The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary Appraisal Stage (ESRS Appraisal Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 05/07/2021 | Report No: ESRSA01467 May 07, 2021 Page 1 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Central African Republic AFRICA WEST P171158 Project Name Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Health, Nutrition & Investment Project 4/28/2021 6/24/2021 Population Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Central African Republic Ministere de l'Economie, du Plan et de la Cooperation Internationale Proposed Development Objective Public Disclosure To enhance access to essential health services, education and employment opportunities that empower women and adolescent girls in targeted areas of the Central African Republic. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 50.00 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The CAR Human Capital and Girls’ Empowerment Project (Maïngo or “evolution, progress' in Sangho) aims to enhance access to essential health services, education and employment opportunities that empower women and adolescent girls. Women and girls are a key catalyst for change in CAR and empowering them is a long-term and transformative process for the country. The project will aim to change deeply rooted social norms and beliefs among the entire population about the role of women in the family and society more broadly, including views around adolescent pregnancy and early marriage. It will aim to enhance access to integrated health services, education and skills to increase employment opportunities. May 07, 2021 Page 2 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) The project is closely aligned with the objectives of the FY21-FY25 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for CAR, and the National Recovery and Peace Consolidation plan (RCPCA, 2017-2023) as well as the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), and the World Bank Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV) Strategy. The project will build on ongoing national policy reforms currently supported by the WBG, while promoting collaboration with relevant WBG programs, and partners. The project has four components, likely to have implications for environmental and social risks management: D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The Central African Republic is a landlocked nation within the interior of the African continent. It is bordered by the countries of Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. Much of the country consists of flat, or rolling plateau savanna, about 1,640 feet (500 m) above sea level. In the northeast are the Fertit Hills, and there are scattered hills in the southwestern part of the country. At 622,984 square kilometres, the Central African Republic is the world's 45th-largest country (after Somalia). Much of the southern border is formed by tributaries of the Congo River, with the Mbomou River in the east merging with the Uele River to form the Ubangi River. In the west, the Sangha River flows through part of the country. The eastern Public Disclosure border lies along the edge of the Congo-Nile watershed. The Country has suffered from decades of repeated conflicts and political instability. For a decade now, CAR has been struggling with violence and insecurity countrywide. The recent years seemed to be gradually recovering when the political turmoil of December 2020 brought a sudden violence and insecurity increase all over the country. Nearly half of the country’s population depends on humanitarian assistance for basic needs and one-fifth of the population of approximately 4.9 million is estimated to be forcibly displaced. Instability and violence in CAR have resulted in substantial deterioration of human capital and social services, including health. It also exacerbated the GBV/Sexual ExploitationAbuse/Sexual Harrasement (SEA/SH) issue. The latest assessment using the preliminary SEA/SH risk assessment tool showed that the risk rate is high. The CAR Human Capital and Girls’ Empowerment Project aims to enhance access to essential health services, education and employment opportunities that empower women and adolescent girls. It does so through increasing access to integrated servies, and by enabling women and girls who missed out on formal schooling or were never given the opportunity to obtain life-enhancing knowledge to access non-formal education, life-skills and vocational training to enhance themselves and to obtain economic opportunities. Eight prefectures (out of 16) and Bangui metropolitan area (BMA) have been identified as priorities for the Project. The prefectures are ranked in three phases for implementation based on where the Project can start to have the most immediate impact for women and girls. Phase one focuses on BMA, Kemo, Nana-Grebizi and Ouaka. Phase two includes Mambere-Kadei and Ouham-Pende. Phase three includes Bamingui-Bangoran, Ouham and Vakaga. The project will advance from phase one to three over time after activities have been implemented and are ready to scale. Given the changing security situation in CAR, the phasing of prefectures may be subject to change, as may be the prefectures selected for additional scale up. May 07, 2021 Page 3 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) The project has four components, likely to have implications for environmental and social risks management: Component 1: Establish Safe Spaces for young women to deliver integrated community-based programs. It will aim to enable young women and men to make purposive choices and take desired actions as it relates to their health, fertility, education, and economic opportunities. A Safe Space will be located within an existing structure that is within walking