Report Links – By Kisean Joseph
Report Links Human Exploitation
A new report on the intersection of climate change and human exploitation in Antigua and Barbuda was launched yesterday, revealing how climate-related disasters are creating dangerous vulnerabilities for local communities.
The research, conducted by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and Free the Slaves, warns that the loss of livelihoods due to climate impacts is pushing vulnerable populations toward exploitation.
Former senator Bakesha Francis James, speaking at the launch, explained the critical connection between environmental crises and human rights violations.
“Climate change is often discussed in terms of rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation but what is sometimes less visible, yet no less urgent, are human consequences,” Francis James said. “Climate shocks and slow onset environmental changes can deepen existing inequalities, strain livelihoods and increase vulnerability to exploitation including human trafficking and forced labor. These risks are not abstract; they affect real people, real families, and real communities.”
Francis James added that the launch represents “not the end of the research process but rather the beginning of the conversation.”
The report was developed to answer a critical question: how do climate-related stresses intersect with human exploitation risks in the specific context of Antigua and Barbuda?
Dr Martha Furlan, Senior Program Manager for Research at Free the Slaves, presented findings showing that women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate-induced vulnerabilities, facing increased risks of sexual exploitation and gender-based violence.
“What happens is that when climate change undermines income-generating opportunities, what we found in our research is that some women may see themselves forced by these very harsh circumstances, not having an income, perhaps having a family, having children to provide for, having to feed them, and not having an immediate suitable alternative. They will be forced by these very challenging circumstances to look for employment opportunities, for work opportunities, in questionable environments,” Dr Furlan explained.
The research also revealed that men and boys face exploitation risks, particularly being pushed into informal sector jobs such as construction or gardening, where oversight is limited and exploitative labor practices are more common.
Executive Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Dr Sneh Arora, emphasized that climate change affects not just the environment but people’s safety, choices, and exposure to harm.
“As livelihoods are disrupted and social protection systems are strained, individuals and communities can become more exposed to exploitation and other human rights violations,” Dr Arora said.
The study identified the most significant link between climate change and human exploitation as arising through loss of livelihood, particularly in sectors vulnerable to environmental changes such as tourism, agriculture, and fishing.
Executive Director of Women Against Rape Alexandrina Wong called on communities to recognize their civic responsibility in addressing climate change and protecting vulnerable populations.
“It’s a clear and present danger: climate change and the impact on vulnerable population,” Wong said. “Persons are forced to leave their homes for one reason or the other. They’re not sure where they are going. They are not sure what is going to happen when they get there. And so they become easy prey to persons who have certain knowledge, persons who have monies and persons who offer to assist them in different ways.”
Wong referenced the 2017 devastation of Barbuda by Hurricane Irma as a local example of climate-induced displacement, when the entire population was evacuated to Antigua.
The report notes that despite contributing less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the Caribbean region is the second most exposed globally to extreme weather events.
Research findings indicate that climate change affects housing access, creates barriers to education when schools are damaged or converted into shelters, and leads to food and water insecurity as agriculture and fishing are affected.
The study concludes with prevention-focused recommendations, including integrating exploitation risk into climate adaptation policies, ensuring continuity of education, and strengthening regional coordination.
