Breaking taboos: confronting sexual violence against children in MENA

Globally, 120 million girls—1 in 10—experience sexual violence before age 20 (UNICEF). In MENA, the prevalence is obscured by underreporting, with cultural taboos and fear silencing victims. For instance, Egypt reports that 93% of children endure physical or psychological violence within their homes or communities, and sexual abuse is often entangled within these forms of violence. Informal settlements of cases through compensation or forced marriages continue to subvert justice, leaving survivors unsupported and unprotected. (UNICEF, 2019).

Across the MENA region, the stigma surrounding sexual violence is amplified by cultural norms and misinterpretations of religious teachings.

At the same time, international media coverage often simplifies or misrepresents these issues, perpetuating stereotypes about Arab and Muslim communities. This dual burden—internal cultural silencing and external misrepresentation—leaves survivors feeling abandoned and unheard.

Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it’s a human rights crisis. Rising temperatures and natural disasters displace millions, driving families into economic desperation.

The links between climate change and child marriage are undeniable. Rising temperatures and natural disasters push families into poverty,  pushing them to marry off their young daughters as a survival strategy.

 According to UNICEF and UNFPA, 1 in 5 girls are married before their 18th birthday. Even more alarming, 70% of married girls aged 15-19 experience physical or sexual violence from their husbands, a figure that climbs in regions experiencing climate-induced poverty and instability.

In climate-affected regions like Sudan and Yemen, early marriage rates are rising as families face droughts, displacement, and food insecurity, leaving children—particularly girls—vulnerable to lifelong harm.  Sudan and Yemen face the highest prevalence of child marriage in the region, with 1 in 3 girls married before 18.

In Sudan, child marriage remains a significant issue despite various national and international efforts to combat it, with the situation currently worsened by the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis. About 38% of Sudanese girls are married before they turn 18.  With child marriage being deeply rooted in cultural and religious practices, many young brides are subjected to marital rape and other forms of gender-based violence. In Yemen, the situation is equally dire. Approximately 30% of Yemeni girls marry before the age of 18, and 7% marry before the age of 15, often due to the economic hardships exacerbated by ongoing conflict and instability. Child brides in Yemen frequently experience sexual violence, as well as severe restrictions on their freedom and education, perpetuating cycles of poverty and gender inequality.

Ending child marriage requires addressing its root causes: poverty, displacement, and lack of education, which are exacerbated by environmental crises.

Timely healthcare is crucial for children who have experienced sexual violence, yet systemic barriers leave many without the necessary support. Child survivors often require immediate access to post-violence care, including Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) kits to prevent HIV, trauma counseling, and safe environments for recovery. In conflict settings like Sudan, access to these services is critically limited, with local clinics and community organizations often under-resourced to meet the demand.

The impacts are devastating, contributing to long-term physical, psychological, and social harm. However, the lack of accessible care for child survivors exacerbates these traumas, leaving many without the life-saving interventions they need.

Sudan’s Humanitarian Response Plan includes a $63 million appeal to scale up prevention and response services, targeting 1.3 million survivors of gender-based violence, including children. (Global Crisis Platform)

Addressing these gaps requires urgent donor support and expanded delivery systems to ensure that children receive comprehensive care and protection, especially in crisis settings.

In the MENA region, justice remains elusive.  Cultural norms and misinterpretations of religious teachings amplify the stigma surrounding sexual violence. Survivors often face isolation, blame, and pressure to remain silent to "preserve family honor" due to the following reasons;

• Legal protections exist in theory but lack enforcement, with many cases settled informally.
• Misrepresentation of these issues in Western media perpetuates stereotypes, alienating survivors and hindering effective advocacy.

Breaking these barriers requires a dual approach: dismantling harmful norms while amplifying authentic, community-driven narratives.

Nowhere is the failure to protect children more apparent than in Gaza. Over 20,000 children have been orphaned in just four months, with child casualties surpassing all global conflicts over the last four years combined (Save the Children, 2024).

Basic necessities like food, education, and healthcare are out of reach. Adolescent girls face unique challenges, such as the lack of menstrual hygiene products, compounding their already dire circumstances. Despite UN resolutions and calls to action, the international community's response remains insufficient, highlighting a profound moral failure to protect the region's most vulnerable.

To confront the crisis of sexual violence against children, we need bold, coordinated action to:

• Strengthen legal protections: strengthening legal protections is essential to combating sexual violence against children. This includes enacting comprehensive laws that criminalize all forms of abuse, ensuring child-friendly reporting systems, and providing survivors with accessible legal aid. Specialized training for law enforcement and judicial officials is crucial to handle cases with expertise and sensitivity while addressing systemic barriers like stigma to ensure survivors can seek justice effectively.
• Promote education and awareness: community-level education on consent and safety, coupled with the involvement of religious leaders, can challenge harmful norms while respecting cultural contexts.
• Address climate vulnerabilities: investing in climate resilience and sustainable development reduces the socioeconomic pressures that drive child exploitation and marriage.
• Foster inclusive international collaboration: partnerships must prioritize local expertise and survivor leadership, moving beyond top-down interventions to genuine, culturally attuned solutions.

Survivors bring invaluable perspectives to healing, prevention, and justice. Trauma-informed, survivor-led approaches are key to creating safe spaces where victims can share their stories without fear of stigma. Survivors of violence bring unique insights into effective prevention, intervention, and healing strategies. This can be achieved by;

• Creating safe, nonjudgmental spaces for survivors to share their experiences,
• Ensuring that media and advocacy efforts respect their boundaries and authenticity;
• Introducing ethical storytelling and media campaigns that can shift public perception and empower survivors;
• Establishing locally driven advocacy that ensures that solutions resonate culturally while respecting survivors' autonomy.

Sexual violence against children is a human rights and public health emergency with lasting generational effects.

The time to act is now. Together, we can ensure a world where every child in MENA—and beyond—can grow up safe, empowered, and free from violence.