Description

Introduction

This special evaluation study assesses implementation effectiveness of ADB's 1998 Policy on Gender and Development (GAD) through an analysis of its relevance, responsiveness, and results to date. The evaluation is designed to be conducted in two phases. Phase I, covered in this report, is based mainly on a desk review of about 500 related documents, supplemented by interviews with gender focal points in ADB headquarters.

Phase II (scheduled in 2010) will examine Policy implementation from the point of view of ADB's resident missions, developing member countries (DMCs), and other stakeholders through selected field studies. This Policy, its operationalization measures, and the evolution of ADB's strategic agenda culminating in the adoption of the Long-Term Strategic Framework of the Asian Development Bank (2008-2020) or Strategy 2020, set the context for this evaluation on ADB's support for GAD over 1998 to 2008.

Summary of assessments

The study assesses the Policy as relevant at the time of its approval and remains relevant for ADB's current operations and DMC development challenges. Strategy 2020 incorporates gender equity as one of the drivers of inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth. Related indicators such as the gender-related development index, adult female literacy, and enrolment in primary, secondary, and tertiary education from 1998 to 2007, show that DMCs have made progress in gender equality and women's empowerment, since the Policy came into effect. Yet, significant gender gaps and disparities exist today, which makes the continued focus on GAD a strategic imperative for ADB.

Change in ADB's operational priorities in the last 5 years has drawn attention to a gap between the applicability of the Policy and Strategy 2020's emphasis on five core sectors. The implementation of the Policy in many of these core sectors that is to account for 80% of ADB's annual assistance is limited (with exception to education, selected rural infrastructure, and microfinance component of the financial sector). Also, targets set in the ADB's Results Framework have not yet addressed the intended outcomes of the Policy. Hence, there needs to be a shift from input-cum-process orientation to a more outcome orientation in the implementation of the Policy.

The study evaluates ADB's responsiveness to the Policy as modest, and the results, based on the relatively small number of completed GAD projects, are likely modest.

Key lessons

Main factors influencing gender achievements in regional departments. These include:

1. reorganization and realignments at ADB that resulted in reassignments of the then existing staffing and skills levels, and between 2005 and 2008, ADB had two gender specialists;
2. uneven levels of influence of country gender assessments on the country planning and programming exercise;
3. type of lending sources and modalities including program loans;
4. the amount of technical assistance distribution, especially the GAD advisory technical assistance portfolio that is skewed towards Southeast Asia and Central and West Asia departments, which account for 65% in number of activities and 71% in volume; and
5. the availability of gender specialists in resident missions.

Based on the gender achievements between 1998 and 2008, there is an increased recognition of the need for a two-tracked gender mainstreaming approach—sustain efforts in sectors where ADB has a strong track record and strengthen efforts and resources to deepen experience in areas such as infrastructure, including energy and transport.

Institutional actions indispensable to support policy pronouncements. The primary reason for the recent decline in the number of Category I (gender equity thematic classification) and Category II (effective gender mainstreaming) projects after its peak in 2003 has been the shift towards large-scale infrastructure and private sector projects combined with an under-reporting of project components. However, it is also no coincidence that this decline corresponds with the period when the number of gender specialists within ADB and its regional departments also declined, due in part to the reorganization and in part to staff movements. With greater attention to providing support, guidance, and training to operational staff, more might have been accomplished in achieving the Policy’s aims and promoting GAD. There is a need to provide incentives to best performing project teams and/or departments and increase the level of support for mainstreaming gender, both at headquarters and in resident missions.

Categorizing projects into four types and introducing gender action plans has been a pragmatic and innovative approach. This approach has enabled disaggregating gender mainstreaming into concrete activities and guided implementation of the gender design features of programs and projects. At the same time, once a project is approved, appropriate implementation procedures must be put in place to incorporate GAD into standard project supervision and monitoring and evaluation tools that ADB presently uses.

Recommendations

Phase I provides three recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the Policy:

1. Improve outcome orientation of GAD goals and their monitoring and evaluation,
2. Provide clarity to operationalize GAD goals in ADB operations in the context of Strategy 2020, and
3. Ensure adequate financial and human resources to support implementation of the Policy.

Related links

• ADB Policy on Gender and Development
• Strategy 2020

Contents

• Executive Summary
• I. Introduction and Background
• II. Methodology
• III. Relevance
• IV. Responsiveness
• V. Results
• VI. Conclusions
• Appendixes
• Supplementary Appendix