Itai Muzondo
HARARE: ActionAid has expressed concern over the marrying off of girls in Southern Africa as families look for food to put on their tables.
The El Nino-induced drought has had far-reaching effects on the region with girls being married off to get their families food.
An ActionAid report on drought in Southern Africa says the drought has disproportionately affected young women and girls, exacerbating existing inequalities.
“As food insecurity, economic hardship, and social instability escalate, young women are facing heightened risks of violence, exploitation, and marginalisation.
“The drought has hampered the economic opportunities of many farming communities, resulting in families failing to cope and adopting negative survival strategies such as pushing girls into early and forced marriages.
“It is time to prioritise young women’s protection in the face of the devastating impacts of an ongoing El Nino-induced drought in Southern Africa,” said ActionAid as it launched a brief ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare this weekend.
An estimated 56,8 million people are food insecure in the Southern African region due to 2023-24 drought.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said this is the worst drought the region has seen in 100 years.
The ActionAid policy brief titled “Mitigating Protection Risks for Young Women in Southern
Africa: Policy Responses to Drought-Induced Crises” highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to protect and empower young women in the region.
ActionAid called on the SADC leaders to domesticate, adhere to, monitor and report on agreed gender equality and women’s empowerment principles and provisions to guarantee protection of young women and girls from crises such as drought.
Joy Mabenge, the Country Director of ActionAid Zimbabwe, said the situation demands a comprehensive gender analysis on the impact of the drought on women and girls, which is crucial to ensure that governments’ interventions do not miss the mark.
“Additionally, authorities must prioritise the provision of flexible funding for women-led community protection initiatives,” she said.
Women and girls interviewed in the region painted a gloomy picture of the situation as it impacts negatively on their welfare including health, nutrition and education.
They said the SADC Summit in Harare should look at how governments in the region should come up with strategies to mitigate the challenges they face.
