Extracting More than Resources : Human Security and Arctic Indigenous Women

The article explores how the human security risks that come out of the extractive industry development in the circumpolar region of the United States affect Indigenous women specifically. The rapidly melting ice in the Arctic is exposing new natural resources which have encouraged the attention and presence of outsiders in the region. Extractive industries have been proven to increase human rights violations and cause human security risks to the local populations because of factors including the large and predominantly male workforce brought to the areas, the rural nature of the locations, and the marginalized populations which live in the areas. Indigenous women will be most affected by security concerns.  The four areas this article identifies as the potential security threats are: environmental impact, health impact, personal safety impact, and economic impact.