distance to members’ homes (e.g. community center, home of a member, open space, school, hair salon). The Safe Spaces will target young women from approximately 10 to 24 years for (recreation and leisure activities, Basic Skills Training, life skills-based health education program, livelihood skills training, etc. Component 2: Increase access to systems that improve health, education and employment opportunities of women and girls.. Sub-component 2.1: Extend health system access through Community Health Workers (CHWs). CHWs will receive specific training on women and girls’ empowerment, and they will play an important promotional and demand- generation role not only in Safe Spaces (e.g. delivering the Life Skills-Based Health Education program), but also in the wider community, and will be linked to a health center. The package of health services to be delivered by CHWs targets the entire community, but with a particular focus on women of reproductive age and children. Sub-component 2.2: Getting and Keeping Girls in the education system will use a comprehensive and holistic approach to address key barriers to girls’ education, and will support: (a) the Making Schools Affordable for Girls Program to reduce financial barriers; and (b) the Making schools More Girl Friendly Program to make the school environment more conducive to the unique needs of adolescent girls with among others activities the Construction and rehabilitation of WASH facilities in secondary schools, on a need-basis. Public Disclosure Sub-component 2.3: Providing Skills Training and Economic Opportunities to Out-of-School Youth at Vocational Education Training and Learning (VETL) centers, will use a comprehensive and integrated approach to provide skills training and viable economic opportunities to out-of-school youth girls and boys ages 12-24 years old in selected project areas, in which at least 50 percent of participants will be girls and preferential admission will be given to girls coming from the community-based Safe Spaces. This sub-component will especially allow among other activities the rehabilitation of six VETL centers with the provision of necessary tools, furniture, and equipment. Component 3: National capacity building and communication to empower women and girls will strive to support the government for better planning and coordination of the wide range of sectors that contribute to human capital formation in CAR. Sub-component 3.1: National capacity building to coordinate, plan, conduct research and advocate for women and girl’s empowerment will serve as a platform for an important, long-term agenda for CAR’s inclusive growth that will be led by the head of state. It will link CAR to other major initiatives in the region that invest in women and girls and will target the ministries involved in project implementation, as well as the University of Bangui and other national research institutions. Sub-component 3.2: National communication campaigns for women and girls’ empowerment will finance a communication campaigns that will leverage radio, newspapers, social media, and relevant platforms. The campaigns will include messages from high-level champions, and especially religious leaders. Messages will be related to reproductive health, as well as the fight against female genital mutilation and gender-based violence. The content will be locally generated be relevant and culturally appropriate. Sub-component 3.3: Project management, supervision and monitoring and evaluation, will establish a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) to undertake the tasks required for project implementation, and will also support the project’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. May 07, 2021 Page 4 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) Component 4: Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) is intended to provide timely support in emergencies. A conditional emergency fund, without allocation, will be included in the proposed project in accordance with the World Bank's Policy. In case of emergency, this component would be triggered to reallocate funds between components or to reallocate funds to new activities to respond to the negative impacts of a potential crisis on human capital. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The main project counterpart is the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Cooperation (MEPC) where a new Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established. The PIU will be in charge of the project implementation, fiduciary management and environmental and social risks management of the project. The MEPC is well placed to coordinate the project as this project will incorporate multiple-sectors. However, they have limited technical capacity to coordinate and manage this multi-sectoral project. Owing to the multisectoral nature of the project, a Project Steering Committee will be created to oversee, develop, and monitor the strategic orientations of the project according to sectors. The Steering Committee will be chaired by the MEPC and will likely comprise the following ministries and departments (i) Ministry of Health and Population; (ii) Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Directorate of Literacy and Non-Formal Education); (iii) Ministry of Humanitarian Action and National Reconciliation; (iv) Ministry of Advancement of Women, Family and Child Protection; (v) Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Handicrafts, and the Formal Sector; (vi) Ministry of Labor, Employment, Social Protection and Vocational training; (viii) the Central African Agency for Vocational Training and Public Disclosure Employment (ACFPE); (vi) Ministry of Youth and Sports; (ix) others as relevant. Implementation capacity will need to be strengthened