Abstract

Despite international consensus that girls’ education delivers an unmatched boost to a low-income nation’s development goals, Zambia’s rural girls continue to face severe educational marginalization. Frequently, they also face trauma at the intersections of poverty, gender, and AIDS-related stigma. This paper highlights the impact of complex trauma on learning and the potential to contextualize and apply SAMHSA’s six principles of trauma-informed care (TIC) in Zambian schools. Zambian trauma-informed (TI) schools can foster resilience and improve educational engagement. The proposed framework can create inclusive, supportive school environments that empower marginalized girls and promote social justice.

Keywords: Trauma among Zambian rural girls, educational marginalization in Zambia, girls’ educational engagement in Zambia, school-based trauma intervention, SAMHSA’s six guiding principles of TIC.

How to Cite:

Cohen, A., (2025) “School-Based Trauma-Informed Care to Increase Educational Engagement Among Zambia's Rural Girls”, International Journal of School Social Work 11(3). doi: https://doi.org/10.4148/2161-4148.1157