Lao PDR: Mainstreaming Gender in Grant 0143: Small Towns Water Supply Sanitation Sector Project (STWSSSP)

8/3/2019 Lao PDR: Mainstreaming Gender in Grant 0143: Small Towns Water Supply Sanitation Sector Project (STWSSSP)

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Lao PDRMainstreaming Gender in

Grant 0143: Small Towns Water Supply

and Sanitation Sector Project (STWSSSP)

Phomma VeoravanhProject Director STWSP-PCU

15 November 2011

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 ofthe data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper donot imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.


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Project Background

Project Impact:Expanding access to safe piped water supply and sanitation

services for the urban population. 65% with access to safe piped water by 2014 and 80% by 2020. 85% with pour-flush pit latrines/septic tanks by 2014 and 90% by 2020.

Project Outcome :

Improved access, quality and reliability of piped water supplyand sanitation services for 114,000 residents in 13 small townsand 102 core villages.

Project Timeline: 2009-2014

Executing Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Transportthrough Department of Housing and Urban Planning

ADB Grant Funding: USD 23 million and GDCF USD 0.5

million


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1.Strengthened urban water supply and sanitation sector

2. Developed and rehabilitated water supply systems

3. Improved drainage and public sanitation

4. Enhanced community action and participation

5. Enhanced gender equity in urban water supply andsanitation

6. Improved capacity for project implementation andoperation and maintenance

Project Outputs


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Key Gender Issues Identified in Project Design

Women are primarily responsible for the use andmanagement of water resources and sanitation facilities andhealth care at the household level.

Women lack the opportunity to be involved in decision-making related to cost and technology of water and sanitationsystems.

Lack of sanitation poses health hazards to women and girls.

Lack of water and sanitation facilities can be an impediment

to girls education, especially in schools where no separatetoilet facilities are provided for girls.

Gender is an important consideration in the water andsanitation sector and the potential contribution of women to

water resources management should not be underestimated.


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GENDER ACTION PLANProjectOutcomes

GAP Outputs/Targets Progress/Achievements

1. Strengthenedurban water

supply and

sanitation sector

Human resource strategy for urbanWater sector includes a section on

gender, and strategies for promoting

gender equity.

Ensure equal access for women

and members of all ethnic groups to

employment, training, and capacitydevelopment opportunities within

WASA, WSD and PNPs.

PNPs target female staff for

advancement opportunities.

Promote recruitment of qualifiedwomen in PNPs. Target a 10% increaseof women in technical and leadershippositions.

At least 30% of all scholarships arereserved for women.

Conducted meetings to identify keyissues for the development of urban

water supply strategy range from 35

to 50% of participants were female.

Conducted a needs assessment to

form the basis for preparation of a

draft human resource developmentstrategy.

Scholarships approved by DHUP

targeted 54 scholarships :

-from ADB Grant 12 of 24 are female

and from GDCF 30 female high school

students, 77 % were female

Two local gender consultants recruited

(one senior, one junior)

Over achieved


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ProjectOutcomes


2. Developed /rehabilitated

water supply

systems

3. Improved

drainage and

public sanitation

Data on gender impacts andmonitoring and evaluation will be

disaggregated by sex, ethnicity, and

income.

Contracts for civil works will provide

equal opportunities for women and

men, and based on labor requirements

and qualifications.

Equal wages are paid for men and

women laborers for civil works.

The process of resettlement and landacquisition will be gender-sensitive.

Consultations will be held with both

men and women about town-level

drainage improvements

All data collected, all reports weredisaggregated by sex

Announcement of equal opportunity incivil works contracts

Equal pay equal work announcement

The project paid attention to femaleheads of households by creating specialcondition for connecting water supply.

Both men and women participated inthe consultation meetings.

GENDER ACTION PLAN


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ProjectOutcomes


4. Enhancedcommunity action

and participation

Introduce the Project to male andfemale district and village reps.

Identify female headed HH andvulnerable households to ensure theirparticipation in the Project.

Encourage election of women to the

village committees. Encourage menand women to participate in meetings.

Consult women on the content,format, and media for communityaction and participation.

Provide support and training to VDCs,

ion gender issues. Promote womensrepresentation in decision-makingprocesses

All information, education andcommunication, materials are gender-sensitive. Inform women throughchannels and at times suitable to theirwork and domestic responsibilities.

Conducted meetings to introduce theProject to male and female district andvillage representatives.

