Left-behind for Development: the Situation of Development-Induced Displaced Women from
Indigenous Communities
What is Development?
The foundation of social work is development, which is the process of growth, progress,
or advancement in a given situation. As we promote the inherent value and dignity of our
clients, development does not correspond solely with their improved quality of life, nor does it
correspond solely with the fulfillment of their material requirements. We must apply our level
of analysis to the development of our larger system, such as the nation in which we reside. This
is because the dynamics of the political, economic, and social systems have a significant impact
on every individual's life. As social workers, we engage in macro level practice and direct
practice equally. We must familiarize ourselves with our social environment in order to
understand what hinders or challenges our client's development and what opportunities and
resources we can utilize to assist them. It is also a step towards fulfilling our role as advocates
for the disadvantaged, vulnerable, and marginalized. We must also stay abreast of global events
in order to hone our analytical skills and learn from the experiences of other nations, which are
pertinent to us.
Different indicators of development exist. Typically, development refers to economic
growth characterized by a high output of products and services resulting in a healthy national
income. Development is also measured by the well-being of the country's citizens, including
their quality of life, education, employment, and health, among other factors. Moreover,
environmental protection is correlated to economic and social development. The ecosystem is
essential to the social, physical, and economic well-being of people, as well as their ability to
preserve their cultural heritage (United Nations, 2012). Environmental preservation generates
employment opportunities, income sources, and optimal use of natural resources. Additionally,
it has a positive effect on our health, as air and water quality improve, we are protected from
hazardous debris, and our habitat becomes more comfortable to live in. Therefore, we must
achieve a balance between our economic and environmental activities.
The international community aims to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It is
an influential political concept that strives to address the numerous problems caused by
economic imbalance and wealth inequality in the world today (No Future Without Justice:
Report of the Civil Society Reflection Group on Global Development Perspectives, 2012). This
necessitates that both developed and developing nations act on emerging development issues
and aspire for global development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are countries'
commitments to implement policies to address issues with inequality, poverty, health,
education, and other sectors of the economy, while also fostering economic growth, combating
climate change, and protecting the environment (THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development,
n.d.). Not only does it encourage economic growth, but it also mandates that nations, especially
the commercial and industrial sectors, accept responsibility for their actions and work to ensure
that their patterns do not negatively impact the environment and other pillars of development.
The purpose of this summative paper is to evaluate initiatives undertaken in Asia for
the purpose of development. As used in this essay, "development projects" encompasses
infrastructure projects such as dams, road expansion, and railroads, as well as mining, land
conversion projects, and any other market-driven actions. The concentration of this summative
paper will be on displacement, the removal of residents from their homes as a result of these
economic activities. Its purpose is to emphasize, based on the relevant literature, the experience
of the internally displaced as a result of development projects and the issues arising from their
displacement and subsequent relocation. Moreover, it endeavors to provide a gender
perspective on the issue in order to argue that women have a worse experience with
displacement caused by development.
Development Projects in Asia
Infrastructure projects in Asia have made great contributions to the economic growth
of the region and eradication of poverty (Asian Development Bank, 2017). There have been a
lot of significant improvements made on
roads, transportation systems, electricity,
telecommunication, sanitation, water supply, sewerage system and climate change mitigation
throughout the time. These initiatives provided individuals better access to education, health
and other social services. They also generated jobs, enabled economic opportunities, allowed
trading and increased the production of goods and services. These projects eased the everyday
life of individuals and increased productivity. Also, there are infrastructures made that protect
our environment and promote climate change resilience. According to the Asian Development
Bank (2017), Asia must sustain its economic development momentum by investing $26 trillion
in infrastructure development between 2016 and 2030, or $1.7 trillion annually.
The Impacts of Development-Induced Displacement on the Well-Being of Affected
Families
Development-induced displacement is a global issue in which individuals are forcibly
uprooted from their homes to make way for development initiatives (Negi and Azeez, 2022).
The government or large corporations have appropriated lands formerly inhabited by a group
of people, as well as the natural resources they used to freely enjoy. In India, the number of
displaced individuals or the affected individual is about 50 million people in the last 50 years
(Negi & Ganguly as cited by Negi and Azeez, 2022). According to Imbong, J. (2021),
development-induced displacement follows a neoliberal economic system in which the
government imposes fewer restrictions on corporations' land accumulation for economic
growth. Unfortunately, it has detrimental effects on the lives of the affected
individuals/families.
Threat to Livelihood, Food Security and Impoverishment
When people are uprooted from their homeland, they also lose their means of
subsistence. Long before their displacement, tribes, whose ancestral lands are affected by
development initiatives, had established a way of life in their indigenous communities. Their
livelihood depends on the natural resources of their land, and they can readily provide for their
families. In addition, they have inherited indigenous knowledge and skills from their ancestors,
which aid in their survival.
Due to displacement, they lost access to community resources. The land they used to
cultivate and the natural resources they used to enjoy are now under the control of private
companies. The displaced individuals are restricted from their means of production. This
situation forced the head of the families to accept cheap labor in development projects, such as
mining companies or extensive plantations, to support their families. And in such instances,
when the relocation is too far from their home, they are compelled to adjust to the market/labor
force in the new community, resulting in difficulties and, worse, marginalization. The
impoverishment of displaced individuals even leads to begging, such as in the case of some
Lumads (Imbong, 2021). As they move to unfamiliar places, they need access to resources and
opportunities. They also need help obtaining employment due to their lack of required work
experience and education. Furthermore, discrimination against indigenous people still exists,
which adds to their struggles.