at all levels, especially given limited knowledge and experience in implementing World Bank safeguards requirements. Although the new PIU that will be established at the MEPC has experience in implementing WB safeguards policies in the framework of Londo project, it will need capacity building as mentioned above due to the size of the current project. Others without experience in the implementation of safeguards policies concern Ministry of Technical Education and Literacy which will lead sub-component 2.3, the Ministry for the Promotion of Youth and the Ministry of Labor which will be engaged for both sub-components 2.2 and 2.3). Only the ministries of Health who will lead sub-component 2.1 and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education which will lead sub-component 2.2 have experience in the implementation of safeguard policies, in particular with the ongoing Health System Support and Strengthening Project (P164953) and Central African Republic Emergency Basic Education Support Project (P164295); and also with the ESF in particular with the preparation of Central African Republic COVID19 Preparedness and response program (P173832-SPRP) and Central Africa Republic - Education Sector Plan Support Project (P173103). At the national level, the Director General for Environment (DGE) is the main institution in the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) that is responsible for conducting and coordinating the environmental and social assessment process in CAR (ex., validation of ESIAs, ESMPs, analysis of field reports, inspection and environmental audit). At the departmental level, the DGE works in collaboration with local structures of the MEDD. However, implementing capacity is low, especially as the DGE lacks financial and technical resources. In addition, staff often leave to join other national and international structures. Given these challenges, the World Bank team will therefore prepare and implement a capacity building and training program to help the Borrower (especially PIU and DGE) manage environmental and social risk and Public Disclosure throughout the project timeline. In May 07, 2021 Page 5 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) addition, different methods to build capacity at the local level (especially on E&S) will be further explored during project preparation. II. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) High Environmental Risk Rating Moderate Environmental risk is rated as Moderate at this stage. The proposed civil works in the project will mainly include rehabilitation/expansion of six existing Vocational Education and Training and Literacy (VETL) centers and construction of gender-sensitive latrines in subcomponents 2.3 and 2.2. The project could also include rehabilitation of safe spaces under component 1. This will be determined during preparation. These risks and impacts are expected to be site-specific, limited in number, and can be mitigated with measures that are readily identifiable. This rating also reflects the challenges associated with the limited environmental and social management capacity of the MEPC and the other ministries who will lead the implementation of some components. No ministry has deep experience or capacity in applying the expanded Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) beyond aspects that are generally included in the Operational Policies, and significant efforts will be required to capacitate MEPC and familiarize the Ministry of Environmental (as a regulatory body) with the expanded social and environmental. Social Risk Rating High Public Disclosure The social risk is rated as High at this stage of project preparation. While the overall social benefits are expected to be positive, the anticipated social risks and impacts include: (i) high risks of SEA/SH which are specific to the project, as assessed through the preliminary SEA/SH risk rating tool at concept stage; (ii) community and workers health and safety risks to increase HIV/AIDS transmission; (iii) risks of exclusion for marginalized and vulnerable social groups within a community (including the indigenous peoples, disabled, poor women and girls, minorities, and displaced persons and/or refugees) being unable to access benefits from the project, therefore undermining the project development objective (PDO) (e.g. lack of access to integrated programs and essential services provided by the project, lack of access to life-skills and vocational trainings provided by the project); (iv) security risks for project's community workers (including Safe Space and Club mentors, community health workers) and beneficiaries given the presence of non-State armed groups across the territory and specifically in some locations targeted by the project. The social risk classification also considered the following aspects: (i) borrower’s low capacity to manage project- related environmental and social risks and impacts in a manner consistent with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESS); (ii) current COVID-19 related risks of dissemination, and uncertainties on new waves, in relation with community mobilization activities; (iii) potential risks related to stakeholder engagement activities of the project and eventual social conflicts that could be exacerbated, particularly in light of upcoming national elections. In relation to SEA/SH risks that contributed to the social risk rating being High, the preliminary risk screening was based upon the country context and project-specific indicators, particularly given: (i) the lack of training programs on SEA/SH prevention, management, and response to health and education sector personnel; (ii) the lack of referral protocols as part of the management of SEA/SH response established across the country for