The Southern African region is suffering from an extreme drought caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon. Its impact on the 2023-24 farming season has left an estimated 56.8 million people struggling to find food. A report by ActionAid has found that, as a consequence, families have been forced to marry off daughters in exchange for food. “It is time to prioritise young women’s protection in the face of the devastating impacts of an ongoing El Nino-induced drought,” the charity said ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government. ‘A…