By Tendai Makaripe
In Hwange’s Chachachunda village, 14-year-old Amina wakes up before sunrise every day, knowing her day will begin with a 4-kilometer walk to the nearest water source.
The harsh sun beats down as she sets out on the same path, often in the company of other girls from the village.
What should be a routine task is instead a perilous journey.
Along the way, Amina and her friends are constantly at risk of sexual predators lurking in the shadows of the dried-out terrain.
Climate change has turned once-reliable rivers and wells into barren land, forcing young girls into unsafe treks in search of water.
But for Amina and many others, it is a daily gamble with their dignity and safety.
“Every day, we walk and we are scared,” said Amina.
“We just want water, but it’s not safe for us.”
Her story is not unique.
From Hwange to Pfumbidza Village in Buhera Central, and from Hwenjekwenje in Buhera to Kapawa and Muringazuva villages in Mbire District, girls across rural Zimbabwe face the same terrifying reality: climate change is depriving them of their basic Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).
As water sources dry up, the girls who are tasked with fetching it are exposed to the dangers of sexual violence, child marriage, and exploitation—all in the name of survival.
Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it has become a human rights emergency. Nowhere is this more evident than in Zimbabwe’s rural communities, where the effects of global warming are creating conditions that systematically violate SRHR, particularly for girls.
According to UNICEF’s 2021 Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), 6.5 million children in Zimbabwe are at risk from climate-induced emergencies like heatwaves, water shortages, and floods.
Rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall are drying up water sources, leading to droughts that devastate crops and livestock, and plunging entire communities into poverty.
In villages like Chachachunda, water scarcity is just the beginning of a much larger crisis.
Girls, who traditionally bear the responsibility of collecting water, are facing new threats to their health, safety, and future because of climate change.
As they walk long distances for water, these girls are vulnerable to sexual violence. But the threat doesn’t stop at physical harm.
The poverty exacerbated by climate change is forcing families to make impossible choices.
In many cases, girls are being married off at younger ages as a coping mechanism, with parents hoping to ease financial burdens through dowries.
In Zimbabwe, over a third of girls are married before the age of 18, a figure that is even higher in rural areas, where families rely on agriculture.
The combination of economic hardship and water scarcity is robbing girls of their right to education, bodily autonomy, and safety.
“There is a direct connection between climate change and the increased violation of SRHR for girls,” said human rights activist Mlondolozi Ndlovu.
“These young girls, like Amina, are not only being denied basic needs like water but are also being thrust into unsafe environments that threaten their well-being. The principles of SRHR, such as access to healthcare, safe pregnancies, and the right to consent, are being systematically undermined in ways that often go unnoticed.”
In villages such as Hwenjekwenje, Pfumbidza, and Kapawa, girls like Amina are not just walking to collect water—they are walking into dangerous situations that can lead to lifelong trauma.
A journey to fetch water has become a routine that exposes them to predatory violence.
The distance from their homes to water sources keeps growing as droughts stretch on, and with it, their vulnerability.
Often, these girls must start their day before dawn, knowing that their safety is always in jeopardy.
Social worker Lisa Samupita Williams explains how climate change has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities.
“When the basic infrastructure fails because of environmental crises, it is girls who suffer the most. They are taken out of school to help their families, their daily walks for water expose them to sexual violence, and the lack of resources often pushes them into transactional sex or child marriage as coping mechanisms,” she said.
In many cases, girls become trapped in cycles of exploitation, forced into transactional sex to obtain basic goods like food and water.
This not only robs them of their childhood but also exposes them to a range of sexual and reproductive health risks, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies.
The consequences are profound.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), complications related to pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15–19 globally.
Zimbabwe is no exception, with young girls facing higher risks due to early pregnancies, limited access to healthcare, and a lack of maternal support.
In the aftermath of natural disasters, such as Cyclone Idai, these dangers increase exponentially.
Kudzai Chatiza, a development researcher, noted that after the cyclone devastated parts of Manicaland in 2019, the insecurity and displacement left women and girls especially vulnerable to sexual violence in temporary camps.
“The structures that once provided safety for these girls were torn apart by the cyclone, and many were left in unsafe shelters, at risk of sexual exploitation. The daily routine of survival has replaced the safety they once had,” said Chatiza.
Climate change is also driving families into desperate situations where marrying off their daughters becomes a survival strategy.
Droughts, which have become more frequent and severe due to rising temperatures, are decimating crops and pushing already struggling families deeper into poverty.
As a result, early marriage is increasingly viewed as a way to reduce financial strain. According to UNICEF, child marriage rates are highest in rural areas where climate-induced poverty is most severe.
In regions like Buhera and Mbire, parents feel they have no choice but to marry off their daughters, knowing the devastating toll that continued droughts are taking on their households.
Governance expert Gideon Madzikatidze said: “Child marriage is on the rise in these areas, and climate change is a significant factor. As families lose their livelihoods, they see marriage as a way to relieve economic pressures. But in doing so, they’re violating their daughters’ rights to education, healthcare, and a future free from harm.”
Early marriage has dire consequences for young girls. It often leads to early pregnancies, which increase the risk of complications such as obstructed labour, haemorrhage, and even death.
The social isolation that comes with marriage and motherhood at such a young age also limits girls’ ability to access SRHR services, compounding the risks they face.
The worsening climate crisis is not only placing girls at greater risk but is also crippling the infrastructure that should protect them.
In many rural areas, healthcare facilities are overwhelmed and under-resourced, leaving girls without access to vital SRHR services.
The impact of climate change on transportation networks and communication systems further isolates these communities, making it nearly impossible for girls to get the help they need.
“When roads are washed away by floods or damaged by drought, girls can’t reach clinics to access family planning, maternal care, or even basic sexual health information,” said a Ministry of Health and Child Care official who requested anonymity.
“This is especially dangerous for young girls who are forced into early pregnancies and have no access to safe childbirth services.”
In rural clinics, where resources are already stretched thin, the strain of responding to climate-related health crises means that adolescent care and SRHR services often take a backseat.
Healthcare workers, many of whom are women, are also facing increased workloads as they try to address the needs of climate-affected populations. The result is a system that fails to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.
The climate crisis is not just an environmental emergency—it is a violation of human rights.
As droughts worsen, temperatures rise, and water sources dry up, it is the girls in Zimbabwe’s rural communities who are paying the highest price.
Their basic rights to safety, education, health, and autonomy are being stripped away by a crisis they had no part in creating.
To address this, there needs to be a concerted effort to bridge the gap between climate change policies and SRHR protections.
Governments, NGOs, and international organisations must work together to ensure that girls like Amina have access to healthcare and education that will secure their futures.
Ndlovu stresses the urgency of the situation: “We cannot tackle climate change without addressing the impact it has on SRHR. These girls are the most vulnerable, and their safety and rights must be prioritised in any climate adaptation strategies.”
For Amina and millions of girls like her, the fight against climate change is about reclaiming their rights and securing a future where they are safe, healthy, and free.
As the climate crisis intensifies, so too must the efforts to protect the SRHR of girls in Zimbabwe. Environmental policies must consider human rights, and interventions must be tailored to address the unique vulnerabilities that climate change creates for women and girls.
Only then can we hope to build a future where no girl has to choose between water and her dignity
