“Governments need to openly criticise the practice of child marriage” according to experts attending a meeting at the United Nations.

Around the world there are more than 700 million women who were married before their 18th birthday.

Young artists in Europe are being invited to participate in a comic and cartoon competition on gender equality.

Two point four million women and children have been saved since 2010 in 49 countries that have been targeted by a UN initiative called “Every Woman Every Child”.

The findings come in a report presented at UN Headquarters on Tuesday, entitled “Saving Lives, Protecting Futures.”

Women in Afghanistan need to be recognized as active participants in society not just as victims, according to the UN Mission in the country, UNAMA.