BHUTAN Ministry of Health (MOH) Additional Financing to COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND HEALTH SYSTEMS PREPAREDNESS PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) February , 2022 1|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN 1. The Kingdom of Bhutan (the Recipient) will implement the Bhutan: Additioanal Financing to COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project (the Project), with the involvement of the Ministry of Health (MOH). The International Development Association (the Association) has agreed to provide financing for the AF Project. 2. The MOH shall carry out the Project in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). To this end, this Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) sets out material measures and actions to be carried out or caused to be carried out by the MOH, including the timeframes of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring and reporting arrangements, grievance management and the environmental and social assessments and instruments to be prepared or updated, disclosed, consulted, adopted and implemented under the ESCP and the ESSs, all in a manner acceptable to the Association. 3. Implementation of the material measures and actions set out in this ESCP shall be monitored and reported to the Association by MOH as required by the ESCP and the provisions of the Financing Agreement. 4. As agreed by the Association and the MOH, this ESCP may be revised from time to time during Project implementation, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes and unforeseen circumstances or in response to assessment of Project performance conducted under the ESCP itself. In such circumstances, the Recipient shall update the ESCP to reflect the agreed-upon changes. Agreement on changes to the ESCP shall be documented through an exchange of letters signed between the Association and the Recipient. The Recipient shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 5. Where Project changes, unforeseen circumstances, or Project performance result in changes to the risks and impacts during Project implementation, the MOH shall provide additional funds, if needed, to implement actions and measures to address such risks and impacts. 2|Page NAME OF PROJECT: MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY MONITORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING: Prepare and submit to the Association regular monitoring Half Yearly (every six months) throughout Ministry of Health (MOH), reports on the environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) performance of the the Project implementation period. hereinafter the Implementing Project, including but not limited to, stakeholder engagement activities and Agency (IA) grievances log. B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS: Promptly notify the Association of any incident or Notify the Bank within 24 hours after IA accident related to the Project which has, or is likely to have, a significant adverse learning of the incident or accident A effect on the environment, the affected communities, the public or workers, report would be provided within 72 hours including, inter alia, any COVID outbreak in the Project area. Provide sufficient on the incident detail regarding the incident or accident, indicating immediate measures taken or that are planned to be taken to address it, and any information provided by any contractor and supervising entity, as appropriate. Subsequently, as per the Association’s request, prepare a report on the incident or accident and propose any measures to prevent its recurrence. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The MOH shall establish and maintain a PIU with MOH already deployed qualified staff, IA qualified staff and resources to support management of ESHS risks and impacts of including and E&S specialist, and the Project including an environmental and social specialist. resources under parent project. These staff will be retained throughout the implementation of the Project. 3|Page NAME OF PROJECT: MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT/MANAGEMENT PLANS AND a. ESMF of the parent project had been IA INSTRUMENTS/ CONTRACTORS updated for the AF and will be a. Assess the environmental and social risks and impacts of proposed Project adopted before any Bank supported activities, in accordance with the Environmental and Social Management activities under this AF commence . Framework (ESMF) to be prepared, disclosed, consulted, and adopted for the Environmental and social assessment Project, the ESSs, the Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs), and related to vaccine financing shall be other relevant Good International Industry Practice (GIIP), including relevant conducted before the WHO guidelines. commencement of the relevant b. Prepare, disclose, consult, adopt and implement any environmental and social Project activities. management plans (e.g. health-care waste management plans), instruments or other measures required for the respective Project activities based on the b. Plans/instruments shall be prepared, assessment process, in accordance with the ESSs, the ESMF, the EHSGs, and disclosed, consulted and adopted other relevant Good International Industry Practice (GIIP), including relevant before the commencement of the WHO guidelines to, inter alia, ensure access to and allocation of Project relevant Project activities, and benefits in a fair, equitable and inclusive manner, taking into account the needs thereafter implemented throughout of individuals or groups who, because of their particular circumstances, may be the carrying out of such activities. disadvantaged or vulnerable , including, as relevant, with regards to vaccines. c. Incorporate the relevant aspects of this ESCP, including, inter