Gender and Development

Bangladesh

Loan 1831-BAN: Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project II, 2001¹

Background:

Since 90% of the poor people in Bangladesh live in rural areas, agricultural and rural development are critical for poverty reduction. The need for physical infrastructure for water is fundamental for improving income generating opportunities from agricultural and fishery production, from access to public water bodies, and from relevant non-agricultural activities that engage the poor.

Developing community-based water management associations (WMAs) and community-managed, small-scale infrastructure such as embankments, sluice gates, and canals proved to be an effective means to reduce rural poverty in ADB's first Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project (SSWRDSP) implemented from 1996-2002 in North West Bangladesh. SSWRDSP II is based on lessons learned in the first project and on participatory water resource development. It will be implemented using a sector approach in 300 subprojects in 61 districts of the country benefiting between 180,000-200,000 hectares of land cultivated by 280,000 households containing 1.7 million people.

SSWRDSP II is classified as a poverty intervention loan with economic growth thematic classification targeted to small-holder farmers and the landless poor.

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Objectives and Scope:

The overall goal of SSWRDSP II is to support the Government's poverty reduction efforts by increasing sustainable agricultural and fishery production. The objective is to develop sustainable, stakeholder-driven, small-scale water resource management systems especially for the poor. The project consists of two main components:

1. Participatory Water Resource Development: Stakeholders' involvement will be supported by 300 small-scale water resource subprojects. WMAs will be established and given substantial institutional support to oversee construction and to take over the responsibility for operations and management. Support for productive engagement in agriculture and fisheries will be provided. The subcomponents are
   1. mobilization of beneficiary participation
   2. community-based infrastructure development
   3. water resources oriented support programs
   4. monitoring and quality control
2. Institutional Strengthening of Small Scale Water Resource Sector: Capacity of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and other concerned organizations will be strengthened to effectively participate in small-scale water resource development. The subcomponents are
   1. support for project management
   2. capacity building for sustainable management

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Framework for GAD Activities:

Gender in the water sector does not simply involve access to water for better health, sanitation, nutrition and increased household productivity. It also involves questions of rights, responsibilities, and participation at all levels. When women do not participate in water management, they are excluded from efforts to protect this vital natural resource.

The broad framework for GAD activities under SSWRDSP II includes:

• improving women's participation as members or leaders of WMAs
• assessing women's needs and establishing mechanisms to support them; creating a gender supportive environment within LGED and in the communities; collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data disaggregated by gender
• gender sensitive training modules and training of female field staff
• women participating in governance related to water

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Gender Inclusive Design

During the design of SSWRDSP II, specific gender interventions were identified under each component based on stakeholder consultations. Subsequently during project implementation, a gender specialist was recruited to develop a detailed gender strategy and implementation plan. Since 300 subprojects will be implemented over a period of 6 years, gender activities were identified and planned on a phase-by-phase basis for all activities at various stages and levels. The consultant and the BRM gender specialist worked closely in these endeavors. The gender implementation plan will be finalized at a workshop with the participation of LGED staff and advisors by December 2003.

1. Subproject Identification and Feasibility:
• Procedures identified for women's participation in subproject activities
• Recruitment of female staff for the PRA team for needs assessments
• Training of the PRA team on gender issues
• Separate consultations with village women's groups
• Collection, analysis, and reporting of data disaggregated by gender
• Training of local union council chairman and members on gender issues
2. Design and Institutional Arrangements:
• Recruitment and training of NGO facilitators on gender issues
• 1/3 female representation in the by-laws drafting committee for WMAs
• Gender disaggregated needs assessment to develop appropriate mitigation measures for groups of fisherfolk likely to be negatively affected
• 1/3 female membership representing women farmers, fisherwomen, landless women and women laborers in WMAs
• Clarification of women's roles in WMAs
• A memorandum of understanding signed with the Department of Women's Affairs for regular support for training and monitoring at the field level. Women's participation in pond fisheries, tree plantation, duck rearing, and vegetable gardening to be promoted through training and access to productive resources provided by extension services
3. Subproject Implementation:
• 1/3 female members in project implementation committees
• Separate beneficiary list for female-headed households
• Identify model gender and development subprojects
4. Construction and First Year's Operations and Management:
• Review LCS guidelines and establish woman-only groups for earthworks
• Training of trainers on gender issues
• Gender inclusive training modules, materials, and handouts for all capacity building activities of the project
• Supervision of work and wage differentials between men and women
• 1/3 female members in O & M Committees
• Training for all female and male members of WMAs on O & M
• Mitigation and compensation measures to consider women's needs. Special mitigation measures for women to support alternative livelihoods including training in agriculture, fisheries, vegetable, and seed cultivation
• Identify indicators and checklist questions for gender reporting under the O&M information system
5. Communication:
• SSWRDSP II orientation film
• Quarterly newsletter
• Translation of the LGED Gender Strategy into Bengali
• Inform staff about LGED Gender Strategy
6. Project Management Support: A short-term international gender consultant has been recruited with loan funds to assist with (i) identification, analysis, and compilation of gender issues; (ii) developing a strategy and guidelines to ensure women's participation in the water sector project; and (iii) designing training programs for male and female water user groups to prepare a gender sensitive training program. A domestic gender consultant will also be recruited for the project management unit to guide and monitor the implementation of gender activities.

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Guidance on GAD Activities:

As a first step, the project staff participated in developing the gender equity strategy of LGED supported by the Netherlands Embassy. During this process, gender issues in the water sector were identified based on the gender action plan developed under SSWRDSP I.

Subsequently, a gender strategy was developed under SSWRDSP II in line with the gender strategy of LGED. Since the strategy provided only broad guidelines for gender integration, the BRM gender specialist recommended developing a gender implementation plan that would include simple guidelines for the field staff on their roles in implementation.

During loan implementation, the project's gender specialist in consultation with the BRM gender specialist developed a detailed gender Implementation plan outlining specific activities to be undertaken to address gender issues at various stages of project implementation. The close collaboration between the BRM and project gender specialists will continue throughout project implementation.