Sec on 4: Environmental and Social Safeguards & Gender
4.2.1 Progress on implemen ng the project-level gender ac on plan submi ed with the funding proposal Ac vity / Ac on
All (cross-cu ng)
Indicator
Technical staff from District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO), (Department of Forest Inspec on) DOFI, and (District Laos Wom-ens Union (DLWU) have been trained in “REDD+ and Gender”
Baseline
Technical staff from DAFO, DOFI, and LWU have re-ceived no train-ings (or, in rare cas-es, lim-ited train-ing) in gen-der is-sues per-taining to REDD+
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
“REDD+ and Gender” workshops held for DAFO, DOFI, and LWU staff – each in a different province, each with approximate-ly 16 par ci-pants
Budget 9 000
Currency EUR Report on annual progress
Not to be implemented specifically but is part of the FPIC training and 1.7 Awareness raising for REDD+Y: 1 Responsable: GIZ/CSO Training provider
Ac vity / Ac on All (cross-cu ng)
Indicator
Percent (%) female par cipants in communi-ty mee ngs
Baseline
Par cipa on rates of women in community meet-ings are o en below 40%
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
40% par cipa on of women in community mee ngs
Budget 0
Currency EUR Report on annual progress
Included within the budget of Ac vity 1.7 and Output 4 Fieldwork implementa on not yet started.
Responsable: DAFO
Ac vity / Ac on all
Indicator
Percent of respondents that state they felt ac vely included in REDD+ related village mee ngs.
Baseline
Baseline survey to be conducted during year 1
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
50% of women in target communi es state that they felt ac vely included in REDD+ related village meet-ings
Budget 8 000
Currency EUR
Report on annual progress
Resonable: Department of Forestry (DoF) / (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) & REDD+ Desk & GIZ
- Ini al data will be collected mid-term, in 2022, once field implementa on has reached all target villages; EOP survey will also integrate this indicator.
- Delays related to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
Ac vity / Ac on all
Indicator
Percent (%) increase in the number of women implemen ng ac ons
Baseline
Baseline survey to be conducted during year 1
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
Number of women implemen ng ac ons has increased by at least 10%
Budget
- No baseline will take place. Iden ty of implementers will be recorded by the M&E system whenever ac ons are implemented, during the whole project’s life.
- Fieldwork implementa on not yet started.
Ac vity / Ac on 1.2, 1.3
Indicator
New regula ons and guidelines consider gender as a crucial factor in forest protec on, monitoring, equal user rights, and benefit sharing, as well as resource management
Baseline
Laws, regula ons and guidelines do not consider gender as an explicit factor in forest protec on, user-rights, and benefit sharing
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
New/revised laws, regula ons and guidelines explicitly consider gender
Budget
The project does not work directly on laws. However, all the guidelines developed or updated under the project’s scope include or will include gender as an explicit factor.
Included within the budget of Ac vi es 1.2 and 1.7 (revision by program safeguard, gender and M&E specialist)
Ac vity / Ac on
1.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Indicator
No. Of assessments conducted on women-led patrolling groups in the target area
Baseline 0
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
A short assessment has clarified the interest in local women-led patrolling groups in the target areas
Responsable: DOFI, supported by REDD+ Desk and GIZ Fieldwork implementa on not yet started
Baseline:– no analysis of the poten al for women-led patrolling groups in the target areas
Ac vity / Ac on
DOFI has trained at least 5 women-led patrolling groups
Budget 2 000
Currency EUR Report on annual progress
Responsable: DOFI, supported by REDD+ Desk and GIZ Fieldwork implementa on not yet started
Ac vity / Ac on 1.5
Indicator
Response to a survey ques on sta ng if villagers felt ac vely included in the LUP processes
Baseline
Baseline survey to be conducted during year 1
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
In a survey amongst target communi es, at least 70% of all villagers state that they felt ac vely included in the LUP processes
Budget 14 000
Currency Please select
Report on annual progress
responsable: Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO ) / District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO)
- Ini al data will be collected mid-term in 2022 once field implementa on has started in all target villages; EOP survey will also integrate
Ac vity / Ac on 1.6
Indicator
Inclusion of gender-responsive mechanisms for community monitoring within the Na onal Forest Monitoring system
Baseline
N/A (system not fully developed)
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
The developed Na onal Forest monitoring system features gender-responsive mechanisms for community monitoring
Included in the budget of Ac vity 1.6
The Na onal Forest Monitoring system has been developed and includes gender responsive mechanisms.