alia, the ESMF, c. The relevant ESHS measures shall be any environmental and social management plans or other instruments, ESS2 incorporated into the procurement requirements, and any other required ESHS measures, into the ESHS documents before launching the specifications of the procurement documents and contracts with contractors procurement process for the relevant and supervising firms. Thereafter ensure that the contractors and supervising Project activities and shall thereafter firms comply with the ESHS specifications of their respective contracts. complied with in the course of such d. Adopt procedures, protocols and/or other measures to ensure Project activities. beneficiaries that receive vaccines under the Project do so under a program that does not include forced vaccination and is acceptable to the Bank, as set d. Before the commencement of the out in the ESMF. relevant Project activities, and thereafter implemented in the course of such activities. 4|Page NAME OF PROJECT: MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 1.3 EXCLUSIONS: Exclude the following types of activities as ineligible for financing During the assessment process IA under the Project: conducted under action 1.2.a. above. • Activities that may cause long term, permanent and/or irreversible adverse environmental or social impacts. • All the other excluded activities set out in the ESMF of the Project. 1.4. CONTINGENT EMERGENCY RESPONSE FINANCING a) The adoption of the CERC in form and IA Responsible for CERC a. Ensure that the Contingent Emergency Response Implementation Plan (CERC) substance acceptable to the Bank is a includes a description of the ESHS assessment and management arrangements withdrawal condition under Section E of for the implementation of CERC in accordance with the ESSs. Schedule 2 of the Financing Agreement/ Loan Agreement for the Project. b. arrangements for the implementation of CERC Component in accordance with the ESSs b) The E&S management plans or instruments shall be prepared, disclosed, c. Prepare, disclose, consult and adopt any environmental and social (E&S) consulted, and thereafter adopted before management plans or instruments which may be required for activities under the commencement of the relevant CERC component of the Project, in accordance with the CERC and the ESSs, and Project activities under CERC component. thereafter implement the measures and actions required under said E&S The E&S management plans or management plans or instruments, within the timeframes specified in said E&S instruments shall be implemented in management plans or instruments. accordance with their terms, throughout Project implementation. ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT: The Project shall be carried out in accordance with the Throughout Project implementation. IA and Contractor(s) applicable requirements of ESS2 including through, inter alia, implementing adequate occupational health and safety measures (including personal protective equipment, and emergency preparedness and response measures), setting out grievance mechanisms for Project workers, and incorporating labor requirements into the ESHS specifications of the procurement documents and contracts with contractors and supervising firms. 2.2 Labor Management Procedure (LMP): The LMP prepared for the parent project will LMP of the parent project had been IA to be updated to reflect the AF. updated to reflect the AF. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 5|Page NAME OF PROJECT: MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 3.1. Relevant aspects of this standard shall be considered, as needed, under action 1.2 Throughout Project implementation. IA above, including, inter alia, measures to: carry out the purchase, storage, transportation and handling of vaccines (including, ultra-cold chain management) in a safe manner and in accordance with the EHSGs, and other relevant GIIP including relevant WHO guidelines; and adequately manage and dispose of health care wastes (including, vaccines) and other types of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY 4.1 COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY: Throughout Project implementation. IA Relevant aspects of this standard shall be considered, as needed, under action 1.2 above including, inter alia, measures to: minimize the potential for community exposure to communicable diseases; establish and implement appropriate quality management systems to manage the risks and the impacts that services provided and activities carried out under the Project may have on community health and safety; manage the risks of the use of security personnel; manage the risks of labor influx; manage the risk of life and fire safety, and prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment. 6|Page NAME OF PROJECT: 4.2 USE OF MILITARY OR SECURITY PERSONNEL: While use of military or security a) Assessment carried out in the same IA personnel is not anticipated, in the event that they do need to be engaged for timeframe than action 1.2 a) above and Project activities, the following measures shall be adopted to ensure that the any required measures shall be adopted engagement of Security Personnel in the implementation of Project activities is before deploying security personnel under carried out in accordance with the ESSs: the Project and thereafter implemented throughout Project implementation. a. Assess the risks and impacts of engagement of the Security Personnel, as part of the assessment referred to in action 1.2 a) above, and implement measures to manage such risks and impacts, guided by the principles of proportionality b), c) and d) before deploying security and GIIP, and by applicable law, in relation to hiring, rules of conduct, training, personnel under the Project and equipping, and monitoring of such