A/HRC/26/22 B. Policies, action plans and coordination mechanisms 28. Several submissions reported on efforts to strengthen national coordination among government bodies, civil society organizations and United Nations agencies and development partners and on the development of multidisciplinary action plans. Examples include the recently launched Alliance to End Child Marriage in Ethiopia steered by the Ministry of Women. The Alliance is to implement a joint strategy drafted by the Government in partnership with donors, civil society organizations and other development actors to combat female genital mutilation/cutting, child marriage and abduction.51 In Sierra Leone, the National Strategy for the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy (2013-2018) addresses child marriage and engages multiple ministries as well as a large number of stakeholders to accelerate change.52 Norway has implemented four action plans on forced marriage, covering legislative changes, awareness-raising and crisis housing as well as a national information helpline on forced marriage.53 Various States reported that they had increased coordination structures at the local level, in the form of committees which include representatives from local government and civil society organizations.54 C. Engagement of religious and traditional leaders and service providers 29. Responses received provided examples of how effective implementation of policies and plans had been strengthened through partnerships with traditional and religious leaders. For example, Girls Empowerment Network Malawi reported a decrease in child marriages after it ran a campaign encouraging traditional leaders and parents to devise strategies to prevent child marriage. The campaign led to tribal and traditional leaders’ edicts banning the practice, which are being replicated in other areas.55 In Indonesia, the involvement of religious and village leaders in media campaigns has led to a marked reduction in a practice called merarik, whereby girls are kidnapped if their parents do not agree to a marriage or when the bride price or the dowry is too high and which is increasingly used to kidnap girls for sexual slavery and trafficking.56 30. State programmes which provide support to women and girls who are already married highlighted the direct involvement of teachers, health workers, law enforcement and judicial officials and social workers, and the active participation of girls who are at risk of being married.57 D. Education and empowerment of girls and women 31. A common theme in the submissions received was the critical need to ensure the empowerment of women and girls through, inter alia, education and access to resources as the best preventive measures against child marriage and for the full realization of the human rights of women and girls. 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 See ethiopia.unfpa.org/2013/10/24/8249/ethiopia_launches_alliance_to_end_child_marriage/. UNICEF submission. Oslo Red Cross submission. Submission from Canada. Submissions from GNB USA and GNB Zambia.. Secretariat submission, p. 16. ethiopia.unfpa.org/2013/10/24/8249/ethiopia_launches_alliance_to_end_child_marriage/. See also submissions from UNICEF, Oslo Red Cross, Canada and Girls Empowerment Network Malawi. 11