Humanitarian engineering: A strategy for inclusive development

Inclusive development has always been a challenge for development. Despite of notable progress in science and technology, the world is grappling with inequalities. Many sections of society are deprived of basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and education. For the secure and peaceful development, inclusive development is a must. Humanitarian engineering is expected to provide an effective strategy to bring about this change. Humanitarian engineering means the use of engineering and technology with human values disregarding the boundaries of nation, religion, gender, class, caste, creed and disability. The technology must be fruitfully used to fulfill the needs of all. It aims at improving the living standards of all. It brings the marginalized sections into the fold of ongoing development. Humanitarian engineering provides an effective intervention at the time of natural and manmade crisis. It is the process of broadening the outlook so that entire mankind must be viewed at one unit for the purpose of development. This discipline seeks to combine human and cultural values with that of science and technology so that development should not become only a profit making activity. This research study makes an attempt to illustrate as to how humanitarian engineering can be used as an effective tool to bring about inclusive development.