A/HRC/26/22 example, highlighted the fact that, in June 2013, its Parliament passed the Vulnerable Witness Act, which allows vulnerable witnesses to give evidence in criminal proceedings by closed-circuit television, video link or video recording, limit their contact with the defendant or members of the public and have a support person with them while giving evidence.76 40. Several States are implementing training programmes for relevant public officials, including law enforcement and local administration officers. For instance, the Government of Switzerland has allocated funding for its newly established “Control Networks on forced marriages”. The networks offer coaching and counselling for victims of child, early and forced marriage and training for professionals providing access to support services.77 In Canada, there are plans for online training on forced marriage and “honour”-based violence developed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to be made available to municipal police and other agencies.78 In Australia, a module about forced marriage issues is now part of the compulsory ongoing professional development training provided to civil celebrants.79 The Government of Oman, in partnership with UNICEF, is preparing a training programme for teachers, law enforcement workers and those working in other relevant fields on protection of the family which will include child marriages.80 The Government of the United Kingdom has issued guidelines on forced marriage with the intention of improving practices among frontline workers, including the police and social services.81 VII. Challenges and implementation gaps 41. A number of challenges and implementation gaps have been highlighted in the submissions for the report. 42. With regard to challenges relating to the legal framework and the implementation of laws, 147 countries currently permit children below the age of 18 to be married, either with parental, spousal or caregiver consent, with court permission or in accordance with cultural practices or religious laws.82 Of the 147 countries, 54 allow for girls to marry at a younger age than boys. In the majority of cases, marriage provisions in plural legal systems are inconsistent with international obligations.83 For instance, in some cases, the Civil Law establishes the minimum age of marriage at 18 years, while customary and religious law enables a parent, often the father, to decide the appropriate age of marriage for a daughter.84 76 77 78 79 80 80 81 82 83 84 14 Submission from Australia, p. 2. Submission from Switzerland. Submission from Canada. For more examples of awareness-raising, see Plan UK, 2013, “Girls’ access to and Completion of Lower Secondary Education in Malawi: PPA Building Skills for Life for Adolescent Girls Programme Mid-term Evaluation Report”. Submission from Australia, p. 4. Submissions from Australia, the Netherlands and Oman. For information on child marriage among indigenous communities, see “Breaking the silence on violence against indigenous girls, adolescents and young women” (ILO, UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, 2013). Submission from Oman. Submission from the United Kingdom. See also submission from Ruth Gaffney-Rhys, University of South Wales. See Center for Reproductive Rights submission, p. 2; see also Guttmacher Institute and International Planned Parenthood Federation, 2013, cited in UNFPA, Background paper for the State of the World Population, 2013, available from www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/swp2013/Background%20paper%20on%20human%20righ ts%20by%20Christina%20Zampas.pdf Musawah submission, p. 3. See, for examples, submissions from Studies and Research Center on Women issues in Islam; Justice