MARRIAGE OF SURVIVAL

South Asia has the highest rate of early and forced marriages in the world, with nearly one in five girls married before they turn 15. At the same time, the region is increasingly vulnerable to climate change. In the past two decades alone, more than 750 million people—half the population—have been affected by climate disasters. From Bangladesh’s cyclones to India’s scorching heatwaves, Sri Lanka’s tsunami to Pakistan’s devastating floods, extreme weather has exposed and worsened deep inequalities tied to gender, ethnicity, and poverty.

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For families already struggling to get by, these environmental shocks can force impossible choices. As droughts dry up water sources and floods wash away crops, the fight to secure food, water, and fuel grows harder. Too often, girls bear the brunt of this hardship. Pulled from school to help at home or pushed into unsafe work, they face a higher risk of exploitation and violence. In the aftermath of disasters, these dangers rise sharply, and marginalised communities often face the greatest barriers to receiving aid.

 

In these circumstances, child marriage can seem like a desperate solution—less about tradition and more about survival. For some families, marrying off a daughter is seen as one less mouth to feed or a way to secure her future in a household that seems safer or better off. Increasingly, however, child marriage is not just a response to crisis but a calculated adaptation strategy. Faced with economic uncertainty, families may arrange marriages to build alliances with households that have more resources, safer homes, or access to climate-resilient areas. In some cases, cross-regional or cross-border marriages become a way to relocate daughters to communities less vulnerable to environmental threats.

 

While these strategies may offer short-term relief, they often come at a heavy cost. Girls married off in these arrangements face a higher risk of abuse, isolation, and lost opportunities. What is framed as a solution for security can ultimately trap them in cycles of inequality and hardship.

The link between climate change and child marriage is complex—and dangerously overlooked. Despite growing evidence, we still lack sufficient data to fully understand how environmental pressures shape girls' lives. Without this knowledge, policies and programs risk failing those most in need.

 

Recognising marriage as a coping strategy—and addressing the inequalities that fuel it—is crucial. Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is a social crisis that demands urgent, inclusive action shaped by the voices of those most at risk.