Countries and Regions

	Table of Contents
p. 13 of 20 BACK | NEXT I. Country Performance Assessment II. Country Operational Strategy III. Sector Strategies A. Infrastructure B. Social Infrastructure and Environment C. ADB’s State-level Operations D. Governance Dimensions of ADB Operations E. Gender Dimensions of ADB Operations F. Private Sector Operations IV. Regional Cooperation V. Donor Activities and Aid Coordination VI. Cofinancing and Catalyzing External Resources VII. ADB’s Operational Program VIII. Economic and Sector Work Program IX. Local Cost Financing

Country Assistance Plans - India : III. Sector Strategies

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E. Gender Dimensions of ADB Operations

75. ADB's Gender and Development (GAD) Policy approved in 1998 calls for gender mainstreaming, with emphasis on economic and sector work and policy dialogue on gender issues. Through policy dialogue, ADB can ascertain the policies and programs of the developing member countries (DMCs) on GAD and assess the respective areas of concern. The Government of India accords increasing importance to gender dimension, and has made the empowerment of women as one of the nine primary objectives of its Ninth Plan. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments have also created a third tier of governance comprising elected bodies in rural and urban areas as a starting point for effective decentralization of development, and contain specific provisions to ensure increased participation of women in decision making.

76. There are several venues through which ADB is directing its efforts to support the Government's policies and to assist in mainstreaming gender issues. First, as part of the Madhya Pradesh Public Resource Management Program Loan (approved in 1999) a detailed socio-economic analysis of public sector employees was undertaken as a basis for the design of the social safety net. The analysis covered gender, age distribution, educational background, professional experience, and profile of dependents, enabling suitably targeted intervention particularly on education and training support. This loan also fosters expenditure reallocation to social services, particularly health and education, which will mainly benefit women in rural areas, through enhanced access to rural health facilities, and primary school children (particularly girls and ethnic groups which are disadvantaged by severe gender disparity in literacy) due to improved sustainability of the primary education program. ADB is also providing support through the TA on Capacity Building for Social Development (approved in December 1999) which inter alia strengthens the Government's capacity to undertake gender analysis during the crucial project preparatory stage. To further strengthen ADB's support for social sector development, in the context of the review of ADB's COS a social sector profile/gender study will be undertaken. Although, as earlier noted (see para.12), Kerala has relatively low gender disparity, ADB's policy dialogue with the state government in the context of the proposed public resource management program will stress the need for equality of access to economic and social opportunities and sustainability of effective utilization. Support for decentralization and improvement in local governance will also assist state government efforts for greater empowerment of women.

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