Vietnam: Central Region Urban Environmental Improvement Project (CRUEIP)

Uzma Hoque 14 November 2011

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do 1 not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Overview of the Presentation

The CRUEIP project, objectives, gender

action plan and results

Challenges Some key learning/ messages

The Project
Objective: Improved urban environment in 6 towns Five Components Gender analysis and action plan: - Recognized womens roles in household and

community sanitation - Targets and strategies to facilitate womens involvement. EA: Ministry of Construction. Provincial Peoples Committee implement at province level.

Gender Action Plan (GAP)

A: Awareness and Pro Poor Sanitation
- VWU responsible for implementation (CMC)

- Training on environmental sanitation for men/women - Training for (URENCO) workers - 50% women in all training activities - 30% women community and neighborhood group members - 75%women beneficiaries of HH sanitation program - Participatory process for community contribution. - Exemption consideration for FHHs

GAP features
B. Drainage and flood protection C. Wastewater and public sanitation IEC targeted to men and women Address different needs of men and women in the design and operation and maintenance (O&M) of wastewater and public sanitation. D. Solid waste management IEC to improve men and womens awareness and practice, and payment of monthly sanitation fees. Womens concerns addressed in URENCOs

GAP features
E. Implementation assistance and institutional strengthening Gender awareness training for all staff/partners Use of gender-sensitive indicators for implementation and monitoring. Ensure the resettlement plan is gender responsive. Leadership training for female URENCO staff.

The Project Results

Loan Outputs

Gender Equality Results

A. Awareness High levels of womens participation ( 67%-90%) on sanitation 75% women trained in management skills (24 women and 8 men). 67% women trained in sanitation (30 women and 15 men). 74% women trained on management and IEC methods . 12,000 students received school/community based training on sanitation. 90% women CMC members; participated in CBS boards of management. All directors of community management committees were female 89% of urban motivators were women.

The Project Results

Loan Outputs

Gender Equality Results

A. Awareness Increased participation of women in decisionon sanitation making at commune and ward levels. Increased capacity of VWU in planning, management and monitoring. More middle aged men participating in meetings and training on sanitation. Over 75% of credit recipients of HH sanitation improvements were women. Women received loans to build toilets and septic tanks. FHH exempted from cost recovery for O&M

The Project Results

Loan Outputs B. Drainage and flood protection C. Wastewater and public sanitation Gender Equality Results
Women participated in consultations on wastewater, public sanitation and solid waste management.

VWU participated in monitoring the quality of construction activities.

VWU involved in resettlement planning meetings and implementation ensured special consideration for FHH including extra compensation and land titles.

D. Solid waste management

Gender training for ward leaders and community members.

Re-design of hand-carts and garbage cans to make them lighter for women. New technology so that garbage cans do not require to be manually lifted by

women garbage collectors. Female waste pickers received gloves and protective gear Urban environmental company (URENCO), women garbage collectors participated in gender, HIV and safety training.

The Project Results

Loan Outputs
E. Implementation assistance and institutional strengthening

Gender Equality Results

Capacity of VWU increased; reinforcement of

VWUs role and profile in the community and in government institutions. URENCOs, community leaders, program management unit (PMU) and CMCs trained on gender issues; increased understanding by URENCOs, community leaders, PMUs and CMCs of gender issues in urban environmental, sanitation and health. Data on womens participation collected and reported.

Challenges
Delay and slow disbursement of funds delayed

implementation in some areas.

Increase of womens time burden- better balance

of men and women in community activities

Key learning/ messages

Importance of gender analysis: ensured strategies were relevant and effective. Quality GAP : well targeted, clearly linked to outputs, practical for EAs and built on lessons learnt from other WSS projects. Targets for womens participation.

Key learning/ messages

Capacity building of

implementers and ownership of GAP.

GAP updated using a

participatory approach: concrete targets, guidelines and step by step implementation plans.
Gender Specialists to support

implementation.

Key learning/ messages

Consistent Monitoring of the GAP: sex

disaggregated data.
GAP included as a loan covenant/

assurance

 In Ha Tinh Mme Van, an elderly widow and mother of four

children received a loan to build a toilet and a drain was constructed alongside her home. She received training from the Womens Union on sanitation and managing her loan.
She said the training improved her understanding of sanitation

and how this contributes to good health. Her new toilet has improved household sanitation and the drain prevents her backyard from flooding which has improved her living conditions. She is proud of her new toilet and her ability to borrow and successfully repay the loan.

THANK YOU