Implementing development programs is, and should be, geared toward the advancement of society and the improvement of the quality of people’s lives.
But in reality, the narrative — at times — takes a different turn.
When a development program is mired in controversy because of unintended negative consequences, it can affect the overall impact of a development program. For instance, last year in the case of a railway project in Cambodia funded by the Asian Development Bank, thousands of displaced local residents were affected by forced resettlements, insufficient compensation and neglect of their human rights.