Abstract
Child marriage affects 39,000 girls daily, totaling 650 million women married before age eighteen globally. While driven by poverty, tradition, and limited education, climate change is emerging as a significant new factor, particularly in developing nations such as Malawi, where 42% of girls marry before age eighteen. An estimated 1.5 million girls in Malawi are at risk due to climate-exacerbated food insecurity and displacement. This paper, using feminist theories of intersectionality, postcolonial feminism, and feminist political ecology, examines the complex link between climate change and child marriage in Malawi. It critiques existing international, regional, and domestic policies, highlighting their inadequacy in addressing this intersection. The findings emphasize the urgent need for holistic strategies that acknowledge the multifaceted nature of child marriage within the context of climate change. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the discourse on safeguarding girls’ rights and well-being, stressing the global imperative to tackle the converging challenges of climate change and child marriage.
Recommended Citation
Sawo, Musu Bakoto
(2025)
"The Intersection Between Child Marriage and Climate Change: An Example of Malawi,"
Journal of African Policy Studies: Vol. 31:
No.
1, Article 7.
Available at:
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/joaps/vol31/iss1/7
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