Rotterdam – Rotterdam is launching a new system to help prevent teenage girls from being pressured into marriage when they go away on holiday to their family's country of origin.

Girls who are concerned they may be forced into an arranged marriage can express their concerns with the school. Before they go away, the girls can sign a contract stating they do not want to marry.

If the girls fail to return at the end of the summer, the Dutch police will be notified immediately.

A similar contract system to prevent forced marriages exists in the United Kingdom and has proved to be successful.

In the past, school attendance officers were notified about such incidents but were unable to do much about it.

The city of Rotterdam also plans to educate students about arranged marriages and violence committed in the defence of family honour.

Most cases of arranged marriage occur within the Moroccan, Turkish and Pakistani communities.

Radio Netherlands / Expatica