Loss of Cultural Identity
Displacement also caused the tribes to lose their cultural identity (De Debasree, 2015).
Indigenous people have unique characteristics, social relations and way of living that are deeply
rooted in their culture. Leaving their communities has an impact on their sociocultural life.
They lose their ties with their groups as they get separated. Tribal leaders lose their authority
and social status as they get mixed into their new community. Members of the indigenous
population who are accustomed to community assistance in conflict resolution and survival
struggle with their adaptation.
Removing them from their ancestral land may also destroy their language/dialect,
religious beliefs, values, traditions (e.g., courtship, marriage), indigenous knowledge and
practices (e.g., hunting, herbal medicines). Their host community may influence them to accept
the latter’s culture and subsequent generations of their tribe will adopt it as their norm. This
may result in the loss of cultural heritage or its extinction.
Vulnerability to Violence
According to Imbong (2021), development-induced displacement commonly results to
violence. The affected individuals/families are evicted using force and intimidation. Blood is
shed when there is resistance. The death of Tribal Indigenous Oppressed Group Association
(TINDOGA) - Manobo-Pulangihon Tribe members who opposed Mayor Pablo Lorenzo of
Bukidnon, Quezon regarding the hectares of land in dispute is an illustration of this (cited by
Imbong, 2021).
The killings of Mindanao's indigenous Lumad, who were expelled from their
farmlands, have become a heated topic in the Philippines recently. The news contains accounts
of harassment, shootings, and red-tagging not only of community members but also of their
supporters.
Unfortunately, displaced individuals continue to experience danger in their temporary
shelter and host community, perpetrated by outsiders and even those from similar situations.
Victimized by their difficult circumstances, some of them resort to illegal acts to survive. De
Basee (2015) claims that domestic violence and prostitution are prevalent in the slums of
displaced individuals from the Adivasi tribe in Odisha, India. Imbong (2021) also asserts that
even in the Philippine setting, the socio-economic effects of displacement include involvement
in crimes. Impoverished individuals may resort to stealing and other unlawful activities to
combat hunger.
Intersectionality and Development-Induced Displacement
Intersectionality is a political concept that asserts that individuals experience
discrimination differently based on their identities (Coaston, 2019). Due to their overlapping
identities (e.g. their characteristics or group association), the inequality they experience is
magnified. In the case of development-induced displacement, women are considered to be in
highly vulnerable positions. As women and indigenous people who are internally displaced,
their experience is poorer compared with internally displaced men and other women who do
not have the similar situation.
According to Deng & Lyons (n.d.), the ability of displaced women to earn a livelihood
is less than that of displaced men. As stated, displaced men were offered employment in
development initiatives, including mining, plantation, and construction. This employment
requires physical strength and manual labor, which women cannot perform due to their physical
limitations and domestic responsibilities, such as child rearing. This circumstance causes tribal
women to become dependent on their husbands, which marginalizes them even further. Solo
parents and women, who have lost their spouses due to land disputes, face significantly more
challenges.
Back on their ancestral lands, tribal women have access to communal resources because
they are readily available and close to their dwellings. However, they now lack control of
community resources and struggle to adjust with the market economy of their new
environment.
Indigenous women are disadvantaged due to their economic reliance on their spouses.
According to Borphukon (2015), alcoholism is pervasive in displaced communities, frequently
leading to domestic violence. As a result of unequal gender relations at home, women are
subjected to abusive relationships. Inadequate employment opportunities for women and
allocating land and resettlements to male household heads rather than women further
contributed to gender inequality.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Inequality persists in development initiatives; an example is the marginalization of
displaced individuals. These development projects may promote economic growth, but they
also threaten the well-being of affected families. Development-induced displacement
dispossesses groups of people of their right to their homeland and its community resources,
resulting in a lack of livelihood and making their poor condition poorer. The affected families,
particularly the indigenous people uprooted from their ancestral territory, are at risk of losing
their cultural identities as a result of the loss of their homes, which are imbued with their
culture. Furthermore, they are vulnerable to human rights violations due to conflict arising from
land disputes.
In addition, a review of the existing literature demonstrates that women face greater
challenges during development-induced displacement. Women are marginalized in various
ways as women, indigenous people members, and displaced individuals. They are afflicted by
unemployment, violence against women, and social inequality.
Therefore, the Philippine government should strictly implement the Indigenous
People’s Rights Act to protect the ancestral lands and the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of the indigenous people.
Additionally, the government should provide safety nets for those afflicted by
development initiatives. There should be a clear plan in place for them that does not conclude
with their relocation, but continues until their rehabilitation and reintegration. This means that
the displaced individuals will be able to reestablish their means of subsistence, culture, and
other social contributions.
Furthermore, these rehabilitation policies and programs must be gender-friendly. They
must always consider women in social preparation, planning and implementation as well as the
monitoring and evaluation phase. Their strategies may include provision of counseling,
compensation packages and vocational training for women. There must be a community
organizer who will encourage the displaced women to form a self-help group to empower each
other, teach them livelihood skills and engage them in social activities.
The objective of development efforts should be to foster inclusive and sustainable
growth. No one, including women and indigenous people, should be left behind.
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