Forced displacement & Human Trafficking: The case of Hydropower Exploration of a Drivers of Migration Framework (Adaptation7) development resettlement-migration–trafficking nexus This research is located at the convergence of two phenomena; the rapid development of in Laos hydropower infrastructure in Laos and the country's location at the center of a human trafficking hub.
Research objectives How Development-Induced-Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR) places affected communities at an increased risk of human trafficking in the region? • How can resettlement aggravate existing vulnerabilities of impacted communities? Village Focus International Francesco Brembati (The Lily) • How does DIDR influence drivers of migration? Anouk Malboeuf • Which of these vulnerabilities and drivers increases the risk of human trafficking? MA Refugee Protection & Forced Migration Contact: [email protected] University of London Refugee Law Initiative 4th annual conference Key results Possible links: Displacement-Migration-Trafficking 3-5 June 2019Li Fan • The resettlement process influences Li Fan the migration flux by acting on specific Prior Post Drivers of Determinants drivers; resettlement resettlement migration of trafficking • The resettlement process generally
exacerbates existing vulnerabilities; Fragile Difficult Survival & New livelihood adaptation & • Resettled communities are placed at an food/water risky migration 1 insecurity Facts & figures increased risk of exploitation and security • ± 100 hydropower plants operational trafficking when they decide to use Capacity to Cash pay or under construction in Laos. Subsistence compensation New financial migration as an adaptation strategy. smugglers/ / cash based capacities • 280,000 peoples could be resettled. agriculture false sense of Asian News Network economy security • For the Nam Man 3 project, 100% of
Improved road Attraction to the resettled household used migration 6 Increase Isolated rural access, contact modern life, marriage with with foreigners access to as a coping strategy. settlement +camp borders foreigners, followers /network mobility • ± 44,000 migrants smuggled from Laos to Thailand annually. Norms & roles Imposed compromised, Marginalizatio • ± 13,000-40,000 individuals in 1 Village = cohabitation power n, lack of of ethnic asymmetries & support, prostitution in Laos 1 ethic group groups land access discrimination issues • 200,000-450,000 trafficked persons in the region / year. Gender – Bias Poverty, Woman or compensation domestic children seek unequal process, limited additional access to violence, revenue or opportunities informal act. discrimination support Sources: 1. Malboeuf A. (2019) Forced displacement and Human Trafficking: The case of Hydropower development in Laos. MA dissertation. (Under review) University of London. 2. Asian News Network (2019) Feature: Families resettled by Nam Tha 1 hydropower project need further aid by News Desk : 28 Mars 2019 < httpannx.asianews.network/content/feature- families-resettled-nam-tha-1-hydropower-project-need-further-aid-94044> Accessed online Recommendations 26/05/2019. 3. Foreningen for Internasjonale Vannstudier (FIVAS) (2005), Laos and the Nam Theun 2 • Mainstream policies and programs facilitating safe migration within resettlement plans; project fails its human rights obligations, Blog Picture of the Nam Theun 2 reservoir from Li Fan.