at 15 in nigeria

Hers is a familiar story. Zulai is pulled from school to marry an older man. She is 15. Her husband, 28.

Zulai becomes pregnant quickly. She delivers a baby at home—after two days of labor. Her husband does not always provide food money. So her parents feed her during her brief marriage. It lasts only a year. At 16, Zulai is the divorced mother of an infant daughter. She reflects that it would be better if girls were not married until “17, or even 20.”