Vinni

World Press Review has a profile of Pakistani human rights campaigner Humaira Awais Shahid which also describes her main cause, ending vinni, or forced marriages in northwestern Pakistan. Women and girls are exchanged as a means of ending clan rivalries, and become little more than servants in their new environment. This practice runs contrary to Islam (obviously), but as so often happens, local custom trumps the formal teachings of religion even after a period of centuries. Fortunately legislation against the practice passed the Pakistani legislature unanimously. Since Pakistani control over the Northwest Frontier Province is notoriously weak, however, I don't know how much impact that will have on the ground.