Background

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Ms. Siobhán Mullally, is preparing a report on trafficking of persons in the context of climate change.

The objective of the report is to examine how current legal and policy responses to climate change are addressing risks of trafficking in persons,  ensuring prevention of trafficking, and protection of the human rights of trafficked persons. The Report will be presented to the General Assembly in October 2022.

To inform her report, the Special Rapporteur welcomes contributions from States, local and regional governments, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, academics, UN agencies and other stakeholders, on the following issues:

Key Issues:

1. Response to intersection of climate change and Trafficking in persons
   1. To what extent is the prevention of trafficking in persons integrated into responses to climate change, and in particular the agenda to implement the Paris Agreement, the work of UNFCC and ongoing COP meeting outcomes?
   2. How are international legal and policy responses to climate induced migration, and climate induced displacement, addressing the rights of persons at risk of trafficking and trafficked persons, and ensuring effective prevention of trafficking?
   3. How are international disaster law and policy responses to natural disasters caused by climate change, incorporating obligations to prevent trafficking in persons and protect human rights of trafficked persons?
   4. What steps are being taken by States, humanitarian actors, peacekeepers, and others, to ensure that responses to climate disruptions, and the related implications for human security/insecurity and conflict, address the risks of human trafficking?
       
2. What evidence do we have to show that those sectors in which we find a high incidence of forced labour (extractive mining, fisheries, intensive agriculture, textiles, forestry), may also be those that are contributing significantly to climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and to environmental crimes?
    
3. Intersectionality and Non-Discrimination:
   1. What specific risks of trafficking are faced by indigenous peoples and minorities arising from climate change?
   2. What is the impact of climate change on gendered risks of trafficking in persons, particularly for women and girls and LGBT and gender diverse persons?
   3. What measures are required to ensure rights of persons with disabilities and disability inclusion in responses to climate change, recognising particular risks of trafficking that may arise.

4. Identifying promising practices:
   1. How can human rights due diligences laws and policies effectively address risks of climate change and related risks of trafficking in persons? (Do we have examples of what works, and what is not working?)
   2. Please provide examples of promising / good practices or recommendations to address the nexus between climate change and trafficking in persons?
   3. What examples are there of effective advocacy, law and policy development, to highlight the links between climate change, environmental degradation and trafficking in persons?