Severe drought triggers early child marriages in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA - The severe drought witnessed in Ethiopia has triggered early child marriages in the federal republic of Ethiopia, the UNICEF has said, noting that the situation could escalate should the world fail to chip in with immediate effect. 

For over 40 years, Ethiopia has for the first time failed to receive rains in several parts of the country, triggering hunger and possible famine, which could affect millions of people in the Horn of Africa nation. Ethiopia is also facing a domestic crisis in Tigray region.

Catherine Russell, Unicef’s executive director, said many young girls are now being forced to enter early marriage as their parents seek extra resources for survival. Most wealthier families are at the epicenter of the latest human conflict in the country. 

Within East Hararghe zone, home to 2.7 million people, child marriage cases increased by 51%, from 70 recorded during a six-month period in 2020-21 to 106 in the same period a year later, AP reports. 

Data compiled by Unicef shows  672 cases of child marriage were recorded between February and August last year, whereas in the six months from last September to March this year, that number leapt to 2,282, local government figures showed.

“We’re seeing increases in child marriage that are quite dramatic,” Russell said, noting that more than 600,000 children are thought to have dropped out of school as a result of the drought.

Besides getting into early marriages, Unicef noted, most of these girls are forced to drop out of schools and in some instances, they risk gender-based violence due to their vulnerability caused they their tender age. 

“These people [have their daughters married] because they’re desperate for one reason or another: they’re afraid of violence; they’re afraid for the safety of the girls; they need resources; they can’t afford to feed them,” Russell said.

Russell, who this week visited drought-hit areas, said she had discussed the issue with the country’s president, Sahle-Work Zewde, who said it was a priority area for her.

The drought is also pushing up the rates of severe acute malnutrition in the affected areas, with admission rates for children under five years old 15% higher in February this year than February last year. Russell, who visited sites where Unicef is treating malnourished children, said people were also forced to drink contaminated water, putting them at risk of various diseases, including cholera, AP adds.

“We haven’t seen it yet,” she said, “but everyone’s very worried about cholera.” As a result of lagging vaccination rates, measles has already returned, with more than 1,000 cases in the Somali region of Ethiopia and 16 confirmed deaths.

Russell said she was concerned that the huge global focus on Ukraine was sucking attention – and vital funds – away from other conflicts and crises worldwide.

“I’ve been to that region, and I know how difficult it is there. I don’t begrudge anybody in Ukraine the coverage because they need resources as well, but I think the international community’s not great at doing two things at once,” she said.

GAROWE ONLINE