Gender and Development

Bangladesh

The growth potential of the urban sector in Bangladesh is severely undermined by frequent flooding. Most urban centers suffer from erosion and destruction of physical infrastructure caused by river flooding and water logging. Flooding is a perennial problem and the urban areas are more prone to economic and human losses due to high density of population and industrial sites. Lack of flood protection and inadequate drainage facilities lead to water logging and overflowing of latrines, and cause widespread environmental degradation and deplorable unsanitary living conditions.

Objectives and Scope

The Secondary Towns Integrated Flood Protection Project Phase II was approved on 2 December 2004 for $80 million, it was designed to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in nine district towns in Bangladesh through integrated flood protection. The integrated approach combines river protection works with drainage and basic municipal services. Poverty reduction is a strategic objective in all project components in order to maximize employment during construction, to develop skills for operation and maintenance and to build roads and make basic services available in deprived areas. The Project has four components:

1. Flood Protection Works: Either new facilities will be built or existing facilities will be upgraded including flood embankments, reinforced concrete flood walls, drainage regulators, and river training or bank protection works.



2. Urban Drainage System Improvement: Improvements will be made to the existing drainage works in each town to reduce flooding in low-lying urban areas and improve environmental conditions by removing polluted water which breeds disease. The main construction will include large lined drains and open unlined drainage outfalls. Many small structures such as road culverts and bridges will be constructed throughout the drainage system.



3. Urban Environmental Improvement: Environmental improvement works will include solid waste management including sanitary landfill sites and composting facilities; installation of sanitary latrines for sanitation improvement; and slum improvement activities.



4. Capacity Building and Implementation Assistance: Assistance will be provided for project management, detailed design of the various investment components for each town, and construction supervision and quality control of the works; support for urban governance improvement; and, assistance to implement the slum improvement activities.

Framework for Gender and Development Activities

Forty percent of the households in the nine district towns live below the poverty line with an average income of $65 per month. Households living under hard core poverty with less than $53 per month concentrate in overcrowded slum areas. Between 7-30% of the households living under hard core poverty are headed by women. These households are interested in employment opportunities, decent wages and quick clearance of rainwater and floodwater to mitigate the loss of workdays. Besides employment and income opportunities, women are also concerned about shelter for their families and animals, children’s access to schools as well as access to health care facilities especially during floods.

Gender-Inclusive Design

Two main Executive Agencies, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), have become gender responsive institutions as a result of gender action plans (GAPs) implemented under previous ADB-funded infrastructure projects. The component-wise GAP developed during the design phase of this new project replicates lessons learned on gender mainstreaming under the Third Rural Infrastructure Development Project, Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project and Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement Project. Key actions under the GAP include:

1. Flood Protection Works:
• consulting with women for land acquisition and settlement
• providing special compensation packages for women
• including female ward commissioners and citizens in resettlement activities
• providing employment opportunities for poor women (50%) in flood protection earthworks


2. Urban Drainage Improvement System:
• promotion of wage parity between men and women in construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure
• skills training for men and women in construction and operations and maintenance works
• organizing labor contracting societies with female membership
• employing 100% women in tree plantation and routine maintenance work


3. Urban Environmental Improvement:
• raising awareness among women and other stakeholders about their roles in solid waste management
• organizing periodic campaigns and orientation activities on proper disposal of solid waste
• organizing ward based rallies for awareness on environment, sanitation and hygiene
• promoting women’s participation in sanitation programs as motivators
• allowing sanitation program completion certificates to be signed by women
• ensuring location of public toilets suit women’s needs
• including a suitable clause in lease deeds to include women in management


4. Capacity Building and Implementation Assistance:
• engaging women as staff consultants and facilitators
• providing an orientation for BWDB, LGED and Pourashava officials on the Project GAP
• ensuring women’s representation in all decision-making committees
• providing women’s access to the poverty reduction fund, slum infrastructure and community empowerment activities
• providing skills training for women (50%)
• raising awareness among displaced, migrant and floating people about the risks of human trafficking and child labor
• advocating environmental sanitation and women’s health
• involving women in motivational activities for tax collection and resource mobilization
• improving Executing Agency and Project Implementing Units’ capacities to collect gender-disaggregated data and establish gender-based monitoring, evaluation and reporting under the project

Guidance on Gender and Development Activities

The ADB Bangladesh National Gender Officer will continue to liaise with BWDB and LGED to ensure the proper implementation and monitoring of the Project GAP which is covenanted under the loan agreement.