Jimmy Carter is making a ‘call to action” over discrimination and violence against women, addressing issues from female genital mutilation to child marriage in a new book out in the US this week.

The 39th US president writes in A Call to Action of his belief that ‘the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls”, which he says is ‘largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States”.

Out tomorrow from Simon & Schuster in the US, the book is already drawing positive reviews: the Pittsburgh Post Gazette said that it ‘should not only be required reading in America, but should also serve as the template for a complete reinterpretation of the religious views behind our treatment of each other”. The St Louis Post-Dispatch said it ‘reinforces [Carter’s] dedication to wiping out injustice – and his ability to move others to join his cause”.

Simon & Schuster said that Carter, who, with his wife Rosalynn, has visited 145 countries, his charity The Carter Centre active in more than half of them, was ‘encouraged […]