Pandemic’s Hidden Impact on Child Marriage and FGM

by Jon Scaccia November 26, 2024

Imagine a young girl, barely into her teenage years, facing the most challenging period of her life: a marriage or a medical procedure she never wanted. The COVID-19 pandemic unleashed this scenario for thousands of children across the globe, altering life trajectories in ways many of us have barely begun to comprehend. New research reveals how lockdowns, school closures, and financial hardship accelerated two harmful practices—female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage—in vulnerable communities worldwide. These findings highlight the unseen effects of the pandemic on children who, in many cases, paid the ultimate price for survival with their futures.

How COVID-19 Affected FGM and Child Marriage Plans

The study, conducted by the International Sexual Health and Reproductive Health (I-SHARE) research team, gathered data from 14 countries where FGM and child marriage are practiced. As lockdowns restricted movement and financial worries mounted, traditional rites of passage like FGM and child marriage not only persisted but, in some cases, occurred sooner than originally planned. The survey data, spanning over 8,000 participants, illuminated troubling trends: 13% of respondents reported child marriages in their communities, while over 3% noted instances of FGM. In both cases, economic pressures during the pandemic played a role in speeding up these harmful practices, as families turned to these customs for survival or perceived stability.

One participant shared that the pandemic’s economic impact left her family in a desperate situation, leading them to marry off their daughter sooner than expected. In many societies, marrying a daughter can secure a small dowry or ease a family’s financial burden—a harsh reality that became starker during COVID-19.

Financial Struggles: A Pivotal Factor

Financial hardship was a primary driver behind accelerated plans for both FGM and child marriage during the pandemic. When families lost jobs or faced reduced incomes, the urgency to secure a financial foothold often outweighed the long-term well-being of their daughters. Interestingly, the study found that people with heightened financial anxieties were more likely to arrange marriages or FGM procedures earlier than planned, seeing these practices as means to an economic end.

In Kenya, one of the countries surveyed, participants reported significant increases in FGM occurrences, reflecting an economic necessity and deep-rooted cultural pressures. In many Kenyan communities, FGM is seen as a prerequisite for marriage. With girls being out of school due to lockdowns, families had both the opportunity and the need to complete these ceremonies without the school environment to shield girls from such rites.

The Role of School Closures

Education can be a powerful protector against both FGM and child marriage. Schools often serve as safe havens where girls are out of reach from these practices during critical developmental years. But during the pandemic, school closures removed that shield, leaving girls vulnerable at home, sometimes in close proximity to those who would pressure them into harmful traditions.

Lockdowns also meant that many support systems—teachers, social workers, and healthcare providers—who might otherwise have intervened, were unavailable. For many girls, this isolation was both literal and symbolic, cutting them off from the outside world and leaving them at the mercy of cultural and familial pressures that prioritized tradition over their health and future.

A Crisis Amplifying Hidden Risks

The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t the first crisis to intensify harmful practices like FGM and child marriage. Similar spikes have been recorded during conflicts and other health crises, like the Ebola outbreak, when economic instability and fear led to more child marriages in West Africa. Families viewed marriage as a protective measure, believing it offered stability or a form of social security for their daughters in uncertain times. In Uganda and Kenya, this sentiment resurfaced during the COVID-19 lockdowns, where almost two-thirds of surveyed participants perceived an increased risk of child marriage in their communities.

For girls subjected to early marriage, the effects extend far beyond the wedding ceremony. Early marriage often leads to early pregnancies, which come with significant health risks for young, underdeveloped bodies. In regions with limited healthcare, the consequences can be devastating: increased maternal mortality rates, poor health outcomes for infants, and truncated education, cutting off future economic opportunities for these girls and further entrenching cycles of poverty.

Why Traditions Persist: Cultural Ties and Community Expectations

Though disturbing to many outsiders, FGM and child marriage are deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of numerous societies. For communities practicing FGM, it’s often viewed as a sacred rite of passage into womanhood, a ceremony linking a girl to her cultural heritage. Similarly, child marriage can be seen as a way to protect family honor, often viewed through the lens of necessity rather than harm.

This strong cultural attachment is a significant barrier to eliminating these practices. During the pandemic, the closures and financial pressures reinforced these community values, creating a perfect storm for traditions to reemerge, especially when girls lacked alternative supports like schools and community programs. The I-SHARE study showed that only a small percentage of families canceled plans for FGM or child marriage, illustrating how resilient these customs are even in the face of global health threats.

Moving Forward: A Path to Protect Vulnerable Girls

So, what can be done to break this cycle? The I-SHARE team’s findings underscore the need for economic and educational interventions that make FGM and child marriage less attractive—or even necessary—options. For instance, policies that keep girls in school, even during pandemics or other crises, could prevent interruptions in education that often expose girls to these harmful practices. Additionally, programs that provide financial assistance to struggling families might remove some of the pressure to resort to such traditions for economic stability.

It’s crucial to continue supporting local advocates who work to protect young girls in these communities. These advocates often have the cultural understanding and trust needed to work effectively against deeply ingrained traditions, offering alternative rites of passage or economic solutions to families.

Reflecting on the Future

As we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must consider its lasting impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations. The crisis has shown us how quickly progress can backslide in the face of economic instability. FGM and child marriage are complex issues that require sustained efforts, financial investments, and support from local leaders. Without a continued commitment, girls around the world risk falling back into cycles of harm under the guise of tradition and necessity.