Various crises and conflicts converge in the Sahel (violence by armed groups and jihadists, fragile and unstable States, illicit trafficking, food emergency intertwined with the effects of climate change…) but rarely is it talked about from the girls perspective that inhabit this inhospitable geography. The organization Plan International has prepared a study that wants to be a speaker for these unheard voices and that tries to shed light on how hunger and conflicts affect the rights of minors.
“The Sahel has experienced a combination of factors, including conflict, drought, insecurity, extreme poverty and food shortages, with devastating consequences for girls and young women, especially,” she explained to EL MUNDO. Matthew Briganticoordinator of projects for the empowerment of young people and women of Plan International.
“The conflict has led to a massive displacement of people, which puts girls and adolescents at risk of being separated from their families, dropping out of school, as well as being victims of exploitation, sexual abuse and even forced recruitment by armed groups” , continues the expert.
“Furthermore, the food crisis affects girls disproportionately: they are the ones who eat the least and the last to eat. Conflict and insecurity make it extremely difficult to access school, and girls are forced to abandon education to contribute to family income, care and housework or getting married early. This perpetuates the cycle of poverty and gender inequality,” she adds.
The consequences are devastating in the lives of these girls as future women. Plan International highlights that the despair Faced with these circumstances, it leads the girls and their families to adopt “decisions that end up condemning them to family separation, the care of their siblings, school dropout, child marriage, sexual exploitation, and child labor.”