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The report examines how 'maldevelopment'—development that prioritizes economic growth over social equity—increases the vulnerability of marginalized groups, particularly women and Indigenous peoples, to disasters in Nepal and the Philippines. It details how inadequate planning and failed free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) processes lead to land grabs and forced displacements, which are experienced as disasters. The study highlights the role of WEHRDs in resisting these processes through grassroots mobilization, legal advocacy, and capacity building, while also documenting the severe hostility, violence, and systemic fragmentation they face.

The document examines how flooding and migration interact in Lao PDR, challenging the view of flooding as a singular driver of migration. Based on surveys of 157 households across four villages in Luang Prabang and Savannakhet, the study finds that vulnerability to floods is dynamic and influenced by ethnicity, government policies on infrastructure, and the political economy of households. It highlights that while physical exposure to floods in Laos is rated very high (9.8 out of 10), migration decisions are often linked to pre-existing networks, particularly in lowland areas near the Thailand border, and are part of a broader ensemble of livelihood strategies.