Opinion | How disasters create fertile ground for human trafficking
Summary
Natural disasters in Nepal create conditions that traffickers exploit, especially when displacement, debt and uncertainty force survivors to seek work far from home. The piece links the 2015 earthquake and recent Bhotekoshi disaster to heightened risks of forced labour and sex trafficking in places like Sindhupalchowk and Nuwakot.
Key Points
- Disasters leave survivors vulnerable to trafficking by stripping away homes, income, livestock and local support systems.
- The 2015 earthquake in Sindhupalchowk and Nuwakot was followed by displacement, unsafe migration and documented trafficking risks.
- Traffickers often pose as helpful recruiters, employers, relatives or family friends to gain trust before exploitation begins.
- Rebuilding after disasters must include safe choices, women’s safety and broader climate-disaster vulnerability policy, not just infrastructure repairs.
