A 25 year old Romanian woman, Rifca Stanescu, continues to be the world’s youngest grandmother, according to uber-facts.com. The woman, of Roma ethnicity who now lives in the UK, gave birth to her first daughter Maria, when she was 12. Despite her mother’s wishes for her to stay in school, Maria also had a child at a very young age: she had Ion at the age of 11. Rifca Stanescu, the grandmother was 23 when the grandchild was born.

Rifca, now 25, told the Sun: “I am happy to be a grandmother but wished more for Maria." She also said she wished for more out of life and that  "boys are always good to have – they don’t have to suffer as much girls I think.”

In the Romanian gypsy community it is common for couples to marry young. Rifca added: "I did not try to stop my daughter getting married because this is the tradition, it’s what happens."

In several cases, the child protection in Romania has  stepped in when gypsy weddings involved underage children from the local Roma community.

In the gypsy culture, marriages are arranged from early childhood, and a woman's virginity is greatly prized. The loss of virginity before the arranged marriage means the deal is cancelled.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com