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.
