Climate Migrants and Trafficking Nexus in Nepal: Attention required before it is too late

Climate-induced displacement in Nepal has been steadily rising due to increasing natural disasters, water scarcity, and agricultural decline. In 2022, around 32,000 people were newly displaced within the country due to climate-related disasters such as floods and landslides, with a similar number still displaced by the end of the year (GMC Nepal, 2023; OnlineKhabar, 2023). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects that approximately 1.3 million Nepalis may be forced to migrate by 2050 as climate impacts intensify (FAO, 2023).

Several districts illustrate the scale of this challenge. Eastern districts like Terathum and Dhankuta have seen over 40% population declines between 2001 and 2021, largely due to prolonged droughts and diminishing agricultural viability (Nepali Times, 2022). In high-altitude regions such as Mustang, entire communities have been forced to abandon villages like Dhye and Samjong due to drying water sources and erratic weather patterns (NTNC, 2021). Moreover, about 2.24% of Nepal’s total land has become uncultivable due to climate-induced degradation, prompting many to seek employment abroad, especially in Gulf countries (GMC Nepal, 2023; TIME, 2022).

Internal migration has surged, with rural populations increasingly relocating to urban centers like Kathmandu, where employment opportunities are more concentrated. Additionally, Nepal’s open border with India and labor agreements with Gulf countries have facilitated large-scale international migration.

While migration serves as a coping mechanism, climate-induced displacement often occurs under precarious conditions, leaving migrants highly vulnerable. The lack of legal protections, formal employment opportunities, and inadequate social safety nets heighten their susceptibility to exploitation (Anti-Slavery International, 2021).

A critical and alarming consequence of climate-induced migration is the heightened risk of human trafficking. Displaced individuals, particularly women and children, are at increased risk due to economic hardships, disrupted social networks, and restricted access to resources. Traffickers exploit this desperation by offering false promises of employment, education, or marriage, leading to various forms of exploitation, including forced labor and sexual trafficking (Rights Lab, 2023).

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) often face trafficking risks upon arrival in urban areas. Many are coerced into exploitative labor conditions in brick kilns, domestic servitude, or commercial sexual exploitation. Similarly, cross-border migration presents significant dangers. Nepal’s open border with India facilitates human trafficking, with many migrants unknowingly falling victim to labor or sex trafficking. Women from flood-prone southern regions are often trafficked to brothels in Indian cities, while men face forced labor conditions in agriculture or construction sectors (IOM, 2016).

The connection between climate change, migration, and human trafficking is further evidenced by post-disaster case studies. After the 2015 earthquake, human trafficking reports surged, as traffickers preyed upon displaced and economically distressed individuals (World Bank, 2021). Seasonal floods in the Terai region similarly create conditions conducive to trafficking, with young women and children being targeted for forced labor or illegal adoption (Anti-Slavery International, 2021).

Several underlying factors exacerbate this crisis. Climate migrants frequently come from impoverished backgrounds with limited access to education and economic opportunities. The collapse of agricultural livelihoods and displacement-induced homelessness deepen financial instability, pushing individuals toward unsafe migration pathways. Additionally, weak governance and ineffective enforcement of anti-trafficking laws, particularly in remote climate-affected regions, allow traffickers to operate with impunity (Rights Lab, 2023).

Additionally, a lack of awareness about trafficking risks and safe migration practices leaves many migrants vulnerable to exploitation by fraudulent recruitment agencies (IOM, 2016).