Development-Induced Displacement and Gender Injustice: Some Critical Reflections

The development projects that most of the countries in the world witnessed after postcolonial period have led to alienation and deprivation of large sections of population through the process of displacement. Doubtless, it has brought a loss to all but the magnitude of loss is more severe in case of women than men, as they are disconnected from nature which is the main source of survival for them. Women's use rights over certain lands, which gave them autonomous spheres of control, are wiped out without compensation. Moreover, the losses of forests and common property resources have destabilized women's income and relative social status. The employment generated by the projects comes with hazardous working conditions and low wages, and without job security, pushing more and more women into the informal sector. Along with economic loss, it has directly and indirectly affected women's health, their food security and status in society. Here, the issue raised in the paper tries to interrogate what kind of loss the women faced due to displacement; what kind of policy initiation is being taken for the betterment of women in case of displacement; and what is the role of women in displacement movement. This paper, based on the review of the existing literatures and authors’ own experiences, attempts to reflect on the above issues.