Environmental Safety at Risk: The Kafue River Basin Contamination and Its Impact on Girls’ Lives

Source: Down to Earth

The Kafue River is more than just a water source. It is the lifeline of communities, farms, and industries across Zambia, supporting agriculture, fisheries, energy, and domestic use. Yet today, this vital basin faces a silent but devastating crisis of contamination from industrial, mining, and agricultural activities.

Through the Holistic Safety Education (HoSED), which emphasizes internal and external safety for girls, women, and communities, environmental safety becomes not just an ecological concern but a matter of survival, health, and dignity.

Understanding the Kafue Basin Contamination

The Kafue River Basin is home to heavy industrial operations such as mining in the Copperbelt, commercial agriculture, and urban waste disposal. These activities have introduced toxic substances, chemical effluents, and untreated waste into the river.

The contamination threatens:

• Water quality – communities depending on untreated water face high risks of waterborne diseases. (SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation)

• Aquatic life – fish stocks decline due to pollution, threatening food security. (SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 14: Life Below Water)

• Agriculture – polluted irrigation water impacts both crop yields and soil fertility. (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production, SDG 15: Life on Land)

• Public health – increasing cases of diarrhea, skin infections, and even long-term exposure risks like cancer. (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being)

  
  

Why This Matters for Environmental Safety

HoSED teaches that environmental safety is inseparable from human safety. When the environment is compromised, so too are the lives of those who rely on it daily.

For girls and young women in communities around the Kafue Basin, the impact is particularly severe:

• Unsafe water collection – girls often bear the responsibility of fetching water. Contaminated sources expose them to illness and physical strain. (SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 6)

• Food insecurity – declining fish stocks and crop productivity increase the burden on girls who are expected to help sustain households. (SDG 2, SDG 1: No Poverty)

• Educational disruption – waterborne diseases and poor nutrition lead to absenteeism in schools. (SDG 4: Quality Education)

• Gender-based vulnerability – scarcity of clean water can push families into survival choices that compromise girls’ safety and dignity. (SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions)

Holistic Safety Approach: What Needs to Change

1. Policy Enforcement

Industries along the Kafue must be strictly monitored, with waste treated before discharge. Stronger enforcement of environmental laws will protect water sources and communities, advancing SDG 6, SDG 12, SDG 13, and SDG 16.

2. Community Empowerment

Women and girls need inclusion in environmental decision-making to ensure solutions reflect community needs. Training in safe water practices and alternative livelihoods strengthens resilience, aligning with SDG 5, SDG 8, and SDG 10.

3. Youth-Led Advocacy

Young people, especially girls, can use storytelling, digital platforms, and community mobilization to hold polluters accountable. Their voices strengthen partnerships and awareness, supporting SDG 17.

4. Sustainable Practices

Eco-friendly farming and mining methods are vital to reducing pollution and protecting natural resources. Promoting sustainable production preserves land and livelihoods in line with SDG 12 and SDG 15.

Reclaiming Safety for Girls and Communities

Environmental safety is not only about preserving nature; it is about protecting lives, dignity, and futures. For the communities along the Kafue River, safety means access to clean water, sustainable livelihoods, and protection from environmental hazards.

Through Holistic Safety Education (HoSED), we can:

• Utilise curriculum modules on environmental safety to increase awareness among girls, families, and schools about the connections between health, safety, and access to clean water.

• Facilitate community dialogues and sensitization workshops to amplify girls’ voices and integrate their perspectives in environmental solutions.

• Mobilize youth-led campaigns that connect environmental justice to safety, human rights, and gender equality.

By aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, HoSED frames the fight against contamination as a fight for survival, equity, and justice where every girl can grow up in a safe, healthy, and sustainable environment.

Call to Action

As SAFIGI and partners work to amplify the voices of girls, we invite policymakers, communities, and advocates to prioritize environmental safety as human safety. Protecting the Kafue River is protecting our SDG promise and our future.