Why Engage the Marginalized population in development projects

1. Why Engage the Marginalized population
in development projects
Devi Cinthuja Leon
University of Guelph, EDRD 6000

2. Goal and Objectives
Goals
To engage marginalized population in the
implementation of development projects to achieve
sustainability.
Objectives
• To identify and list the marginalized
population in a community
• Identify opportunities to engage
them in the community
development projects

3. Why involve
the marginalized population
• To achieve the full extent of community
participation
• To eliminate unjust hierarchies of knowledge,
power, and economic distribution.
• Empowerment through engagement and
participation
• Better at addressing local needs
• Efficient and equitable solutions
• Improve the quality of project planning,
implementation and its success

4. Marginalized population
Definition:
A marginalized population is a group of people that is
excluded from full participation in society.
Marginalization includes the withholding of political
rights, economic opportunity and social integration.
Examples:
Racial/ethnic groups; immigrants and refugees;
individuals with mental or physical disabilities; older
individuals; and those of lower socioeconomic status,
marginalized gender and youth.

5. Racial and Ethnic Groups
Who:
Indigenous, natives, tribes, adivasi, etc.
Why:
- Rich culture and traditions passed for
several generations
- Indigenous health/medical/spiritual
knowledge
- Harmony with environment

6. Immigrants and Refugees
Who:
Immigrants/refugees moving out of their
land for a better life for themselves
and their children
Why:
- Global business perspectives
- Bring international expertise
- High adaptability and risk managers
- Mosaic culture bringing the best from each culture
- Diversity in developing a new harmonious world

7. Older citizens
Who:
Elderly persons retired or above the age of 60 years,
commonly referred to as the senior citizens.
Why:
• Share life experiences, skills, knowledge and
wisdom with the community.
• They have the time and wisdom to contribute to
the health of their communities
• Knowledge of the past is what helps shape the
future.

8. Individuals with Disability
Who
People with impairment that maybe physical, cognitive, mental,
sensory, emotional, developmental, or some combination of these
- that result in restrictions on an individual’s ability to participate
in what is considered “normal” in their everyday activity.
Why
• Their experiences and suggestions can
help the future generation
• No one can express their issues better
• No one has the capability to plan on
their behalf
• They are part of a community /family.

9. Individuals
of lower socioeconomic status
Who
Economically disadvantaged population; lower class/caste
Why
- They are part of the community we co-exist
- Only they have the actual understanding of grassroot
issues; provide insights to bottom-up approach
- Engage them to empower them
- True empowerment of a community → reduced
disparity
- Achieve true democracy and sustain a healthy
community

10. Gender inequality
Who:
Unequal treatment or perception of individuals based
on their gender. It arises from differences in socially
constructed gender roles.
Why:
• UN ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’,
which seeks to create equality between men &
women
• Embracing the Female and Male energy
(expressed as male, female or transgender) and
working together is the only true way for us to
achieve the required goal.

11. What steps can be taken to include
marginalized population
• Understand the context and
power dynamics
• Identify/understand the issues
• Identify entry points
• Build capacity to address issues
• Identify stakeholders / partners
• Work with the group to
identify steps to move forward

12. Literature references
• Marginalized minorities in development programming, A UNDP Resource Guide and Toolkit.
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-
governance/human_rights/marginalised-minorities-in-development-programming-a-resource-
guide-and-toolkit.html. Accessed Mar 4, 2016.
• Working with people who are marginalized by the social system, Carolyn Kagan, Diane Burns, Mark
Burton, Isabel Crespo , Rob Evans , Kath Knowles , José Luis Lalueza and Judith Sixsmith.
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, 2010.
• Honoring the voices of marginalized communities, A participatory research experience, Community
Development Halton, Ontario, Canada, 2011.
http://volunteerhalton.ca/images/cdhaltonmedia/pdfs/Engaging-Marginalized-Communities-
FINAL.pdf. Accessed Mar 4, 2016.
• Immigrant Workers empowerment and community building: Chris Benner, Tony LoPresti, Martha
Matsuoka, Manuel Pastor and Rachel Rosner. Center for Justice, Tolerance & Community, California,
USA. April 2005. http://cjtc.ucsc.edu/docs/cbr_immigrant_workforcereport.pdf. Accessed Mar 4,
2016.
• Indigenous Peoples and sustainable development, IFAD Discussion paper, Feb 2003. Rome, Italy.
https://www.ifad.org/documents/10180/cff46e5c-19a6-4077-b1ea-94a83888bfbf. Accessed Mar 4,
2016.
• Cultural Survival . Cambridge, USA. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/who-are-indigenous-peoples.
Accessed March 6, 2016.
• Older people in Emergencies: Considerations for action and policy development; David Hutton,
World Health Organization, 2008. Geneva, Switzerland. ISBN-13 9789241547390.