Zambia’s struggling women pay the price of climate crisis and aid cuts


Zambia’s struggling women pay the price of climate crisis and aid cuts

By Craig Saueurs Published on 08/03/2025 - 7:01 GMT+1 Zambia reported more than 42,000 cases of gender-based violence in both 2023 and 2024. In Zambia’s drought-stricken fishing camps, the price for using a boat isn’t always paid in money. As more women turn to the fishing trade as a means for survival, many are being forced into exploitative “sex-for-fish” arrangements – a troubling trend exacerbated by the sudden withdrawal of foreign aid from the United States. A new report from the NGO ActionAid highlights the growing vulnerability of women to gender-based violence. It underscores how prolonged droughts have forced many Zambian women to seek alternative livelihoods, leaving them increasingly exposed to coercion and abuse in an industry defined by power imbalances and limited options.