El Niño drought threatens to push more girls into child marriage
Story By Chengetai Murimwa
Plan International Zimbabwe has warned that the coming El Niño drought could put vulnerable girls at risk. Families struggling with climate change may pull girls out of school. Some girls may then face early marriage and other forms of abuse.
The organisation says drought and other climate disasters disrupt girls’ education. They also raise the risk of early marriage. Rural and marginalised communities face the greatest danger because they have little access to water and essential services.
Climate shocks threaten girls’ rights
Sheila Murimoga, Plan International Zimbabwe’s Influencing and Gender Technical Lead, spoke ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11. She said climate shocks threaten girls’ rights to education, health and protection from violence.
Murimoga said economic hardship drives many girls out of school and into marriage. Droughts and floods push families deeper into poverty.
“When a climate event occurs, like drought or flooding, girls are forced to drop out of school, give up their education and are often forced into child marriage,” she said.
This year’s theme is “Change Her Forecast”. It shows how climate change can reshape girls’ futures and weaken their rights and opportunities.
Call for action
Murimoga urged government, businesses, families and communities to invest in girls. She also wants girls to help develop climate solutions.
She said climate adaptation and disaster preparedness programmes should include specific measures to protect girls from gender-based violence and child marriage. These programmes should also give girls access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.
“All our humanitarian response frameworks should explicitly address the girls’ needs, protection from gender-based violence and child marriage, as well as access to their reproductive health needs,” she said.
What Plan International Zimbabwe does
The organisation works in inclusive quality education, protection from violence, health and youth economic empowerment. It focuses on girls in rural and remote communities.
Its programmes cover school fees and stationery, better school buildings and access to clean water. It also offers vocational skills training and backs community efforts to stop child marriage.
Murimoga said the organisation also worked with the Ministry of Women Affairs to review the National Action Plan to End Child Marriage.
Reporting based on original coverage by ZiFM Stereo.
