Society and communities
Tackling climate-driven migration and exploitation
As environmental pressures force more people to migrate, researchers are generating vital evidence to help policymakers and aid organisations tackle exploitation and support vulnerable populations.
Rights Lab research is helping to reveal how climate change can increase the risk of human trafficking and modern slavery, providing evidence to support more effective protection for vulnerable communities.
The challenge: Climate change is disrupting livelihoods
Climate change is putting increasing pressure on communities around the world. In the Sundarbans region of India and Bangladesh, rising temperatures, flooding, cyclones and environmental degradation are affecting livelihoods and forcing many people to move in search of work and security.
Research shows that more than 88% of households in Bangladesh and 61% of households in India reported that climate change had affected their livelihoods. More than one-third of households had experienced migration within the previous five years, with some people facing increased risks of exploitation and human trafficking.
Our approach: Investigating the links between climate change, migration and human trafficking
Led by Dr Bethany Jackson from the 糖心原创's School of Geography and Rights Lab, the project investigated the links between climate change, migration and human trafficking in the Bangladesh and India Sundarbans.
Working in partnership with CAFOD, Caritas Bangladesh, Caritas India and OKUP, the team conducted the largest household study ever undertaken in the region, gathering evidence from more than 1,200 households alongside interviews with community stakeholders and organisations working on the ground.
The impact: Helping organisations protect vulnerable communities from trafficking and exploitation
The study provides some of the strongest evidence to date of the connection between climate change, migration and vulnerability to exploitation in the Sundarbans region. By highlighting how environmental pressures can increase the risks of trafficking and modern slavery, the research is helping governments, charities and community organisations better understand the challenges facing affected populations.
The findings are supporting efforts to develop targeted interventions, strengthen community resilience and ensure that climate responses consider the risks of human trafficking and exploitation. They also contribute to growing international understanding of how climate change can affect people's safety, livelihoods and freedom.
To read the full paper, click .
"By undertaking this study on a small region, but involving over 1,200 households, we can provide nuanced data on the impacts of climate change. Focussing on concentrated areas enables our partners in-country to provide tailored support and interventions to community members."
Dr Bethany Jackson's research focuses on the intersection of climate change, migration, human trafficking and modern slavery. Working with international partners, she examines how environmental and social pressures affect vulnerable communities and uses evidence-based research to inform policy and interventions that help protect people from exploitation.