Human Right-based Understanding of Mining-Induced Displacement and Resettlement: A Review of the Literature and Synthesis

Abstract

Due to the current economic development, there has been a greater number of resettlement when compared with that in the preceding two decades. Many people are forced to move away from their place of residence and communities due to development projects. In mining-induced displacement and resettlement (MIDR), although this occurs globally, the problems faced by the affected communities in several regions largely vary. In this article, we highlight the varying impacts of MIDR, especially on human rights, through the review of recent literature. Findings from this review demonstrate that MIDR results in numerous human rights violations such as inadequate information for community members and insufficient compensation for lost property and lack of involvement of local communities in the division of profits generated from the exploitation of resources, among others. This essay makes several contributions to the literature by looking at the recent MIDR-oriented literature from the social and human rights theory and social perspectives and providing multiple case studies across the globe. In doing so, this essay demonstrated that MIDR violates numerous human rights.