Potential Impact of Climate Change on Human Trafficking

Torres, Melissa; Gordon, Mollie; Nguyen, Phuong; Coverdale, John

doi:10.1097/nmd.0000000000001312

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…root causes and risk factors) that increase vulnerability and varied pathways to being trafficked is critical for effective public health prevention and intervention work [ 20 , 21 ]. Furthermore, major societal stressors, such as an economic crisis [ 2 ], disease outbreak [ 22 ], or climate change-related natural disasters [ 23 ], may exacerbate vulnerability to trafficking by increasing risk factors and disrupting existing sources of support. Significant research challenges exist given the complex phenomenon of modern slavery, including human trafficking’s clandestine nature, association with various economies [ 24 ], lack of reliable data and statistics [ 25 , 26 ], and fragmented information (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modern slavery and labor exploitation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a conceptual model

Washburn

Diener

Curtis

et al. 2022

Global Health Action

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Background Modern slavery is a complex global health problem that includes forced labor exploitation. An ecological systems perspective is needed to understand how contextual upstream and midstream factors contribute to labor exploitation, and how disruptive societal challenges, such as infectious disease pandemics, may exacerbate established pathways leading to exploitation. Accumulation of familial and societal risk factors likely heightens vulnerability; for instance, economic precarity for an individual interacts with poor livelihood options and lack of social welfare supports increasing their likelihood of accepting exploitative labor. However, few frameworks exist that account for the accumulation of and interdependence between risk factors at different levels and across contexts. Objective Using an ecological systems framework, we review literature on the pathways leading to labor exploitation, with the aim of developing a conceptual model grounded in existing research. Next, we discuss how pathways in this conceptual model are likely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This conceptual model can guide future research to detect modifiable factors and strategic points of intervention. Methods A critical review of research articles and gray literature was performed with a primary focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The review utilized various scholarly databases to identify perspectives from multiple disciplines and to more fully account for complex processes linked to labor exploitation. Results A conceptual model of these pathways was developed that emphasizes established determinants and risk factors for labor exploitation in sub-Saharan Africa. The model highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated these pathways. Conclusions Future studies should carefully examine the direct and indirect pathways, accumulation of and interactions between factors, and specific external and personal stressors. Interdisciplinary research on multilevel interventions is needed to guide solutions to prevent the persistent problem of labor exploitation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modern slavery and labor exploitation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a conceptual model

Washburn

Diener

Curtis

et al. 2022

Global Health Action

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Women often see Saudi Arabia as a place offering solace from domestic violence. Migration drivers vary by context; for instance, Sheu et al (2021) identified common push factors in certain countries, including violence, gender inequality, political corruption, environmental degradation, climate change, and lack of access to healthcare and education. Among the push factors discussed by Sheu et al (2021), gender inequality stands out as particularly relevant to Ugandan domestic workers, sometimes leading to domestic violence.…”

Section: Discussion Of Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Migration drivers vary by context; for instance, Sheu et al (2021) identified common push factors in certain countries, including violence, gender inequality, political corruption, environmental degradation, climate change, and lack of access to healthcare and education. Among the push factors discussed by Sheu et al (2021), gender inequality stands out as particularly relevant to Ugandan domestic workers, sometimes leading to domestic violence. Fernandez (2011) noted that many young Ethiopian women are migrating to Arab Gulf countries for domestic work despite the risks, such as low pay, physical violence, and harassment by some employers in Saudi Arabia.…”

Section: Discussion Of Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of push and pull factors influencing the migration of Ugandan domestic workers to Saudi Arabia

Asiimwe,

Musinguzi

2024

IJSS

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The study explored the push and pull factors driving Ugandan domestic workers to migrate to Saudi Arabia. The research paradigm employed was social constructivism, where individuals seek to understand their world and develop meanings based on their experiences. A qualitative approach using a phenomenological research design was utilised. Data was collected from a sample of eighteen (18) respondents through unstructured interviews to identify the factors contributing to the migration of Ugandan domestic workers to Saudi Arabia. Thematic analysis was conducted during data analysis. The migration factors were presented in concept maps created using Nvivo 10.0. The study uncovered that push factors varied from person to person, but major ones included poverty, unemployment, school dropout, family obligations, marital neglect, domestic violence, personal development goals, poor working conditions, work-related challenges, peer influence, and single parenting. Pull factors include the influence of Arabian family culture that promotes the demand for maids, bilateral labour agreements, adventure, attractive job prospects, free travel documents, cost-effective job processes, and an easy migration process. The study concluded that without effectively addressing push factors to provide long-term solutions, the migration of Ugandan domestic workers to Saudi Arabia will persist. It is recommended that the Government of Uganda take steps to create a conducive environment with satisfying employment opportunities for these young individuals to reduce the number of people seeking jobs outside Uganda. This involves generating employment opportunities to regulate internal domestic work and make it highly profitable, thereby encouraging young people to remain in Uganda.

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“…Climate change can have a compounding effect on human trafficking (Hoogesteyn et al 2024), as it has both short and long term impacts on economic development and physical and social infrastructure. It harms the livelihoods of households, which increases the numbers of trafficking-vulnerable individuals (Bharadwaj et al 2022), especially around the tropics (Molinari 2017;Sheu et al 2021). Shocks from climate disasters in trafficking destinations can also incentivize trafficking flows by creating illicit economic opportunities (Worsnop and Vogel 2024).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Legal Institutions and Human Trafficking in a Shifting Climate

Chen,

Wang,

Koren

2024

Preprint

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While both international law and climate change researchers have shown how legal institutions and climate change impact human trafficking flows in origin and destination countries, little attention is given to the ``intermediary'' countries through which individuals are trafficked en route to their destination. This study develops a two-part theory to explain how the effects of anti-trafficking legalization and climate shocks impact these intermediary countries. First, we argue that the diffusion of anti-trafficking laws will induce pressures on traffickers to diversify their trafficking routes. We then theorize that because climate change-induced shocks impose costs on both states and traffickers, these costs confound the effect of legal institutions by incentivizing traffickers to shift their operations into less costly areas. Using data on human trafficking networks mined from the U.S. State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report, we show with inferential network analysis (1) how legal institutions impact trafficking through these intermediary countries and (2) how natural shocks impact the importance of different states as preferred trafficking routes.

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Potential Impact of Climate Change on Human Trafficking

Cited by 11 publications

References 64 publications

Modern slavery and labor exploitation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a conceptual model

Modern slavery and labor exploitation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a conceptual model

Analysis of push and pull factors influencing the migration of Ugandan domestic workers to Saudi Arabia

Legal Institutions and Human Trafficking in a Shifting Climate

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