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Migration can empower traditionally disadvantaged groups, in particular women. A woman worker at a construction site in Mumbai

India ranks 134 amongst 182 nations on the 2009 Human Development Report (HDR 2009) published by the United Nations Development Programme. Even countries like Namibia and Gabon have found a better ranking than India.
The report titled "Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development" interestingly focusses on migration in the context of demographic changes and trends in both growth and inequality. It also presents more detailed and nuanced individual, family and village experiences, and explores less visible movements typically pursued by disadvantaged groups such as short term and seasonal migration.
It must be noted that most construction workers in India are immigrants. In this light, the report has great relevance for our industry. Migration - incidentally - is a hot political and social issue in our country. The starting point for the HDR 2009 is that the global distribution of capabilities is extraordinarily unequal, and that this is a major driver for movement of people.

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According to the report, there is a range of evidence about the positive impacts of migration on human development, through such avenues as increased household incomes and improved access to education and health services.
There is further evidence that migration can empower traditionally disadvantaged groups, in particular women. At the same time, risks to human development are also present where migration is a reaction to threats and denial of choice, and where regular opportunities for movement are constrained, the report says.
Nobody can deny the key role played by construction workers - both skilled and unskilled - in driving this industry. And we are all equally aware of the terrible state that most of these people are forced to live in. The question is 'what are we doing about it?'.
The HDR 2009 points out that national and local policies play a critical role in enabling better human development outcomes for both those who choose to move in order to improve their circumstances, and those forced to relocate due to conflict, environmental degradation, or other reasons. The implication is that the administration should play an increasingly proactive role in safeguarding the basic interests of those migrating. In this context, Construction Week suggests that the industry has an equally important role to play.

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