Responsable: JICA
Ac vity / Ac on 2.1, 2.2
Indicator
Integra on of gender into value chain assessments
Baseline
Agricultural value chains have not been assessed from a gender perspec ve
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
- Mid-term: Value chain assessments of 3 key exis ng and alterna ve agricultural commodi es include reviews of the gendered impact of the desired change (access, needs, barriers, poten als, workload, benefits) - Final: Value chain assessments of 9 key exis ng and alterna ve agricultural commodi es include reviews of the gendered impact of the desired change (access, needs, barriers, poten als, workload, benefits) Budget
9 334
Currency EUR Report on annual progress
Responsable: DoF, PAFOs, DAFOs, REDD+ Desk - Value Chain Assessments will not take place.
- Switch has been made to PSAP approach (Promo on of Sustainable and Deforesta on-free Agricultural Prac ces and Value Chains) in which Gender approach is mainstreamed.
- 35 products and agricultural prac ces have been “white listed” and Private Sector analysis is now ongoing to iden fy suitable partners.
Ac vity / Ac on
2.1
Indicator
Gender expert reviews all training modules (materials, coursework, etc.)
Baseline 0
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
All training modules developed by the program are reviewed by the program’s gender specialist prior to implementa on
Budget 11 200
Currency EUR Report on annual progress
Responsable: MAF and the program’s safeguard, gender, and M&E specialist
Training of Trainers approach has been developed and knowledge transmission will be cascading from “main” trainers/implementers” to the other levels. The gender and safeguards specialist reviews all training programs before implementa on.
Ac vity / Ac on 2.1
Indicator
PMU’s safeguards and gender specialist trains all extension workers and trainers on gender-sensi ve extension, and social inclusion
Baseline 0
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
All extension staff are trained by the program’s safeguard, gender and M&E specialist on gender equity and social inclusion
Budget 11 200
Currency EUR Report on annual progress
Responsable: MAF and the program’s safeguard, gender, and M&E specialist
Training of Trainers approach has been developed and knowledge transmission will be cascading from “main” trainers/implementers” to the other levels. The gender and safeguards specialist reviews all training programs before implementa on.
Budget shared with "Ac vity 2.1 Gender expert reviews all training modules (materials, coursework, etc.)"
Ac vity / Ac on 2.2
Indicator
Number of business skills training courses conducted
Baseline
Report on annual progress
Fieldwork implementa on not yet started responsable: GIZ/(D)LWU
Ac vity / Ac on 3.1
Indicator
Guidelines for the crea on of local village forest management commi ees set standards of requirements accessible for women, and the poor, and a quota for female representa on within commi ees
Baseline 0
No gender requirements associated with the establishment or opera on of village forest management
Target, including sex-disaggrega on
Village forest management commi ee guidelines developed by the sub-project set standards of accessibility for women, with a quota of at least 30% female commi ee members
Budget 2 000
Currency Please select Report on annual progress
The VFMP guidelines describe the process for the crea on of VFMC and integrate the quota of at least 30% female commi ee members.
responsable: MAF/DoF
4.3 Planned ac vi es on environmental and social safeguards for the next repor ng period
Overall, ESMP and Gender have been mainstreamed in the project implementa on and monitoring at all steps/ac on inputs/ac vi es. As described above, ESMP and gender have been discussed during all planning workshops and for all project interven ons. Also the data to be collected during the implementa on will include ESMP data. Thereby ESMP is mainstreamed into all Project 1 systems.
ESS and Gender specific ac vi es to be carried out in the next annual repor ng period are detailed in the following five ac on inputs along with the iden fied risks, mi ga on measures, safeguards and planned meline.
• Ac on Input 1.7.2.3: “Travel cost for the implementa on of the ESMP and gender ac on plan, including opera on of FGRM.”
o Steps and Outputs: The Na onal and Provincial level implementer will travel to project target loca ons (e.g. FPIC, others) and evalua on on Environment and Social Aspect will be carried out.
o Risks: COVID-19 domes c travel restric ons as well as general corrup on issues have to be considered.
o Mi ga on: Lao Front for Na onal Development (LFND) will collect invoices or bills for actual amounts used.
o Timeline: Q2-4 2021
• Ac on Input 1.7.2.5: “Implementa on of gender ac on plan (integra on of gender aspects in PRAP's, gender-proofing regula ons in VFM/SFM/ FLR, village mee ngs, training material)”
o Steps and Outputs: Lao Women Union (LWU) will par cipate in step implementa on (PLUP, VFM …) and ensure gender ac on plan ac vity can be implemented.
o Risks: Inadequate inclusion of women in the program.
o Mi ga on: Remind organizers to specifically include women in the program.
o Timeline: Q1-4 2021
• Ac on Input 1.7.2.6: “District-level consulta on and training events, FPIC, awareness raising events (15 districts, excluding Houaphan districts, 2 consulta ons per district)”
o Steps and Outputs: The District Level FPIC Team (approximately 4 people) will be established. The training on the FPIC concepts and prac ce in the village will be conducted.
o Risks: High staff turnover among government staff leads to loss of implementa on con nuity and knowledge gaps.
o Mi ga on:
Retrain new staff, not assign almost re red staff to the FPIC Team, record videos during the training for future new staff.
