Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the first issue of SeaGen Waves — a newsletter highlighting the gender and development initiatives and activities of the Southeast Asia Regional Department. This "maiden" issue focuses on the social sectors. Future issues will feature different themes with reports and articles on gender-related activities in infrastructure, agriculture, governance and finance. We hope future issues will feature guest editors from different SERD divisions.
SeaGen Waves was conceived over a year ago when we noticed that various gender initiatives and activities were being designed or under implementation across SERD. Few of us had any knowledge of these, the results, or their impacts. The time was ripe for a newsletter. Such a newsletter would provide a mechanism for reporting some of these activities and sharing knowledge, experiences, lessons, and challenges across sectors and divisions.
SeaGen Waves has been an interesting process. It started with only a few case studies and has expanded to include more than 15 different initiatives. Each captures the essence of the project and the actions included to mainstream gender into program and project work. The process of developing this newsletter has brought together professional and support staff from different sectors, each with different experiences and expertise.
SeaGen Waves showcases our initiatives to promote gender equality and women's empowerment within the Southeast Asia Regional Department (SERD). It is a useful tool to disseminate and share information as well as to enhance our visibility as a regional department actively working to improve the lives of women and girls in our region.
SeaGen Waves celebrates the efforts of the SERD staff in making
gender mainstreaming a reality in our operations. It is also a demonstration of our commitment to achieving gender equality and women's empowerment in our region.
Anupma Jain
Social Sector Specialist
Social Sectors Division
SeaGen Waves would not have been possible without the support of the Project Team leaders and contributions from the following individuals: Shireen Lateef, Barbara Lochmann, Januar Hakim, Karin Schelzig-Bloom, Arlene de Guzman-Bacasmas, Ma. Elena Roces, and Maricel Bolado.
A Young Jingpo woman from a small southwestern Yunnan village in People's Republic of China contracts HIV/AIDS after receiving a blood transfusion. She purchased blood on the black market for an operation. She finds comfort after telling her family and friends that she has been infected with HIV/AIDS. This radio drama presented in a local ethnic language was produced under an ADB and UNESCO supported ICT and HIV AIDS Prevention project in cross border areas of Greater Mekong Subregion.
 A new residential facility for secondary school girls was inaugurated in Siem Reap on 30 March 2007. The ceremony was attended by the Governor of Siem Reap, the Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MOEYS), the Secretary of State, Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA), two ADB Board Directors, the Country Director and two local television stations. The construction of Dormitories and Learning Centers for Secondary Schoolgirls is supported by an ADB project financed under the Poverty Reduction Fund.
 Access to water supply and sanitation has a significant impact on the lives of women and girls. In most countries, women and girls are the primary collectors and users of water. In Lao PDR, women and young girls spend up to an average of 2-3 hours daily collecting and carting water. Improved access to clean and safe water means girls no longer have to spend hours collecting water. It means girls get a chance to attend school. The Northern and Central Regions Water Supply and Sanitation Project responds to the water and sanitation needs of women and girls.
The number of street children increased almost four-fold in Indonesia's urban areas after the Asian Financial Crisis. A 1999 survey of 12 cities found that girls make up 20 percent of Indonesia's estimated 170,000 street children. Yet, programs for street children have often concentrated on boys. Recognizing that girl street children are exposed to greater risk of sexual exploitation and extremely vulnerable to falling victim of unfortunate circumstances, ADB prepared a project targeted at supporting girl street children. The project has assisted more than 950 girls. It focuses on problems of sexual abuse, teenage prostitution, and teenage pregnancy through provision of nonformal education and integrated health services for girl street children.
 November 2006 was women's education month in SERD. Three education loan projects were approved for Indonesia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam. All 3 projects are designed with significant gender dimensions. Each has a strong focus on providing educational access and opportunities for females. The projects target the supply and demand-side issues for girls in both basic and senior secondary education.
Why are young women more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS?
Young women are more vulnerable to HIV and are at a higher risk of infection due to biological and socio-cultural factors. Social structures and cultural values that support and, to some extent, promote traditional gender relations exacerbate women's susceptibility to the virus. Poverty and lack of economic opportunities can drive young women into the sex trade. The sex-entertainment industry including clubs, karaoke and beer bars are expanding rapidly. They create income options for women while simultaneously increasing their risk of contracting HIV. The HIV Prevention and Youth project in Viet Nam is supporting behaviour change and communication among youth with special focus on young women's vulnerability and risk towards HIV transmission.