the health system; similarly in the education sector, the lack of protocols for the identification and care of students affected by SEA/SH; (iii) the lack of institutional codes of conduct for health service providers of the entire health system, and similarly for teachers and administrative staff of the entire education system, that include prohibitions against SEA/SH; and May 07, 2021 Page 6 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) (iv) the lack of training programs on SEA/SH prevention, management, and response to both health service providers and the education sector personnel. These risks are further exacerbated given the project's objective to target the most vulnerable women and girls at community level to increase access to life skills and vocational trainings as alternative education; and to deliver essential services by deploying community health workers. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: ESS1 is considered relevant to the Project. Essential health services delivered by community helath workers under Component 2.1 could generate medical waste and could have potential occupational as well as community health and safety risks due to exposure to medical and hazardous waste and road safety. The Construction of toilets in schools, under Component 2.2, will have potential risks on community and school children due to dust and noise pollution, and labor influx, and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) risks. There is a risk of soil and groundwater pollution from the toilets if they are not properly designed. During the operation phase, potential impacts may arise from improper maintenance of toilet (washing and cleaning) and non-provision of hygiene products (soaps and disinfectants). In case if these services are compromised, the consequential unhygienic condition will affect the girls’ health and increase their absenteeism from schools. The Rehabilitation and expansion of six vocational training centers will have all kinds of construction-related impacts, though on a limited scale. This is similar to the Public Disclosure rehabilitation of safe spaces. Livelihoods activities under component 1 and subcomponent 2.3 involve skills training. However, access to finance possibly through local financial institutions could be considered under the project especially in subcomponent 1 and 2.3 . In case project decides to involve use of financial institutions to provide access to finance, ESS9 would apply. The main key environmental risks identified so far include: (i) management of medical waste from commuinty heath workers and also health facilities in the project intervention areas due to the increase in referral and attendance by community members; (ii) the risks to the environment and the health of the population linked to inadequate storage, transport and disposal of waste resulting from the simple interventions (like bed nets, oral rehydration salts, vitamin A) that the project will provide; (iii) OHS issues related to the availability and supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for community workers, health workers and primary suppliers and (iv) community health and safety risks given close social contact. The key anticipated social risks and impacts include: (i) high risks of SEA/SH specific to the project, as assessed through the preliminary SEA/SH risk rating tool at concept stage; (ii) community and workers health and safety risks to increase HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 transmission; (iii) risks of exclusion for marginalized and vulnerable social groups within a community (including the indigenous peoples, disabled, poor women and girls, minorities, and displaced persons and/or refugees) being unable to access benefits from the project, therefore undermining the PDO (e.g. lack of access to integrated programs and essential services provided by the project, lack of access to life-skills and vocational trainings provided by the project); (iv) security risks for project's community workers and beneficiaries given the presence of non-State armed groups across the territory and specifically in some locations targeted by the project. May 07, 2021 Page 7 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) Anticipated impacts of this project can be adequately avoided and/ or managed in accordance with an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). The PIU has prepared a preliminary version of the ESMF which will be finalized before Board approval.The current version of ESMF addresses the assessment and management of environmental and social risks and impacts of the project consistent with ESS1. It establishes the procedures for preparation of site-specific instruments, such as the Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), during project’s implementation. The identification of OHS risks and impacts and measures to manage the risks are addressed in the ESMF and documented in labor management procedures (LMPs) that will be included in the final ESMF version to protect workers from injury, illness, or impacts associated with exposure to hazards encountered in the workplace or while working. The mitigation measures will incorporate the World Bank Group’s General Environment, Health, and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs). The current version of ESMF also includes Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) checklists, Codes of Conduct, and any other relevant measures to prevent SEA/SH that will be included in the SEA/SH action plan, as well as safety training materials, that will need to be prepared by the Borrower and/ or the contractor prior to implement project’s activities in a specific location. Furthermore, a security risk assessment specific to the project and an associated