Remind organizers to specifically include Women and Ethnic and Minority Groups staff in the workshops.
o Safeguards:
Ethnic Minority Speakers need to be part of the FPIC Team.
Women need to be part of the FPIC Team, at least 1 woman for each team.
o Timeline: Q1 2021
• Ac on Input 1.7.2.8: “Ini al awareness raising campaigns, consulta on in 100 villages”
o Steps and Outputs: Consulta on Mee ng with Villagers on FPIC o Risks:
Many villages decide not to par cipate in the project.
Implementers might want to par cipate in FPIC discussion.
Loca on in the village is not suitable.
Facilitators might try to convince villagers to par cipate.
Par cipa on in mee ng might be low if villagers are working.
o Mi ga on:
Hold FPIC in local languages, include visual materials.
Explicitly exclude implementers from par cipa on.
Select a suitable place with enough space.
Facilitator needs to be neutral.
Do the mee ng in morning or evening.
Make sure that men's and women's groups (possibly youths) are done.
o Safeguards:
Anonymity in consulta ons needs to be ensured.
Enough women need to par cipate ac vely; make sure that men's and women's groups (possibly youths) are done.
o Timeline: Q1-4 2021
• Ac on Input 1.7.2.11: “Village forest management agreement consulta on in target villages. Total number of villages in Phase 1: 200”
o Risks:
Many villages decide not to par cipate in the project.
Implementers might want to par cipate in FPIC discussion.
Loca on in the village is not suitable.
Facilitators might try to convince villagers to par cipate.
Par cipa on in mee ng might be low if villagers are working.
o Mi ga on:
Hold FPIC in local languages, include visual materials.
Explicitly exclude implementers from par cipa on.
Select a suitable place with enough space.
Facilitator needs to be neutral.
Do the mee ng in morning or evening.
Make sure that men's and women's groups (possibly youths) are done.
o Safeguards:
Anonymity in consulta ons needs to be ensured.
Enough women need to par cipate ac vely; make sure that men's and women's groups (possibly youths) are done.
o Timeline: Q1-4 2021
These ac on inputs associated with Ac on 1.7.2 are specifically planned for 2021, and will be monitored on an ongoing basis as they occur, and as necessary. For example, the district level consulta on and training events will be ini ated following the use of the ESMP checklist, relevant data will be added to the monitoring system as soon as implementa on ends and then included in quarterly repor ng and other regular repor ng.
The specific Safeguards tasks detailed herea er are planned for 2021 and follow the “Project Risk Mi ga- on Approach” Performance Standards 1 and 4 described in the Project’s Funding Proposal. In most cas-es, further explana ons are to be provided in the Environmental and Social Safeguards Monitoring Sys-tem Incep on Report which is planned for April 2021.
Performance Standard 1: Assessment and management of environmental and social risks and impacts
• Task: Conduct baseline socio-economic data collec on in all target site village clusters.
o Remark: Baseline data-collec on has been mainstreamed into processes for different ac- vi es (e.g., Agriculture, Forestry, Land Use Planning) and is integrated into the M&E system and the Cloud database.
o Timeline: Q1 - Q4 2021
• Task: Create an NTFP inventory, including specific surveys for site-specific areas that highlight what is available locally.
o Remark: Details and methodology will be outlined in Environmental and Social Safeguards Monitoring System Incep on Report.
o Timeline: To Be Determined
• Task: Conduct an economic investment survey in site-specific areas, to uncover the extent to which large-scale economic investment is planned in the SEDPs and to assess the impact on land and local environments.
o Remark: Details and methodology will be outlined in Environmental and Social Safeguards Monitoring System Incep on Report.
o Timeline: Q2 - Q4 2021
• Task: Conduct district- and provincial-level rese lement and reloca on surveys to uncover the ex-tent to which villagers may be moved for administra ve or investment purposes (including villages that may lose access to land but will not have to move household buildings).
o Remark: Details and methodology will be outlined in Environmental and Social Safeguards Monitoring System Incep on Report.
o Timeline: Q2 - Q4 2021
• Task: Conduct district staffing levels surveys, including assessing skill levels of district staff and volunteers, and ethnic language capabili es.