Security Personnel; thereafter throughout Project implementation. b. Adopt and enforce standards, protocols and codes of conduct for the selection and use of security personnel, and screen such personnel to verify that they e) and f) as set out under actions 10.1 and have not engaged in past unlawful or abusive behavior, including sexual 10.2 respectively. exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment (SH) or excessive use of force; [g) within the timeframes requested by c. Ensure that PIU enters into a memorandum of understanding (MoU), with the the Association. home ministry and relevant Security Unit, setting out the arrangements for the engagement of the security personnel under the Project, including compliance with the relevant requirements of this ESCP; d. Ensure that such personnel is adequately instructed and trained, prior to deployment and on a regular basis, on the use of force and appropriate conduct (including in relation to civilian-military engagement, SEA and SH, and other relevant areas), as set out in the ESMF. e. Ensure that the stakeholder engagement activities under the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) include a communication strategy on the involvement of security personnel under the Project; f. Ensure that any concerns or grievances regarding the conduct of security personnel are received, monitored, documented (taking into account the need to protect confidentiality), resolved through the Project’s grievance mechanism (see action 10.2 below) and reported to the Association no later than 30 days after being received. 7|Page NAME OF PROJECT: MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT Not relevant NA NA ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES Not relevant NA NA ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES 7.1 MEASURES FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: The Project shall be carried out in Throughout project implementation and IA accordance with the applicable requirements of ESS7, including, inter alia: (i) before the commencement of any Project ensuring that the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) includes meaningful activities affecting IPs. If screening consultations with indigenous peoples throughout Project implementation; (ii) confirms IPP is required, IPP to be implementing procedures, protocols and/or other measures to ensure that prepared prior to the commencement of indigenous peoples have access to Project benefits in an fair, equitable, inclusive any Project activities affecting IPs. and culturally appropriate manner, including, as relevant, with regards to vaccines, as set out in the ESMF and the SEP; and (iii) implementing measures to ensure that indigenous peoples are able to access the Project’s grievance mechanism in a culturally appropriate manner. ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE Not relevant NA NA ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES Not relevant NA NA ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN: Prepare or revise, disclose, consult, adopt and A SEP was already prepared and disclosed IA implement a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) consistent with ESS10, which shall for the parent project. The original SEP include measures to, inter alia, provide stakeholders with timely, relevant, has been updated for the purpose of this understandable and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally AF . appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination and intimidation. The SEP shall be implemented throughout Project implementation and updated as and when necessary. 8|Page NAME OF PROJECT: MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT INFORMATION AND DISCLOSURE: Adopt measures as set out in ESMF to ensure that the carrying out of Project activities includes stakeholder engagement and information disclosure consistent with ESS10, including measures to, inter alia, provide stakeholders with timely, relevant, understandable and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination and intimidation. 10.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM: An accessible grievance mechanism shall be established, GRM will be maintained and used IA publicized, maintained and operated to receive and facilitate resolution of concerns throughout Project implementation and grievances in relation to the Project, promptly and effectively, in a transparent manner that is culturally appropriate and readily accessible to all Project-affected parties, at no cost and without retribution, including concerns and grievances filed anonymously, in a manner consistent with ESS10. The grievance mechanism shall also receive, register and address concerns and grievances related to the, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment in a safe and confidential manner, including through the referral of survivors to gender- based violence service providers. The grievance mechanism shall also receive, register and address concerns arising from unintended health consequences after vaccination especially those resulting in serious adverse effects, and, as appropriate, requests for compensation. CAPACITY SUPPORT (TRAINING) CS1 Project Management Unit and other relevant implementing support staff PMU with ES staff were formed. Few IA responsible for the Project to receive training on the Project’s ESHS plans and trainings were provided under the parent instruments, fair, equitable and inclusive access and allocation of Project benefits project. However, these staff will be including with regards to vaccines, and the roles and responsibilities of different retained throughout the implementation key agencies in the ESF implementation. of the Project and with the addition of new Project team members training will be arranged periodically. 9|Page