Pin-drop silence. That was the atmosphere on a sleepy summer Sunday when Aruna Papp, a lay member of Greenbank (Ont.) United, took the pulpit. Greenbank United describes itself as “a friendly, country church,” and the town is a go-to destination for butter tarts and country drives. It feels about as far away from the horrible […]

A FATHER who set fire to his house, killing his wife and seriously injuring his three daughters and a family friend, has been found guilty of murder and arson, but not guilty of the attempted murder of his daughters. Birmingham Crown Court heard how 56-year-old Mohammed Riaz Inayat deliberately set fire to his house in […]

Newly-appointed public health minister Jane Ellison stated that female genital mutilation would be a key issue during her tenure   David Cameron’s new public health minister today pledged to make the prevention of female genital mutilation a top priority. Jane Ellison warned that Britain has been “failing” to protect thousands of girls from the barbaric […]

A young girl is given a plastic bag of sweets and a bottle of lemonade after being genitally mutilated … the story of the 10-year fight against female genital mutilation by two film-makers has been made into a hour long documentary by the Guardian and BBC Arabic and will go out across the Arab world […]

Scotland’s planned adoption of England’s laws on forced marriage have been described as “dangerous” and “retrograde” by a leading expert. The warning comes as the ­Scottish Government draws up plans to amend its forced marriages legislation introduced in 2011, following a recent European ruling. A new report has shown women’s support agencies in ­Scotland have […]

The simple principle that a woman should be able to choose whom and when to marry is an absolute given in this country. But the sad reality around the world is that millions of girls as young as eight or nine years of age are forced into marriage every year. Some suggest the number could […]

Greek police believe Gypsy family planned to make big money by selling her into a forced marriage at the age of just 12. The jailed foster parents of little ‘blonde angel’ Maria bought her as an “investment” to cash in on the biggest tradition of the gypsy world, police believe. The youngster is thought to have been bought […]

In Morocco, the social and legal framework surrounding sexual and reproductive health has transformed greatly in the past decade, especially with the introduction of the new Family Law or Moudawana. Yet, despite raising the minimum age of marriage for girls and stipulating equal rights in the family, child and forced marriage is widespread. The objective […]

The United Nations has announced an initiativeto end child marriages worldwide, but India, the country with the most child brides, isn’t getting behind it. The UN Human Rights Council resolution seeks to put an end to all child, early and forced marriages throughout the world, and already, 107 countries have co-sponsored it. However, India has not given its […]