security management plan has been carried out by the Borrower and integrate appropriate measures to mitigate security risks for project workers and beneficiaries. As this is a High- risk project and the security risk is expected to be significant, a draft security assessment and management plan will be prepared prior to appraisal to inform the Board on level of risk and proposed management strategy. In addition Borrower has also prepare Staholders Engagement Plan (SEP) with more attention on vulnerables and/or disadvantaged groups in the target areas, a Greivance Redress Mechanism with GBV-sensitive channels to address SEA/SH complaints. The ESMF will be disclosed on the websites of the MEPC and the World Bank before appraisal. Public Disclosure The Bank assessed the Borrower’s capacity to manage the project’s environmental, social, safety and health performance in compliance with ESS1. The Bank will work with the Project to support enhancement of the project’s environmental and social management system and procedures to be compliant with ESS1 requirements. The Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) has been prepared by the Borrower during project’s preparation. The Borrower’s commitments to prepare and implement E&S instruments and actions throughout the project lifecycle will be outlined in the ESCP. The PIU will monitor the environmental and social requirements and performance in accordance with the legal agreement and the annexed ESCP. Targeted training and support to the environmental and social specialists in the PIU will be provided throughout the project lifetime. Given that the project’s risk is classified as High, the Borrower will hire independent consultants to carry out the required environmental and social assessments and management frameworks. Given that the project has a CERC component, the borrower will need a CERC manual (or a CERC section in the operations manual) with a positive list of eligible activities, and a description of institutional arrangements (how to trigger, who does what etc) and a section in the ESMF (or a separate CERC ESMF) to manage E&S risks, The positive list of eligible activities should be finalized during project preparation. The ESMF (or CERC-ESMF) will identify and prescribe appropriate tools for each activity in order to address the related environmental and social risks and impacts. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure May 07, 2021 Page 8 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) In consultation with the Bank, the Borrower has prepared and disclosed prior to appraisal a SEP proportional to the nature and scale of the project and its associated risks and impacts, to be implemented and updated as needed throughout the project lifecycle. The objective of the SEP is to establish a systematic approach for stakeholder engagement, maintain a constructive relationship with them, consider stakeholders’ views, promote and provide means for effective and inclusive engagement with stakeholders and beneficiaries throughout the project life cycle, and ensure that appropriate project information is disclosed to stakeholders in a timely, understandable, culturally accessible and appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination and intimidation. To ensure this, the Borrower has engaged a meaningful consultations with all stakeholders while paying attention to the inclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Since we are in a context of a COVID-19 crisis, measures have been put in place to prevent or minimize the spread of the infectious disease/COVID-19 in the community. These measures include, among others, respecting social distancing measures as stated by the government in its press release of March 13, 2019. The concerns and needs of identified stakeholders are related to their full participation in project activities and information sharing (including the selection of beneficiaries). The Borrower takes engagement to maintain, and disclose, a documented record of stakeholder engagement, including a description of the stakeholders consulted, a summary of the feedback received, and a brief explanation of how the feedback was considered, or the reasons why it was not. Community consultations with women and girls that are related to SEA/SH risk mitigation have been conducted in safe and enabling environments, such as in sex-segregated groups and with female facilitators. The project take engagement to identify and consult with relevant stakeholders who could promote increased recruitment and encourage retention of female mentors, community health workers and teachers to contribute to ensuring a female-friendly environment for project’s beneficiaries. Such consultations will be focused on understanding women’s and girl’s risks and vulnerabilities, understanding women and girl’s Public Disclosure experience in community events, health facilities/ clinics’ environment and school’s environment, their wellbeing, and health safety and security concerns in relation to the project. Furthermore, the consultations have included the disabled groups, disadvantaged groups and minorities within project’s targeted communities, (including the indigenous peoples, poor women and girls, and displaced persons and/or refugees) and be carried out in an accessible and appropriate manner, with information provided in accessible formats. The project has developed a GRM, and will set up a project-specific Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), sensitive to SEA/SH issues, and the ethical treatment and resolution of such complaints that is proportionate of the potential risks and impacts of the project. In relation to schools under component 2.2, with respect to measures to reduce school dropout, establishment of a GBV sensitive GRM will also consider inclusion of school counselor systems within the schools. The GRM will also serve as a platform for continuous feedback from project-affected communities, other interested stakeholders and implementing partners. The project specific GRM will be outlined in the SEP for people to report concerns or complaints. