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

Phomma Veoravanh Project 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 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.

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 supply and sanitation services for 114,000 residents in 13 small towns and 102 core villages. Project Timeline: 2009-2014 Executing Agency: Ministry of Public Works and Transport through Department of Housing and Urban Planning ADB Grant Funding: USD 23 million and GDCF USD 0.5 million

Project Outputs
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 and sanitation 6. Improved capacity for project implementation and operation and maintenance

Key Gender Issues Identified in Project Design

Women are primarily responsible for the use and management of water resources and sanitation facilities and health care at the household level. Women lack the opportunity to be involved in decisionmaking related to cost and technology of water and sanitation systems.

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 separate toilet facilities are provided for girls. Gender is an important consideration in the water and sanitation sector and the potential contribution of women to water resources management should not be underestimated.

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
1. Strengthened urban water supply and sanitation sector

GAP Outputs/Targets
Human resource strategy for urban Water 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 capacity development opportunities within WASA, WSD and PNPs. PNPs target female staff for advancement opportunities. Promote recruitment of qualified women in PNPs. Target a 10% increase of women in technical and leadership positions. At least 30% of all scholarships are reserved for women.

Progress/Achievements
Conducted meetings to identify key issues 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 development strategy. 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

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
2. Developed / rehabilitated water supply systems 3. Improved drainage and public sanitation

GAP Outputs/Targets
Data on gender impacts and monitoring 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 land acquisition will be gender-sensitive. Consultations will be held with both men and women about town-level drainage improvements

Progress/Achievements
All data collected, all reports were disaggregated by sex

Announcement of equal opportunity in civil works contracts

Equal pay equal work announcement The project paid attention to female heads of households by creating special condition for connecting water supply. Both men and women participated in the consultation meetings.

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
4. Enhanced community action and participation

GAP Outputs/Targets
Introduce the Project to male and female district and village reps.

Progress/Achievements
Conducted meetings to introduce the Project to male and female district and village representatives. To date 33O VDC/WATSAN elected officers 40% were female

Identify female headed HH and vulnerable households to ensure their participation in the Project.
Encourage election of women to the village committees. Encourage men and women to participate in meetings. Consult women on the content, format, and media for community action and participation. Provide support and training to VDCs, ion gender issues. Promote womens representation in decision-making processes All information, education and communication, materials are gendersensitive. Inform women through channels and at times suitable to their work and domestic responsibilities.

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
4. Enhanced community action and participation

GAP Outputs/Targets
Develop and implement gendersensitive community mobilization and planning methodologies, and project monitoring . Ensure that illiterate women and men are not excluded from participating and benefiting from the Project. Ensure at least 40% females representation in developing community participation plans formulated with stakeholders. Include steps for promoting female participation.

Progress/Achievements

40% of capacity development activities are reserved for women and caters to the needs of both men and women. Disaggregate participation records by sex and ethnicity.

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
4. Enhanced community action and participation

GAP Outputs/Targets
At least 40% females in meetings and other community action and participation-related activities. Men and women have equal access to project-created employment opportunities. Target female headed and poor households for financial assistance for hygienic latrines. Ensure small-scale community improvements undertaken under village environmental improvements have equitable benefits for women. Ensure health and hygiene promotion and awareness programs include components specifically targeted for men and women. Gender-sensitive design used for school and public toilets, which will include separate facilities for males and females

Progress/Achievements
Community participation in the project meeting to date counted 8,500 persons participated 45% were female

The project will provide USD 100 per household for low income households Both men and w omen involved in all stages of project planning and implementation

A standard toilette in separate rooms for females and males were designed and will be built at the school and public areas

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
5. Enhanced gender equity in urban water supply and sanitation

GAP Outputs/Targets
30% of scholarships reserved and allocated to qualified women. At least 20 engineering merit-based scholarships are available for HS graduates in Project year 1. Gender analysis will be completed for each participating PNP and a GAP is developed and included into the PNP corporate plan. 50% of participating PNPs qualify for a 2nd round of GDCF funding. A publication is produced and a website is developed highlighting the experiences under this output . An international gender specialist (3 mo) and a national gender specialist (12 mo.) will be recruited to support the activities under this output.

Progress/Achievements
Long term studies at 16 Lao Institutions. Total of 34 (12scholars or 35% were females) scholarships awarded (DPWT, MPWT and PNP).25 of these - PNP level. 11 of thesemanagerial/ accountancy.

In progress.

On going

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
6. Improved capacity for project implementation and operation and maintenance

GAP Outputs/Targets
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.

Progress/Achievements
PCU established with 45 % were female representation.

PIUs established, with 30% were female.

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.

Project orientation for stakeholders include GAD component.

GENDER ACTION PLAN

Project Outcomes
6. Improved capacity for project implementation and operation and maintenance

GAP Outputs/Targets
Distribute the GAP and a brief explanation of the project gender policy to PCU and PIU staff.

Progress/Achievements
Project management team brief explanation of the project gender policy to all PCU and PIU staff.

PCU and each PIU to monitor implementation of the GAP, including PCU and each PIU to monitor gender analysis and disaggregated data implementation of the GAP, in project reports. PCU to ensure that gender issues are addressed in all project activities and strategies and actions are taken to promote equitable benefits for women and men. Consulting services include 4 mo. international and 12 mo. national gender and social specialists. Involvement of LWU in the Project (i.e., Ongoing as a WSRC member) PCU addressed in all project activities and strategies and actions are taken to promote equitable benefits for women and men.

CHALLENGES
PCU team has no staff who has experience to implement the GAP. Very difficult to find qualified local gender consultants. International gender expert is on intermittent contract, implementation of GAP is not in order. Very few female high school graduates in small towns and even less from low income families

WAY FORWARD
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 water sector 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 the effectiveness and impact of the scholarship program

Thank you.