OPINION: The Plight of Women and Girls in Zambezi’s Floods

Flooding in Malawi. Courtesy of the Malawi Red Cross SocietyBy Julitta Onabanjo and Michael CharlesUNITED NATIONS, Feb 2 2015 (IPS)The flooding of the Zambezi River has had devastating consequences for three countries in Southern Africa. The three worst affected countries are Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Livestock has drowned, crops have been submerged or washed away and infrastructure has been badly damaged.Imagine being a pregnant woman airlifted from the floodplains and placed in a camp with no midwives, no sterilised equipment nor medical supplies to ensure a safe delivery. Worse still, hundreds of lives have been lost – and the dignity of women and girls is on the line.In Malawi, an estimated 638,000 people have been affected and the president has declared a state of disaster. About 174,000 people have been displaced in three of the worst affected districts out of 15 districts hit by floods.A total of 79 deaths have been reported and about 153 people are still missing. Data disaggregated by age and sex are not readily available, however, it is estimated that about 330,000 of the 638,000 displaced people in the camps are women and close to 108,000 are young people.The situation is also critical in Zimbabwe. According to preliminary assessments, approximately 6,000 people (1,200 households) have been affected, of which 2,500 people from 500 households are in urgent need of assistance. An estimated 40-50 per cent will be women or girls. More than ten people have dro...

Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - February 2, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Dr. Julitta Onabanjo and Michael Charles Tags: Active Citizens Africa Africa Climate Wire Aid Civil Society Development & Aid Gender Gender Violence Headlines Health Humanitarian Emergencies IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse Migration & Refugees Population Poverty & MDGs The Source Type: news