Ethical dilemmas in global development practice: A critical analysis based on the Sen capability approach

This paper critically examines ethical dilemmas in global development practice through the lens of Amartya Sen’s capability approach. The study analyzes four key ethical issues: corruption, sexual exploitation and abuse, environmental impact, and pay inequality between international and local staff. Sen’s capability approach provides a theoretical framework that redefines development as the expansion of substantive freedoms and capabilities, emphasizing the elimination of injustices that prevent individuals from realizing their potential. The analysis reveals that corruption systematically restricts freedom and perpetuates inequality, with studies showing up to 87% of education funds being diverted in some contexts. Sexual exploitation transforms aid mechanisms into control systems, violating human dignity and autonomy. Environmental damage from development practices disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, while significant pay gaps between international and local staff contradict development’s core equality objectives. Despite various intervention measures, including transparency initiatives, codes of conduct, and monitoring systems, current responses remain inadequate. The paper concludes that these ethical challenges require sustained institutional reforms rather than superficial compliance measures. Future solutions must incorporate culturally-sensitive, localized approaches that ensure equity principles are reflected at the policy implementation level, moving beyond moral condemnation toward systemic structural interventions.