To date 33O VDC/WATSAN electedofficers 40% were female

GENDER ACTION PLAN


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ProjectOutcomes



and participation

Develop and implement gender-sensitive community mobilization andplanning methodologies, and projectmonitoring .

Ensure that illiterate women and menare not excluded from participating

and benefiting from the Project.

Ensure at least 40% femalesrepresentation in developingcommunity participation plansformulated with stakeholders. Includesteps for promoting femaleparticipation.

40% of capacity development activitiesare reserved for women and caters tothe needs of both men and women.Disaggregate participation records bysex and ethnicity.

GENDER ACTION PLAN


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ProjectOutcomes



and participation

At least 40% females in meetings andother community action andparticipation-related activities.

Men and women have equal access toproject-created employmentopportunities.

Target female headed and poorhouseholds for financial assistance forhygienic latrines.

Ensure small-scale communityimprovements undertaken undervillage environmental improvementshave equitable benefits for women.

Ensure health and hygiene promotionand awareness programs includecomponents specifically targeted formen and women.

Gender-sensitive design used forschool and public toilets, which willinclude separate facilities for males

and females

Community participation in the projectmeeting to date counted 8,500persons participated 45% were female

The project will provide USD 100 perhousehold for low income households

Both men and w omen involved in allstages of project planning andimplementation

A standard toilette in separate roomsfor females and males were designedand will be built at the school and

public areas

GENDER ACTION PLAN


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ProjectOutcomes


5. Enhanced

gender equity in

urban water

supply and

sanitation

30% of scholarships reserved andallocated to qualified women.

At least 20 engineering merit-basedscholarships are available for HSgraduates in Project year 1.

Gender analysis will be completed foreach participating PNP and a GAP isdeveloped and included into the PNPcorporate plan.

50% of participating PNPs qualify for a2nd round of GDCF funding.

A publication is produced and awebsite is developed highlighting theexperiences under this output .

An international gender specialist (3mo) and a national gender specialist(12 mo.) will be recruited to supportthe activities under this output.

Long term studies at 16 LaoInstitutions. Total of 34 (12scholars or35% were females) scholarshipsawarded (DPWT, MPWT and PNP).25 ofthese - PNP level. 11 of these-managerial/ accountancy.

In progress.

On going

GENDER ACTION PLAN


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ProjectOutcomes


6. Improved

capacity for

project

implementation

and operation and

maintenance

PCU established with at least 30%

female representation. Target at least

one of the two new PCU deputy

directors is a woman.

PIUs established, with at least 30%

female representation.

Project orientation for stakeholders

include GAD component.

PCU, PIUs and VDCs are trained on

GAD in the urban water supply and

sanitation sector.

Support MPWT recruit and promote

women for leadership positions within

the ministry.

PCU established with 45 % were femalerepresentation.

PIUs established, with 30% werefemale.

Project orientation for stakeholdersinclude GAD component.

GENDER ACTION PLAN


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ProjectOutcomes


6. Improved

capacity for

project

implementation

and operation and

maintenance

Distribute the GAP and a briefexplanation of the project genderpolicy to PCU and PIU staff.

PCU and each PIU to monitorimplementation of the GAP, includinggender analysis and disaggregated datain project reports.

PCU to ensure that gender issues areaddressed in all project activities andstrategies and actions are taken topromote equitable benefits for womenand men.

Consulting services include 4 mo.

international and 12 mo. nationalgender and social specialists.

Involvement of LWU in the Project (i.e.,as a WSRC member)

Project management team briefexplanation of the project gender policyto all PCU and PIU staff.

PCU and each PIU to monitorimplementation of the GAP,

PCU addressed in all project activitiesand strategies and actions are taken topromote equitable benefits for womenand men.

Ongoing

GENDER ACTION PLAN


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PCU team has no staff who has experience toimplement the GAP.

Very difficult to find qualified local genderconsultants.

International gender expert is on intermittentcontract, implementation of GAP is not inorder.

Very few female high school graduates insmall towns and even less from low incomefamilies

CHALLENGES


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PCU team will work closely with ADB gender expert

to implement the GAP. Engage qualified females to join water sector

Motivate female staff and workers within watersector to participate in training courses and part time

graduate program Help the scholarship female students go back to their

home towns

Next Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project will

look forward to monitoring and evaluating theeffectiveness and impact of the scholarship program

WAY FORWARD


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Thank you.

Documents

Lao PDR: Mainstreaming Gender in Grant 0143: Small Towns Water Supply Sanitation Sector Project (STWSSSP)