In Pakistan’s Sindh province, the intersection of extreme weather and economic insecurity is driving a disturbing rise in child marriages, particularly during the monsoon season. This trend, labeled “monsoon brides,” has seen young girls married off by families struggling to survive in the face of devastating floods and climate change impacts.
The 2022 floods, which submerged a third of the country, displaced millions, and destroyed crops, have exacerbated poverty in rural areas like Dadu district. Families in these communities, unable to recover financially, are increasingly resorting to marrying off their daughters in exchange for money. This practice has seen a significant spike, with 45 underage girls married in just one village since the last monsoon season.
These marriages are often seen by desperate families as a means of survival, but they bring a harsh reality for the girls involved. For instance, 14-year-old Shamila and her 13-year-old sister Amina were married off to much older men in the hope of securing financial stability. However, these marriages often result in further hardship, as the girls face poverty and lack basic necessities even after marriage.
The practice of child marriage had been declining in Pakistan, but the increase in climate-driven disasters has reversed this trend. The legal age for marriage varies across regions in Pakistan, but enforcement is weak, particularly in rural areas. Despite efforts by NGOs like Sujag Sansar to combat this issue, many girls are still being pushed into early marriages as a survival strategy.
This situation underscores the broader issue of how climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, exacerbating existing inequalities and driving harmful practices like child marriage .
