“They want to be part of their country’s tremendous growth and opportunity; they want the chance to grow up before becoming parents themselves.”

After returning from India, Gro Brundtland blogs about the Elders' visit to an innovative youth-led project tackling entrenched attitudes towards child marriage in the state of Bihar.

“We hope to listen to girls affected by child marriage, their parents, their teachers and community leaders – and amplify their needs and concerns in our conversations with government, media and other influential people.”

Ela Bhatt is joined in India by her fellow Elders Desmond Tutu, Gro Brundtland and Mary Robinson at the start of a week-long visit focusing on the empowerment of girls and women.

“This shouldn’t be such a difficult topic for people of faith. It seems entirely consistent with the teachings of the world’s great religions that men and women are equal in the eyes of God.”

After a meeting with fellow religious leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes about the role faith leaders can play in promoting equality for girls and women.

As Egyptians celebrate the first anniversary of the uprising that removed Hosni Mubarak from power, Mary Robinson argues that it is time to challenge the patriarchal norms that continue to restrict women's political participation – and that Egypt's future as a just, democratic and prosperous nation depends on it.

"We can no longer ignore this growing distance between rich and poor. It is time to close the gap. It is time to talk about making real changes so that the world becomes a more equitable place."

Ahead of his appearance in the opening session of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Desmond Tutu writes about the message he wants to deliver to the rich and powerful attending the conference.

This blog is based on Archbishop Tutu’s contribution to a debate hosted by the Forgiveness Project. He was joined by Mary Kayitesi Blewitt, who lost over 50 members of her family in the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Jo Berry, the daughter of Sir Anthony Berry who was killed in the IRA Brighton bombing in 1984, and by Pat Magee, a former IRA activist convicted of the bombing.

Ela Bhatt argues that ending child marriage can accelerate progress towards achieving the MDGs. But to tackle this harmful practice, we need to encourage families and communities to value girls for their education, skills and work – not for their fertility.

Having recently returned from Ethiopia where he met women who had been married as young as ten, Desmond Tutu calls on men and boys to stand up for the rights of women and girls and support efforts to end child marriage.

Just ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mary Robinson blogs about The Elders' plans to put ending child marriage at the top of the international agenda.

Fernando H Cardoso argues that the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas presents a new opportunity for Israel to negotiate with a unified Palestinian leadership – and ultimately to pursue a viable two-state solution with the Palestinians.