1) Social impact assessments evaluate the effects of planned interventions and major projects on people and communities. They emerged in the 1960s to address social issues not covered by environmental impact assessments. 2) Social impacts refer to changes in people's well-being and ways of living, both positive and negative, experienced differently by various groups. Vulnerable groups are often most severely affected. 3) Social impact assessments identify affected groups, facilitate stakeholder participation, predict impacts, and recommend mitigation measures to minimize harm and maximize benefits for all parties.

1. Joymike,YIGA
MSc.URD (ISUS,UoS) | BA.URP (Hons) MUK | PGD.PMUS (HSMI,INDIA)
June, 2018
CONCEPTUALISING
SOCIAL IMPACTS

4. IMPACTS AND BENEFITS
 Practice of ‘IMPACT ASSESSMENT’ born from
concern about BIG THINGS causing damage to
the NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
 All ENVIRONMENTAL impacts are also SOCIAL
impacts if people worry about them, but some
social impacts may NOT count as environmental
impacts
 •‘IMPACTS’ normally thought to be BAD THINGS
(or COSTS) which detract from ECONOMIC (and
maybe social or even environmental) BENEFITS

6. THIS IS ONE BIG BAD IMPACT

7. What are Social Impacts?
 By “social impacts” we mean:-
 Significant improvement or deterioration in the
wellbeing of the concerned groups
 Changes (+ and -) in ways people live, work, play,
or organize to meet their needs and generally cope
as members of society.
Different groups experience impacts differently
 Some win, some lose
 Impacts are severe for vulnerable groups (tribal people,
women)

8. DEFINING SIA & SETTING THE SCENE.
 SIA emerged as a field of social science
during 1960s –realized EIA inadequate for
addressing social issue.
 Since 1970s SIA was adopted for assessing,
and addressing, in advance, the likely social
impacts from;
 a specific policy action / including programs or
 adoption of new policies and
 specific gov’t actions i.e. buildings, leasing large tracks
of land for extracting resource
 It is an effective tool which allows decision-
makers to initiate steps necessary to prevent /
contain harmfuly impacts
SIA: Process of analyzing, monitoring and managing the social
consequences (+ and -) of Planned interventions,

9. Rationale for SIA
In India:
Wherever it is desired to undertake a new project or expansion
of an existing project, which involves involuntary displacement
of 400 hundred or more families in tribal or hilly areas, the
appropriate government ensures that a SIA study is carried out
in the proposed affected areas in such manner as may be
prescribed.
Source: The National R&R Policy, 2007
An assessment of social impacts prior to the
commencement of a new project or expansion of
an existing one is now obligatory in many
countries

10. Rationale for SIA…
SIA has evolved basically to help planners / project
managers;
 Understand potential adverse consequences of a
proposed project,
 Identify possible groups to be adversely affected (PAPs)
 Find measures to mitigate negative impacts –preparing
mitigation plans in advance through:-
 Designing projects that neutralize adverse impacts
 Designing projects that enhance positive impacts
 Creates an opportunity for explaining project objectives to
the affected groups - alleviates PAP’s fears winning
their trust,
 Provides an avenue for PAPs to express their views and
identifying possible development opportunities.

11. SIA Activities
 SIA mostly comprises of the following activities.
 Identifying affected parties,
 Facilitating and Coordinating participation of
stakeholders,
 Collecting baseline data,
 Providing an in depth review of the local cultural
contexts,
 Predicting likely impacts and how stakeholders will
respond,
 Assisting in site selection and evaluating alternatives,
 Recommending mitigation measures
 Developing coping strategies to deal with no-mitigatable
impacts,
 Advise on appropriate institutional and coordination
arrangements for all parties, and
 Assist in devising and implementing monitoring and
management programs.

12.  There is no distinction between social change
processes and social impacts
 Social change processes are invoked by the
planned interventions: -
Social Change Process Vs Social
Impact…
Example
In an infrastructure project, SIA determines
whether a RESETTLEMENT ACTION PLAN
(RAP) is required.

13. Social Change Process Vs Social
Impact…..
Can cause + / - Social Impacts (Directly or Indirectly)
2. Economic,
(The way in which people
make a living & economic
activity in the society)
1. Social or Geographical
(Changes in land use patterns)
4. Institutional &
legal
(Relate to the efficiency &
effectiveness of
institutional structures
including government &
NGOs)
Changes in the
composition
of different dimensions
of social process
3. Demographics
(Change in the number & composition of people)
6. Emancipation & Empowerment
(increasing influence in decision-making
processes),
5. Socio-cultural (affecting the culture of
a society)

14. Managing Impact
MANAGING
IMPACT
Avoid
MitigateMinimize