Progress on Mainstreaming Gender in EARD

11th Session of the External Forum on Gender and Development (EFG) 27-29 June, 2011

Scott Ferguson
The views expressed in this paper are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Staffing structure for gender mainstreaming in EARD portfolio

EAOD Principal Social Development Specialist

EAEN Division Focal Point

EAER Division Focal Point

PRCM (previously filled by Social Sectors Specialist) Vacant to be fllled

EARD Gender Focal Point (EASS)

EAPF Division Focal Point

MNRM Gender Specialist (Consultant)

EATC Division Focal Point

CPS and CGA preparation

Mongolia: CPS will come out in 2011. Gender assessment, sector mainstreaming and strategy were prepared and are in the document. The additional time allowed for inclusion of passage of Gender Equality Law in early 2011. Consultation was done with womens groups and responsible parties in Government. The CGA will come out in QIII. This has undergone extensive review and discussion with local and international stakeholders.

PRC: CPS is under preparation. A section for the gender assessment and strategy was prepared with input from PRCM and EARD divisions. Work on mainstreaming in the sector road maps will be done in QIII. Participation by PRCM Social Sectors Specialist in the UN WG on Gender helped to provide access to data and resources. We plan to have further discussion with relevant stakeholders (research institutes, NGOs, Government) in the coming months.

Mainstreaming progress in the project portfolio

In EARD, gender mainstreaming is done as a part of the overall poverty and social analysis for projects (surveys, focus group discussions, poverty and gender analysis). Surveys and analysis done by PPTA consultants, supervised by social development specialists. Documentation and baseline information is part of project design and reflected in each RRP. Key focus for EARD: implementation, monitoring and supervision

Mainstreaming progress 20092011

EARD Gender Mainstreaming
50
% of projects

40 30 20 10 0 2009 2010 Year 2011 GEN/EGM SGB NGE

Mainstreaming analysis

EARD is unique we have not used the SBP to pursue larger, faster loan processing We have adequate time for gender analysis and consultations (nearly all projects) and have achieved gender mainstreaming for 80%, including SGB. We reached the target of more than 40% of projects having GEN/EGM classification Basic design issues such as pedestrian and non-motorized transport access are already a part of mandatory design in PRC transport projects. The focus in many GAPs is to ensure participation of women in key areas (i.e., consultation on tariff reform and water user associations, introducing new practices in solid waste disposal and recycling, water conservation and road safety awareness) - address major issues - water scarcity, safety, climate change We anticipate more gender focus based on the Transport STI EARD current focus on energy efficiency improvements are more technical with less specific social or gender benefits.

GCDF activities

(1 of 4)

EARD is currently implementing 4 GCDF projects focused on building womens economic empowerment as complementary activities to loan projects. Three of the grants target ethnic minority women in the PRC.
1) 2) 3) 4)

Kanas Womens Enterprise Development Project

(EASS)

Turpan Womens Ethnic Minority Cultural Tourism Development Project (EASS) Shanxi Rural Womens Economic Empowerment Project (EAER) Yunnan Community-based Routine Road Maintenance Project (EATC)

1) Kanas Womens Enterprise Development Project (EASS)

Under Xinjiang Municipal Infrastructure and Environmental Improvement Project, ADB has provided a grant of $150,000 to support activities on capacity building in local tourism and demonstration projects in health and hygiene for ethnic minority women in the Kanas component of the project. The objectives of the grant are to (i) build local capacity for participating in the growing cultural tourism opportunities emerging in the Kanas Scenic Region; (ii) support small scale infrastructure to assist in marketing and storage of local products and; (iii) increase stakeholder participation in accessing the benefits of health and hygiene infrastructure improvements provided by the project.

Kanas Womens Grant

Kanas Womens Grant

2) Turpan Womens Ethnic Minority Cultural Tourism Development Project (EASS)

Under the Xinjiang Municipal Infrastructure and Environmental Improvement Project II, the grant will maximize the positive impacts of the infrastructure improvements from the Project by building local capacity for ethnic minority womens entrepreneurial activities and awareness on health and hygiene issues. This will be achieved through: (i) capacity building activities and (ii) initiation of start-up business kits to facilitate small enterprise inception.

3) Shanxi Rural Womens Economic Empowerment Project (EAER)

Under the Shanxi Integrated Rural Livelihoods Development Loan, the GAD Cooperation Fund has provided a grant project for $195,000. The project aims to enhance womens access to economic opportunities through provision of micro-credit to womens production groups, strengthened linkages of women's production groups to the market, and capacity building on financial management and business skills.

4) Yunnan Community-based Routine Road Maintenance Project (EATC)

Under the Yunnan Integrated Road Development Loan, 1.5 million is for rural road maintenance. This component aims to develop a suitable system for routine maintenance of rural roads to ensure good quality year-round accessibility. This is a pilot project for the transport sector in the PRC, which includes a $200,000 GCDF grant. The GCDF supports the involvement of women in this system. Appropriate skills are being provided to womens maintenance groups. Basic tools are provided to each group. Remuneration is based on volume of work. Women gain from increased cash income and new skills, as while as a sense of empowerment and contribution to local economic development.

Yunnan Road Maintenance

Womens maintenance group from the Achang ethnic minority group in Lianghe County

Supervision of womens maintenance group by staff of Luxi County Communication Bureau

Civil Society (CS) Engagement

All poverty and social assessments are conducted with consultation with local stakeholders including NGOs, religious institutions, research organizations and other members of CS CS is consulted in preparation of CPS gender inputs CS is involved in implementation of GCDF Grants (Womens Federation, academic institutions) CS is involved in some of the external monitoring of resettlement plans and ethnic minority development plans Academic organizations are included in the research work which includes gender analysis (i.e., poverty assessment, analysis with WB on impacts of the financial crisis in Mongolia, analysis of impacts of financial crisis on social protection reform, etc.) The PRC gender focal point and MNRM gender specialist both conduct regular consultation with CS and participate in numerous activities, workshops, networking events and conferences in country.

Other Activities
Mongolia Food and Oil Crisis (08) and Financial Crisis (09): EARD processed several social protection loans in support of mitigation of the Food and Financial Crises. Two programs: Food Stamps and Medicard are directly focused on targeting the poor and providing access to food products, healthcare and micronutrients. Both programs have GAPs which are being implemented. EASS will be running a rigorous impact evaluation (IE) of both projects in 2011-2012 which will include gender analysis. RSGS Rapid Gender Assessments: Covered Health, Social Protection and Education Projects in Mongolia. Key findings: insufficient attention to gender issues and monitoring. Increased efforts are being made in these areas in the new projects with support from MNRM gender specialist and HQ.

Current Staffing in EARD - IS

Staff Level Total Staff Women Percentage

All levels
3 4 5 6 7 8-10

67
8 19 15 10 7 8

18
2 4 6 3 1 2

27%
25% 21% 40% 30% 14% 25%

In-country or region-based activities that the EFG members can join (e.g., workshops, training, consultation) from now till mid next year?

Our MNRM Gender Specialist is putting together a GCDF proposal to support womens groups participation in creating the framework and roadmap for implementation of the Gender Equality Law across all sectors. If successful, participation by EFG members in the kickoff workshop could be useful