The multiplication of meteorological disasters, which pushes millions of people onto the roads, is today one of the “main causes” of human trafficking, according to a UN report published on Tuesday, which also mentions the risks posed by the war in Ukraine.
“Climate change increases vulnerability to trafficking”, underlines this study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), based on the collection of data from 141 countries during the period 2017-2020 and the analysis of 800 court cases.
Over time, “entire regions will become uninhabitable,” which “disproportionately affects” poor communities that live primarily from agriculture or fishing.
They are “deprived of their means of subsistence and forced to flee their community”, becoming easy prey for traffickers, Fabrizio Sarrica, the main author of the text, explained to the press before publication.
In 2021 alone, weather-related disasters caused the internal displacement of more than 23.7 million people, while many others had to move abroad.
War another cause of trafficking
Another breeding ground for trafficking is armed conflict. If Africa is by far the most affected continent, the UN body points to a potentially “dangerous” situation in Ukraine, while welcoming the measures taken by the countries of the European Union to welcome and protect the millions of refugees.
“It is a challenge to know how to handle the traffic generated by war and instability,” said the head of UNODC human trafficking and migrant smuggling section, Ilias Chatzis.
“As for Ukraine, for example, we must not only help neighboring countries, but also increase our support for the country’s authorities,” weakened by the war effort.
Source: BFM TV
