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Contribution short abstract

Lived experience of a Dalit development practitioner from India (9+ years) reflecting on caste-based power in NGOs, donor-driven and oppressive work cultures, emotional labour and trauma of workers, and proposing policies for equity, dignity, self-respect and safe organisational spaces.

Contribution long abstract

I seek to speak at this roundtable because my journey as a development practitioner has been shaped by the constant negotiation between moral commitment and material survival. Coming from a marginalized Dalit community in India, I have worked in development organizations not only to “do good,” but also to sustain my own life, dignity, and self-respect, while simultaneously attempting to build and run my own organization. Navigating these two spectrums has been deeply challenging.

Through my work, I have personally experienced caste-based discrimination within the development sector, a space that often claims moral superiority while remaining largely silent on equity, diversity, and internal accountability. Many organizations are led by individuals from historically oppressive communities, and their work cultures frequently reproduce the same hierarchies and exclusions present in broader society. Decision-making is often shaped more by donor priorities than by human values, resulting in dehumanizing practices toward field staff, researchers, and grassroots workers.

The trauma faced by development workers, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, remains largely invisible and unsupported. There is little space to speak about emotional labor, burnout, dignity, and care as core elements of development work. I strongly reiterate that self-respect is not optional; it is central to any just and sustainable development practice.

Through this roundtable, I hope to contribute to an honest conversation on caste, power, and ethics in development, and to advocate for organizational cultures that create safe spaces, amplify marginalized voices, listen with humility, and institutionalize inclusive and equitable policies.