Holistic Impact: Human Trafficking, Climate Change & Women

It is REBBL’s calling to fight human trafficking through impact sourcing and supply chain in partnership with Not For Sale, and to do all we can to address climate change – two problems that are inextricably linked and in need of our full commitment on behalf of this earth and its people.

The destructive effects of climate change can be felt in the short-term through natural hazards such as landslides, floods, and hurricanes, and in the long-term through degradation of the environment. Negative effects of these events are evident all over the planet in agriculture and food security, biodiversity and ecosystems, water resources, public health, human settlements and migration patterns, and energy, transport and industry. We are all affected in multiple ways, however, it’s paramount to recognize that some people are disproportionately impacted more than others.

Women prepare nets for fishing in Hamidpur, Bangladesh.
An IFAD-initiated microfinance scheme has enabled hundreds of women in the region to start their own fish-production enterprises.
IFAD recognizes the important role that women play in poverty alleviation and increasing food security. The Aquaculture Development Project capitalizes on the ability of women to increase their earning potential through providing access to bodies of water and ensuring fishing rights.

While natural disasters and erratic rainfall can impact the supply of ingredients and the prices we pay for them, far more significant is the impact on livelihoods and wellbeing of rural farming communities all over the world. In those communities, the most severely impacted groups are women and girls.

Women and girls are responsible for securing food, water, and fuel for households – the availability and price of which are directly affected by climate change. Young girls must spend more time walking dozens of miles every day to collect water, leaving little time for schooling. Women often raise the crops, which can be their sole source of food and income. An unexpected drought will hurt crop yields, drastically reducing household income while the cost of food rises.

In situations like this, women run out of opportunities to earn income through dignified work and they must find other ways to survive. This is how communities become vulnerable to human trafficking.

REBBL exists to help prevent this risk of trafficking through impact sourcing of organic ingredients. In addition, we give 2.5% of net sales of every bottle sold to Not for Sale in support of their international programs to rehabilitate survivors of trafficking. We were created to be, and we continue to be, a mechanism to leverage market forces for the empowerment of indigenous communities around the world. As we grow, our potential to scale our impact also grows. However, the scope of this issue goes far beyond what any single social enterprise or organization can do. The key to collaborating on real solutions to create a more sustainable and dignified future lies in truly understanding the complex relationships between human livelihoods and the environment.