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Girls Are The Last to Eat: The Hidden Toll of Zambia's Drought on Girls Safety

Writer's picture: Chintu Masanta Chintu Masanta

Zambia is currently experiencing the adverse effects of climate change owing to the drought that has hit hard in almost every part of the country. Most regions received little or no rain causing a huge strain on household food security as well as impacting access to food for impoverished communities in Zambia.


The drought has led to crop failures and livestock deaths, exacerbating food insecurity and malnutrition.  According to the Irish Aid Zambia Climate Assessment Risk, women in Zambia remain the worst victims of the country’s high unemployment and poverty. In regions like Gwembe in Zambia's Southern Province, the lack of harvest due to drought has heightened poverty levels.


Girls and young women, who are often the last to eat the food they have cooked, bear the brunt of food shortages, leading to malnutrition and its associated health problems.

A field of dry maize in Zambia due to the drought. Photo by Chintu Masante


Food Insecurity and Malnutrition

Most of the hard-hit households are rural families whose primary household source of income is farming. These families are the homes of girls and young women who are among the most negatively affected demographic by the drought due to the prevailing culture that puts the onus of housekeeping on girls and young women. This burden creates a cycle of environmental and social challenges that jeopardize their safety, education, and overall well-being. 


The Burden of Water Scarcity

In many rural communities, girls are often tasked with fetching water for their families. As drought depletes local water sources, they must travel increasingly long distances to find potable water. This  journey not only consumes valuable time that could be spent in school but also exposes them to various risks, including physical exhaustion, harassment, and even violence. The heavy responsibility of securing water exacerbates the already significant burden of family care that falls disproportionately on girls, limiting their opportunities for education and personal development.


Child Labor and Educational Disruption

School attendance rates for girls drop significantly in rural areas affected by drought, especially during severe drought periods.


The necessity to assist in household survival strategies, such as water collection and tending to drought-stricken farms, often leads to an increase in child labor. This further reduces the time available for girls to attend school, undermining their educational attainment and future prospects.

The immediate need for survival trumps the long-term benefits of education, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and limited opportunity.


Menstrual Health and Hygiene Challenges

Access to adequate water is crucial for maintaining menstrual hygiene. During droughts, the scarcity of clean water forces girls to compromise on their menstrual health, which can lead to infections and other health issues. The stigma and discomfort associated with inadequate menstrual hygiene often result in girls missing school during their periods, further disrupting their education.


Environmental Safety as Key to Holistic Safety for Girls

This crisis has shown the importance of awareness and implementation of Environmental Safety initiatives for girls to achieve their full potential. According to SAFIGIs Holistic Safety Blueprint, Environmental safety refers to the measures taken to preserve and protect our physical surroundings, ensuring that the environments we live in are safe, healthy, and sustainable for people, especially girls.


Achieving holistic safety for girls in the face of the drought requires a comprehensive approach that addresses various aspects of survival and well-being. First, it's crucial to ensure access to essential resources such as clean water, safe housing and nutritious food which are vital for maintaining quality of life.

Additionally, Implementing water conservation practices, promoting sustainable agricultural techniques, and educating communities about efficient water use and drought-resistant crops are vital strategies to achieve holistic safety during a drought. Focusing on identification and  effects of the drought on girls' mental, body and cultural safety is essential to ensuring they thrive.





Written by Chintu Masanta

edited by Hadassah Louis


Chintu Masanta is an Advocacy Lead at Safety First for Girls (SAFIGI) Outreach Foundation. She champions mental safety and environmental safety as key themes of her work. Her area of focus is inclusion of young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).

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3 Comments


Subilo Malema
Subilo Malema
Aug 02, 2024

This is an amazing piece, well done Chintu, I have enjoyed reading it.

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Hadassah Louis
Hadassah Louis
Jul 29, 2024

Thank you Chintu for sharing this informative work about how girls are being impacted by the drought. You've highlighted some gendered issues that we don't usually think about in Zambia.

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Wow this is very insightful Chintu, indeed the drought has really impacted the girls safety and as a nation we need beyond preparedness to tackle such emergency and this needs adequate attention

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SAFIGI Outreach Foundation Ltd                  (Safety First for Girls) is a non-profit organization registered in Zambia serving as a global network of girls, women, groups, and allies to demand a safer world for girls through Safety Education, Advocacy and Research. Learn more about us.

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