As Southern Africa grapples with the harsh realities of an El Niño-induced drought, the most vulnerable are often the least visible. In a region where the ongoing drought has plunged 56.8 million people into food insecurity, young women are bearing the brunt of this silent crisis.
A recent report by ActionAid, released ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, sheds light on the devastating impact the drought is having on young women and girls across the region.
The policy brief, titled "Mitigating Protection Risks for Young Women in Southern Africa: Policy Responses to Drought-Induced Crises," highlights how the drought has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities, pushing young women into early and forced marriages as families struggle to cope. With economic opportunities drying up alongside water sources, many communities have resorted to desperate survival strategies that further entrench gender-based violence and exploitation.
Joan*, a 29-year-old woman from Zambia, shares the bleak reality faced by many: "All my savings have been used to buy food--we sleep on empty stomachs sometimes due to lack of food. A lot of the boreholes have dried up; we must walk very long distances to find water."
For many young women, marriage has become a last resort--a means to secure food and basic needs. Emily*, a 19-year-old from Zambia's Siamuluwa village, describes how the crisis is undoing years of efforts to keep girls in school: "The drought is significantly impacting young women and girls, who are often married off to secure food resources. All the efforts we have been putting into keeping girls in school are falling down the drain."
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The report also details the increased burden of unpaid care work and reduced access to essential services, which leave young women even more vulnerable to exploitation. The dire situation is echoed by Nyaradzo, a 24-year-old from Zimbabwe, who laments the lack of government assistance:
"Young people cannot get drought relief, and we are not getting any help from the government. If the situation remains like this, how will the young women survive?"
ActionAid is calling on SADC leaders to prioritize gender-sensitive policies that address these challenges head-on. The organization urges governments to domesticate and adhere to agreed-upon gender equality and women's empowerment principles.
ActionAid Zimbabwe's Country Director, Joy Mabenge, emphasizes the need for a comprehensive gender analysis in government interventions, stressing that "the prevailing situation demands that authorities prioritize the provision of flexible funding for women-led community protection initiatives."
