Human rights experts discuss the causes and challenges of child and forced marriage, and solutions to end and prevent that practice.

“Female genital mutilations (FGM) violate the right to the highest attainable standard of health… and when it results in the death of the person that is mutilated, it violates the right to life,” said UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay.

Gender stereotyping is a form of discrimination against women and a contributing factor to many violations of their rights, say experts at the Human Rights Council.

A Global Summit aims to identify specific actions by the international community to end sexual violence in conflict.

States are being urged to legislate to outlaw coercive sterilization and to provide effective redress to those who are unable to have children because of these procedures performed without their knowledge or consent.

At the latest session of the Human Rights Council, panellists discussed lessons learnt and continuing challenges in addressing sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Despite the fact that many women are legally entitled to equality in access to land, they still experience considerable discrimination in this area,” said the UN Human Rights Office’s Gender and Women’s Rights Advisor in New York, Gaynel Curry.

Minority Fellow Josephine Adaza calls for religious freedom for the Christian minority in Northern Nigeria.