o Remark: Details and methodology will be outlined in Environmental and Social Safeguards Monitoring System Incep on Report.
o Timeline: Q2 - Q4 2021
• Task: Create a district project directory, which lists the agriculture and forestry projects in a given area and provides details about beneficiaries and government staff working on each project to aid coordina on and avoid duplica on.
o Remark: District project directory is being finalized.
o Timeline: Q1 2021
• Task: Update provincial land use maps, some of which have not been updated since 1995.
o Remark: An upda ng of maps will be done on village level in conjunc on with Land Use Planning process. No maps on provincial level are needed for the purpose of the project.
o Timeline: Q2 - Q4 2021
Performance Standard 4: Community health, safety and security
• Task: Promote ‘environmentally-friendly’ value chains as part of the project’s work on deforesta- on-free agricultural value chains, raising the awareness of farmers, traders and investors
o Remark: The developed PSAP approach (Promo on of Sustainable and Deforesta on-free Agricultural Prac ces and Value Chains) uses chemical-free agriculture as one of its criteria. ESMP and Gender aspects are mainstreamed in its process.
o Timeline: Q2 - Q4 2021
Provide a list of ac vi es in the ESMP to be implemented in the next repor ng period. Include relevant deliverables such as reports or ac on plans, and other project specific products. Please include the monitoring schedule concerning ESS (including other poten al vulnerable groups and indigenous people) for the next annual repor ng period.
4.4 Planned ac vi es on gender elements for the next repor ng period
To ensure that all ac vi es are conducted with appropriate considera on of gender elements, project owners and implementers will engage the Lao Women’s Union at a district and village level for all ac vi es.
As elements of the FPIC process, and other items related to environmental and social safeguards, are executed on, gender elements will be mainstreamed in all cases. Addi onally, before the ini a on of all project ac vi es, project owners and implementers will u lize the ESMP checklist, which incorporates aspects of the GAP into its safeguards review process. Due to the implementa on of this Checklist, project owners and
implemen ng partners will be reminded and encouraged to increase the par cipa on of women in all project ac vi es, including community mee ngs, in order to match the targets of the indicators.
Furthermore, as a result of the Gender aspects trainings (included withing FPIC trainings) there will be more direct efforts undertaken to ensure that women are both included in mee ngs and are ac ve par cipants in those mee ngs.
Addi onally, as the focus on gender is mainstreamed throughout the project implementa on, gender will be incorporated as a key component of all guidelines developed or updated under the project. Guidelines for Village Forest Management Commi ees are developed (as part of the VFMP guidelines), will be wri en with specific requirements for female representa on, as s pulated in the Gender Ac on Plan. As program implementa on con nues, assessments will consider the poten al for women-led forest patrolling groups, with eventual training and deployment of these women-led forest patrols. Furthermore, gender will be a cri cal component considered in the implementa on of the “Promo on of Sustainable and Deforesta on-free Agricultural Prac ces and Value Chains” (PSAP) approach. As the business skills training curricula are developed, these will be reviewed to ensure compliance with key gender safeguards concepts, recognizing that the business skills training needs for men and women will be different, especially in the project’s target areas.
The safeguards monitoring team’s gender specialist will con nue reviewing project materials to ensure that gender has been sufficiently considered in the project planning and implementa on process, with specific proposals and course correc ons provided, as necessary.
The monitoring team con nues to improve its monitoring framework and database system, ensuring that the gender indicators included in the GAP will remain ac vely mainstreamed into all relevant parts of both the monitoring framework and the database itself (con nuous monitoring). This will, later on, facilita ng smooth repor ng on gender-related indicators, and allow for real- me course correc on to improve the project’s performance along gender axes.
No recommenda ons have been made by the secretariat to improve the level of integra on of gender issues in the project so far.
Provide a list of ac vi es in the gender ac on plan to be implemented in the next repor ng period. Include relevant deliverables such as reports or ac on plans, and other project specific products including processes that will be involved to implement the ac vi es effec vely. Please include the monitoring schedule concerning gender ac vi es for the next annual repor ng period. Report on ac ons taken on any of the recommenda ons made by the secretariat (if applicable) to improve the level of integra on of gender
Provide a list of ac vi es in the gender ac on plan to be implemented in the next repor ng period. Include relevant deliverables such as reports or ac on plans, and other project specific products including processes that will be involved to implement the ac vi es effec vely. Please include the monitoring schedule concerning gender ac vi es for the next annual repor ng period. Report on ac ons taken on any of the recommenda ons made by the secretariat (if applicable) to improve the level of integra on of gender