Climate change, especially frequent cyclones like Amphan and Yaas, is increasing poverty in West Bengal, making vulnerable communities, especially in the Sundarbans, more susceptible to human trafficking.
The destruction of livelihoods due to cyclones forces many people, particularly women and children, to migrate.
This migration increases their exposure to traffickers promising jobs or better wages.
Despite government actions and NGO efforts, human trafficking remains a serious issue, as traffickers exploit social, environmental, and economic vulnerabilities.
In 2022, 58,871 people went missing in West Bengal; many were women and children. 67 cases of human trafficking were reported that year.
The Integrated Leaders Forum Against Trafficking (ILFAT) emphasizes the need to consider climate change in anti-trafficking efforts, as it drives migration and vulnerability.
Climate-induced poverty is a major driver of trafficking, particularly in areas like Hasnabad and Hingalganj in the Sundarbans, where many survivors were pushed into hardship due to environmental disasters.
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