Traffickers prey on climate-hit communities in India
Rising seas and intensifying cyclones are driving families in India’s Sundarbans deeper into poverty, making them prime targets for human traffickers.
Salimah Shivji reports for the CBC.
In short:
- Climate change is exacerbating poverty in the Sundarbans, where rising sea levels and frequent cyclones are eroding livelihoods and forcing migration.
- Human traffickers exploit the desperation of vulnerable families, luring young girls with false promises of jobs, marriage or a better life.
- Survivors like Mijana and Kashmira face lasting trauma and social stigma but are fighting back through local NGOs that offer rescue, counseling and education.
Key quote:
"Trafficking [is] like a cancer here. No matter what we do to try to curb it, it spreads."
— Mijana, trafficking survivor and educator
Why this matters:
As climate change worsens economic instability, traffickers exploit the chaos, turning a global environmental crisis into a personal human tragedy. What’s happening in the Sundarbans is a warning. Climate change doesn’t just destroy ecosystems; it tears apart human lives, creating fertile ground for exploitation. The tides are rising, and so are the stakes. Read more: People need shelter from climate change — their health hangs in the balance.
