Study reveals how climate disasters fuel child marriage, teenage pregnancy
Climate-related disasters are increasing the risks of child marriage, teenage pregnancy and violence against girls, according to a new global study by Plan International.
The research examined three decades of health and climate data from 52 low- and middle-income countries, alongside a survey of 5,000 girls and young women aged 15 to 24 in Bangladesh, Kenya, Peru, Senegal and Zimbabwe.
Researchers also conducted interviews and focus group discussions with 139 girls across the five countries.
The study found that climate shocks often disrupt or destroy essential health and education services, leaving girls who are already vulnerable to bear the greatest impact.
It found that one in 10 girls surveyed had personally experienced an unintended pregnancy following a climate-related event, while 33 per cent said unintended pregnancies had increased in their communities.
Another one in 10 respondents said they had married before turning 18, while 36 per cent reported an increase in girls being married or entering unions before 18 in their communities following climate disasters.
A statement issued by Plan International Ghana said 28 per cent of the girls surveyed also reported an increase in violence against women and girls after climate-related events.
The research further found that nine in 10 girls believed climate disasters were placing serious pressure on their families' survival, health and stability.
Healthcare access affected
Climate shocks were also found to have a significant impact on access to healthcare.
About 76 per cent of respondents said more girls and young women in their communities were struggling to access at least one health service following climate-related events.
The figure increased to 84 per cent among girls affected by drought.
Nearly half of the respondents, 49 per cent, also reported noticing an increase in pregnancy and childbirth complications, including miscarriages, following a climate shock.
Girls from minority communities were particularly vulnerable. They were twice as likely to experience difficulties accessing health services, nearly three times as likely to report an unintended pregnancy and more than twice as likely to face pressure to marry at a young age.
Education a key protection
The study identified disruption to education as a major factor behind several of the risks faced by girls.
According to the report, girls whose education was interrupted were twice as likely to marry early or experience an unintended pregnancy.
It said uninterrupted education emerged as the most consistent protective factor against early marriage and violence.
Prolonged drought was identified as the climate hazard most consistently associated with an increase in child marriage.
The report explained that families could lose crops, livestock and sources of income over prolonged periods, eventually making the marriage of a daughter a perceived survival strategy.
It said the slow-onset nature of drought also meant the resulting harm often failed to attract the same emergency attention as sudden disasters.
"My father has no livestock to sell and take me to college; that's how I accepted to be married off," said Galgalo, a 22-year-old participant from Kenya.
Shahina, 19, from Bangladesh, said families left destitute by flooding "marry off girls at a very young age."
The girls also reported being pressured to exchange sex for money or basic necessities, while some faced harassment and sexual violence in overcrowded and poorly lit emergency shelters.
Call for urgent action
Plan International Chief Executive, Reena Ghelani, said governments and international institutions were yet to adequately reflect the impact of climate change on girls and women's health in their climate responses.
She said only half of national climate plans referred to girls' or women's health, while just 0.5 per cent of multilateral climate finance was directed towards health.
With El Niño expected to be among the most powerful in decades, the organisation warned that the opportunity to address the growing risks was narrowing.
Ahead of COP31, Plan International called on governments and donors to keep schools open and free during climate emergencies, dedicate a portion of adaptation financing to adolescent girls' health and ensure that menstrual products, contraception and protection services were included in emergency responses.