A YouTube clip of 11-year-old girl from Yemen, Nada Al-Ahdal, became viral after a Reddit user posted the link on the popular Web site. In the video, the young girl described the reason why she was running away from home, leaving her parents behind to stay with her uncle.

According to the video translation of some users in Reddit, the girl ran away from home because she was being forced to marry at her young age. She questions the innocence of childhood and why Yemeni children are forced to enter into arranged marriages by their parents.

A few hours later, the video was upvoted 4,700 times and began to attract the attention of news agencies in the world. The votes were unusually high even for Reddit.

Specific details about the child's story are yet to be revealed, but the three-minute video highlights the tradition of child marriage in Yemen. The YouTube video received rave reviews. It was clear to viewers that the child was passionate about the issue of child marriage. She was articulate and spoke with conviction. Her eyes seemed to force viewers to not break eye contact.

Some people commented the video was scripted; however, it cannot be denied that the girl was remarkably poised throughout her monologue.

The 11-year-old girl said she has managed to solve her problem, but other girls are not so lucky. She said some children commit suicide or do whatever it takes to escape forced marriage.

According to Yemeni laws, girls of any age are allowed to marry. Statistics reveal that 52 per cent of Yemeni girls are married before they reach 18 years of age. The law also prohibits sexual intercourse until young girls have reached puberty. This law is often ignored by many based on cultural practice.

Sophie Ghaziri of Al Arabiya said in relation to Yemen's cultural practice, girls even younger than eight years old are married. By the time they reach puberty, they already have children of their own. Ms. Ghaziri said child marriage in Yemen is driven by poverty and deeply-rooted tradition.