We’re proud of our research to reveal risks to human rights as people become displaced. Whether this is through climate change-induced migration or the movement of populations in situations of conflict, our researchers are shaping global policy and practice.
Dr Saphia Fleury has a background at Amnesty International and her research focuses on human rights law, refugee issues and environmental change. She is also an expert reviewer for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
With a current focus on Montserrat but with a global perspective, Saphia uses public policy engagement to raise awareness of climate change as a driver of migration, focusing on the risks to people’s human rights when such migration is unmanaged. Through her research she makes recommendations to policymakers on new rights-respecting approaches to immigration that match the realities of this new era of global migration.
Dr Daniel Ogunniyi, brings his experience of working for the United Nations into identifying and making recommendations to tackle some of the major drivers of modern slavery risk.
In his recently published work on the growing modern slavery risk in African countries, he states: "Climate change does not affect societies in isolation; it worsens pre-existing inequalities, vulnerabilities and systems of power. Communities that are already disadvantaged due to poverty, limited access to resources, or poor infrastructure are likely to experience more severe impacts from climate change.
"Extreme weather events such as flooding, drought, wildfires, water scarcity and rise in sea levels driven by climate change are creating loss of livelihoods. They also displace people and make them more vulnerable. In turn, these factors make people more susceptible to modern slavery."
Daniel makes several practical recommendations for how governments can address the transnational aspects of modern slavery, through a comprehensive programme of robust laws, strong collaboration between states, and educational programmes.
Alicia recommends that by “delving into these complexities and adopting a comprehensive definition of conflict, we can begin to unravel the factors that increase an individual's vulnerability to modern slavery in conflict and post-conflict environments.”
Her research highlighted an urgent need for holistic approaches to address modern slavery, taking into account not only the immediate personal dynamics but also the broader structural and societal factors that enable modern slavery to persist.
Our committed Postgraduate Researchers give us hope that vital research, to understand human rights risks and plan for a fairer future will continue.
Giulia Repetti is a member of the Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships Centre for Water Culture which has identified that more than 30% of the global population live within 100km of the sea where communities face the challenges of living ‘on the edge’.
She is setting out to understand the link between climate-related water stresses and shocks, human trafficking and migration to Italy and the United Kingdom. She will forward policy recommendations to address the challenges of climate-induced migration and resulting severe exploitation.