The 2007 UNICEF photo of the year:

The image hardly fits our idea of the happy couple's wedding picture - but this haunting photograph taken in Afghanistan graphically captures life for millions of girls given in marriage while under age. It shows Mohammed, 40, with his new 11-year-old wife, Ghulam. Taken by US photographer Stephanie Sinclair, it was named Unicef Photo of the Year yesterday. Some 60million girls worldwide are married while still under age, according to the children's rights agency.

At least he married the poor girl. In Iran, the growing industry of sharia-approved "temporary marriages" allows girls as young as nine to be enslaved, raped, and then dumped back into brothels. Why as young as nine and not eight or ten? We're obviously not Islamic scholars, but if we had to take a guess...

Incidentally, we were trying to Google a story about how Iran's clerics exploit temporary marriage to score underage girls when they travel around the country. We know it's out there but we didn't find it. Instead we came across this 2000 New York Times story about how temporary marriages are a progressive measure being pushed by "odd mix of feminists, clerics and officials". Title of the story? "Love Finds A Way". Really. At least now we know how to be sophisticated about this charming cultural practice.

References:
* Under-age marriage picture wins UNICEF prize [Metro UK]
* Hey Gals, Check This Out - Iran Has Legal Slavery And Rape Of Prepubescent Girls. They Call It "Temporary Marriage". [MR]
* Criticism of Muhammad: Aisha [Wikipedia]
* Love Finds a Way in Iran: 'Temporary Marriage' [NYT]

Previously:
* Hey Gals, Check This Out - If You're A Maid In Saudi Arabia, You Might Have To Be Tortured And Mutilated
* Hey Gals, Check This Out - John McCain Responds To Code Pink's "We Should Surrender To The Most Vicious Sexists On The Planet" Platform [Videos]
* Hey Gals, Check This Out - You're Too Dirty To Walk On Saudi Arabia's Sidewalks