CHOGM touches on forced marriages

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday 04th November 2011

Commonwealth leaders last Sunday placed renewed emphasis on tackling forced marriage as they wrapped up a three-day summit at which they committed to empowering girls and women.
In a communique pitched towards overhauling the 54-nation bloc to make it more relevant,
the grouping said it would “promote the implementation of measures to tackle early and forced marriage”.
The group of mostly former British colonies said it would move to implement international instruments and agreements on women’s rights.
Activists have said the forced marriage of young girls takes place on a “shocking scale” in Commonwealth countries, trapping children in a cycle of poverty, illiteracy and ill health and violating their basic human rights.
Plan International Australia, one of the world’s largest children’s development organisations, welcomed the Commonwealth’s decision, which it said would significantly boost efforts to protect millions of girls. – AFP