Table manners differ around the world. If you visit a friend’s home for a meal, it’s good to know about the customs they follow.

If you are invited to a Moroccan’s home, bring a gift of sweet pastries, nuts, figs, dates, or flowers to the hostess. In many traditional homes, people often sit on the floor to eat a meal. Often, everyone shares food from the same 10 plate. The plate is put in the centre of the table. Usually, everyone also drinks water from the same glass. Only eat the food in front of you. Don’t reach across someone for food. It is common to use you your fingers and small pieces of bread to eat food. Use only your right hand to eat. Don’t say “no” to food. If the host of the meal offers you food or drink, take some and try a little. In many Moroccan homes, it is common to take off your shoes.

Tanzania is known for its fresh fish and spices. Don’t act scared if your meal comes with its head still on the plate. It is polite to try a bite of everything. In many Tanzania homes, people sit at a table on a small stools to eat. It is OK to eat with your right hand, using bread or chapati to pick up food. Everyone may take food from the same plate., but it is not usual for people to share drinks. You may compliment the cook on a delicious meal, but don’t exaggerate. In some parts of Tanzania, men and women still sit at different tables. Also remember: it is common to take off your shoes in the home, but it is rude to show the bottom of your foot.

(Adopted from Active Skills for Reading Intro by Neil J Anderson)

Table manners differ around the world. If you visit a friend’s home for a meal, it’s good to know about the customs they follow.

If you are invited to a Moroccan’s home, bring a gift of sweet pastries, nuts, figs, dates, or flowers to the hostess. In many traditional homes, people often sit on the floor to eat a meal. Often, everyone shares food from the same 10 plate. The plate is put in the centre of the table. Usually, everyone also drinks water from the same glass. Only eat the food in front of you. Don’t reach across someone for food. It is common to use you your fingers and small pieces of bread to eat food. Use only your right hand to eat. Don’t say “no” to food. If the host of the meal offers you food or drink, take some and try a little. In many Moroccan homes, it is common to take off your shoes.

Tanzania is known for its fresh fish and spices. Don’t act scared if your meal comes with its head still on the plate. It is polite to try a bite of everything. In many Tanzania homes, people sit at a table on a small stools to eat. It is OK to eat with your right hand, using bread or chapati to pick up food. Everyone may take food from the same plate., but it is not usual for people to share drinks. You may compliment the cook on a delicious meal, but don’t exaggerate. In some parts of Tanzania, men and women still sit at different tables. Also remember: it is common to take off your shoes in the home, but it is rude to show the bottom of your foot.

(Adopted from Active Skills for Reading Intro by Neil J Anderson)

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay to the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/)

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay to the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/)