 The Cambodia gender policy in agriculture was launched in March 2006, by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), H.E. Chan Sarun, at an Annual Conference on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries chaired by the Prime Minister. The agriculture gender policy recognizes the pivotal role of women in agriculture. The policy was prepared under an ADB technical assistance linked to the Agriculture Sector Development Program and was a result of close collaboration between MAFF and the Ministry of Women's Affairs. The Policy was developed following extensive community consultations in Kompong Cham, Kompong Som, Battambang and Kratie provinces. As a result, gender issues were incorporated in the Government's Agricultural Sector Strategic Development Plan for 2006-2007.
ADB participated in two joint-donor gender assessments in Indonesia and Viet Nam. In Indonesia, the ADB, the Asia Foundation, the CIDA, the National Democratic Institute, and the World Bank partnered with the State Ministry for Women's Empowerment to prepare a multi-donor country gender assessment. The gender assessment provides an overview of the gender situation and contains information on four main themes—gender and decentralization, women in political decision-making, violence against women, and migration and women. Indonesia: Country Gender Assessment
In Viet Nam, the gender assessment was funded by the World Bank, ADB, DFID and CIDA. It provides an analysis of priority gender issues and forms the basis for policy dialogue with the Government of Viet Nam. The report identifies key priority areas for support and areas for further analytical work, advisory services, partnerships, and project activities. Viet Nam: Country Gender Assessment
 On 21 November 2006, Viet Nam's National Assembly passed the Law on Gender Equality. Women's rights and gender equality are embedded in many of the Government's policies, including its constitution. Women's representation in Viet Nam's national assembly is one of the highest in the region. Viet Nam has virtually achieved universal primary education and is on track to meet most of the MDGs. Despite these impressive achievements, gender gaps and inequalities remain across regions and ethnic groups. The Gender Equality law prepared with ADB assistance aims to respond to discrimination and inequality.
…think about the last time you took a trip. Chances are, at some point you were greeted, served or sold something by a woman. If you strolled through a morning or evening market, you probably haggled with a girl-child or woman to save a mere 50˘ or $1 on those incense sticks, embroidered hand bags or cushion covers. You probably never stopped to consider the impact of your presence and behavior as a tourist on the daily life of that female. Tourism presents both opportunities and risks for women. The GMS Mekong Tourism project in Lao PDR is promoting socially responsible and gender responsive tourism.
 We've all heard of the "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood." In this sisterhood, there are no major Hollywood stars. The stars are women from Mindanao, from Siem Reap and Kampong Chhnang. Women resource centers in the Philippines and Cambodia are "one-stop" resource centers for female entrepreneurs. The Mindanao resource centers are located next to public markets and provide washing, storage and refrigeration facilities for women vendors. They also provide training for female market vendors in livelihood and basic business skills. The Cambodia women development centers aim to increase women’s access to social and economic development opportunities through skills training, marketing services and micro-enterprise development support. Both projects are supported under the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.
 Increasing women's participation in local representative bodies requires changing public mindset, challenging traditional views, and strengthening women's capacity to play a public role. In 2003, legislation was enacted allowing each participating political party to nominate candidates for the national parliament and the local parliament for each electoral district, with at least 30% female representation. The Gender Responsive Public Policy Administration TA project aimed to assist regional governments increase women's participation in political decision-making through capacity building in areas of citizenship education, gender responsive governance and budget literacy training.
Useful Links and New Publications
ADB. 2006. Gender, Law, and Policy in ADB Operations: A Tool Kit. Manila.
ADB, UNDP, and UNESCAP. 2006. Pursuing Gender Equality through the Millennium Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific. Manila.
Hunt, J., and Kheng, S. 2006. Gender Equality Results in ADB Projects: Cambodia Country Report. Manila: ADB. Report features reviews of ongoing and completed loan projects: (i) Northwestern Rural Development Project, (ii) Commune Council Development Project, and (iii) Health Sector Support Project.
Thatun, S. 2006. "Mekong sub-region committed to ending trafficking*." Forced Migration Review, 25.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. 2006. Trafficking in Persons—Global Patterns*.
ADB Gender Network News.
Country Gender Assessments
Sectoral Gender Checklists
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