In isolated fishing communities in drought-stricken and impoverished zambia, women and girls are being forced into prostitution by fishermen in exchange for fish. fish merchant Martha*, who was directly affected by this, stated, "They don't ask for money," but rather "They demand sex."
International charity ActionAid has been focusing on these unethical practices in Zambia's western districts and elsewhere since 2023.
However, initiatives like this one around the world that were offering crucial protection for women and girls experiencing gender-based violence have been severely hampered by the trump administration's sweeping cuts to US foreign aid programs.
The Resilient Inclusive Sustainable Environment (RISE) initiative was awarded $400,000 (£309,000) in december by USAID through the international Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to expand the project in rural villages throughout zambia and continue it for an additional two years.
However, on-the-ground initiatives panicked when US President donald trump took office in january and suspended international help.
The RISE initiative, which used direct and preventative measures to safeguard women and girls, was shut down right away.
The program's termination serves as a reminder of just one way that women and girls around the world will be harmed by the abrupt reductions in international aid; millions of them are already losing access to midwives, hiv care, and contraception.
Action Aid Zambia's country director, Faides TembaTemba, cautions that the abrupt shutdown has eroded confidence and made it more difficult for the organization to launch new initiatives in the future.
This was a very special endeavor for us, and we intended to bring about a lot of good change. Ms. TembaTemba says to The Independent, "Especially since some of these areas are so difficult to penetrate."
The main source of income and food security for families in this village in Zambia's Western Province—whose names have been withheld for the protection of the women—is fish.
Due to environmental issues like the recent severe droughts, farming is no longer sustainable, which makes the fish trade even more vital to survival.
Meanwhile, fish have become increasingly rare due to the continuing droughts.
"Women don't have enough purchasing power; and for those that refuse sex, their business in the fish trade is restricted," says TembaTemba. The women are mostly in charge of purchasing and selling fish at the markets while the males go fishing for the day to bring back food. To have first access to the fish when the boats come in the morning, the ladies frequently have to sleep overnight away from home.
To coerce women into having sex or to avoid going home without anything, guys may raise the price of fish to unaffordable levels. There will be lower prices in others. The fishermen will occasionally demand sex in exchange for no money at all.
The fisherman "Settled the transaction" by luring ladies outside the market, according to Ms. TembaTemba.
When farming was no longer a possibility, Palekelo*, a woman ActionAid dealt with through their program, turned to the fish trade.
"The fisherman told me I could come with my money but if I didn't pass by his house to spend the night, I was not going to get any fish," she said.
Now, Palekelo is a member of a watch group set up by the program, to help protect other women like her from being exploited.
"I've data-faced fear and difficulties in the fish trade. It's not easy for me as a woman," she said.
International charity ActionAid has been focusing on these unethical practices in Zambia's western districts and elsewhere since 2023.
However, initiatives like this one around the world that were offering crucial protection for women and girls experiencing gender-based violence have been severely hampered by the trump administration's sweeping cuts to US foreign aid programs.
The Resilient Inclusive Sustainable Environment (RISE) initiative was awarded $400,000 (£309,000) in december by USAID through the international Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to expand the project in rural villages throughout zambia and continue it for an additional two years.
However, on-the-ground initiatives panicked when US President donald trump took office in january and suspended international help.
The RISE initiative, which used direct and preventative measures to safeguard women and girls, was shut down right away.
The program's termination serves as a reminder of just one way that women and girls around the world will be harmed by the abrupt reductions in international aid; millions of them are already losing access to midwives, hiv care, and contraception.
Action Aid Zambia's country director, Faides TembaTemba, cautions that the abrupt shutdown has eroded confidence and made it more difficult for the organization to launch new initiatives in the future.
This was a very special endeavor for us, and we intended to bring about a lot of good change. Ms. TembaTemba says to The Independent, "Especially since some of these areas are so difficult to penetrate."
The main source of income and food security for families in this village in Zambia's Western Province—whose names have been withheld for the protection of the women—is fish.
Due to environmental issues like the recent severe droughts, farming is no longer sustainable, which makes the fish trade even more vital to survival.
Meanwhile, fish have become increasingly rare due to the continuing droughts.
"Women don't have enough purchasing power; and for those that refuse sex, their business in the fish trade is restricted," says TembaTemba. The women are mostly in charge of purchasing and selling fish at the markets while the males go fishing for the day to bring back food. To have first access to the fish when the boats come in the morning, the ladies frequently have to sleep overnight away from home.
To coerce women into having sex or to avoid going home without anything, guys may raise the price of fish to unaffordable levels. There will be lower prices in others. The fishermen will occasionally demand sex in exchange for no money at all.
The fisherman "Settled the transaction" by luring ladies outside the market, according to Ms. TembaTemba.
When farming was no longer a possibility, Palekelo*, a woman ActionAid dealt with through their program, turned to the fish trade.
"The fisherman told me I could come with my money but if I didn't pass by his house to spend the night, I was not going to get any fish," she said.
Now, Palekelo is a member of a watch group set up by the program, to help protect other women like her from being exploited.
"I've data-faced fear and difficulties in the fish trade. It's not easy for me as a woman," she said.