Environmental & Social Management Framework - About ...

Environmental and Social Management FrameworkThe general principle that should be followed throughout the SRN Program is toapply to the maximum extent a strategy that specifically adopts the goodopportunities for vulnerable groups and women. The sub-projects shall thereforeexplore processes to engage local (experienced) NGOs/CBOs who will mobilizelocal groups to become engaged as unskilled labourers in the planned workconstruction activities. The NGOs/CBOs will coordinate the contracting processand ensure that the Contractors will pay fair, timely and gender-equal salaries tosame category of works. The NGOs/CBOs may also explore possibilities toarrange for funds where part of the salaries will be added. These funds then maybe used for establishing cooperatives for developing other income-generatingoptions, and avoid that newly gained incomes will not be lost.The foreseen construction works must also take into due account that the newaccess situation to formerly remote and backward regions will invariably affectsocial cohesion, produce physiological effects on the individual. Road planners,working closely with indigenous community representatives and sociologists,must attempt to enable indigenous people to adapt at a pace and in ways thatthey can manage and control, and explore all means to avoid social tensions andconflicts between outside staff (mainly technicians, suppliers) and local people.Impacts on indigenous people from poorly planned road projects can be:• Loss of Traditional Sense of Identity: For many traditional groups, the land isan inextricable part of themselves, their lifestyle, and their livelihood. Floraand fauna are typically considered beings that are integral part of theircosmos. Thus, the very definition of self is bound up with the land, and itsflora and fauna, in a manner often alien to outsiders. Roads can too easilydisrupt this sense of identity and may lead to an ecological imbalance whenthe local population looses the responsibility for their proper environment.• Loss of Livelihoods and Violation of Traditionally-exercised Land Rights: Newand improved roads bring increased contact with outside people, who eitheroccupy the land for farming or exploit other resources such as minerals,forests, or wildlife. The increased competition for existing resources can putthe indigenous people at a disadvantage, especially when the settlersintroduce ecologically inappropriate and unsustainable production systems.Often indigenous people have no recognized land ownership, and they arenot compensated for the land that is taken from them. Rather than fight fortheir rights in an alien national legal system, they may withdraw from the newpopulation centres, thus increasing the population pressures on another,already traditionally occupied land. In extreme cases, physical conflicts canbreak out between settlers and the host communities when the latter try toreclaim their heritage and traditional rights.• Health and Social Problems: The new arrivals of migrants, as well as the roadconstruction crews, often bring with them serious health and social problems,including endemic diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, violence, crime,alcohol abuse and other conflicts that destabilize traditional lifestyles and cantake a heavy toll among relatively isolated indigenous people.f. Damages of Community InfrastructuresExperience has shown that road construction activities often disrupt communityinfrastructures such as irrigation canal, drinking water supply systems, electricpoles, telephone lines, water ponds, schools, foot trails and cattle trails.Disruption is caused by siltation or burial of irrigation canals, exposure anddamages of water supply pipes. Such situation may lead to inconvenience torural population in terms of carrying out their routine lifestyle due to disruption offacilities. This can potentially cause social conflicts and will affect smoothprogress of works.Chapter 4-24 April 2007