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions ESS2 is considered relevant to the Project. Indeed, given the complexity of the project's interventions, four types of workers will be distinguished, namely direct workers (health workers, teachers), contracted workers (construction May 07, 2021 Page 9 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) workers, project’s consultants and implementing partners), primary suppliers, and community workers (community helath workers, mentors). All community mobilization and awareness raising activities at the community level will be carried out by community workers and/or NGOs. All of these categories of workers will be exposed to health and safety risks, i.e., for community helath workers: the risk of disease infection during administration of basic services to the beneficiary, the risk of COVID-19 transmission in safe spaces and club activities due to non-compliance with barrier measures. For suppliers and project staff, these will be the risks of road accidents, aggression and even contamination with COVID- 19. The Borrower will prepare the project’s LMPs prior to effectiveness date, which will identify the main labor requirements and risks associated with the project and help the Borrower to determine the resources necessary to address project labor issues, and the way project workers will be managed in accordance with the requirements of national law and ESS2. The PIU will therefore ensure the application of OHS measures and LMP, both of which will be annexed to the ESMF. These include: procedures for protection of workers in relation to infection control precautions and ensuring adequate supplies of PPE (particularly face masks, gowns, gloves, handwashing soap and sanitizer); and generally ensuring adequate OHS protections in accordance with the general and industry specific Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs) and consistent with the evolving international best practice in relation to COVID-19 protection. The LMP will provide guidance regarding the policies and procedures that will govern community workers, project Public Disclosure staff and other workers hired under the project. This includes terms and conditions of employment, non- discrimination and equal opportunity, and the establishment of worker’s organizations, measures to ensure that labor is provided on a voluntary basis and will further ensure that the health and safety of workers, especially women are given adequate attention. The project will not use child labor, except in the cases provided for in ESS2 and in relation to the national legislation in force. The project will also include a grievance mechanism for labor disputes of project’s workers and the roles and responsibilities for monitoring such workers. The establishment of a labor GRM as developed in detail in the LMP will allow workers to quickly inform management of labor issues, such as a lack of PPE and unreasonable overtime. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management ESS3 is considered relevant to the Project. The prevention and management of pollution - in particular the management of biomedical and medical waste - the quantities of which are bound to increase as a result of the increased referral of community members (particularily women and girls) to health centers by community health workers . Medical waste, including sharps, contaminated PPE and equipment should be stored, transported and disposed of safely. A number of health care institutions have, under the World Bank-Health System Support Project (P119815), financed the construction of incinerators to ensure safe disposal of medical waste. A prior assessment of waste management capacity will therefore be required at the level of each sub-district prior to any project activity to ensure that May 07, 2021 Page 10 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) adequate measures are put in place to ensure proper management of medical waste. Medical waste management measures based on SENI Project (P164953) model will be updated and included in ESMF. ESS4 Community Health and Safety ESS4 is considered relevant to the Project. The organisation of awareness raising meetings at community level in Safe Spaces and Clubs in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic may lead to a further spread of the disease at the community level, especially if social distancing measures are not observed. The use of small scale medical interventions when providing care to some people with infectious diseases can lead to contamination, especially if hygiene and good practice rules are not well respected. Waste from community-based care can also pose a danger to communities when it is improperly managed. In order to mitigate these risks, the PIU will put measures in place to prevent or minimize the spread of the infectious disease/COVID-19 to the community. In the context of the rehabilitation of vocational training centres and safe spaces and construction of school toilets, given the fact that these facilities are intended for a wide public, the question of accessibility to these places for people with reduced mobility and the visually impaired will be raised. The ESMF will evaluate these risks and impacts on the health and safety of the project’s beneficiaries, and include Public Disclosure provisions to avoid, minimize and mitigate any potential impacts during project life cycle. The ESMF will also provide an analysis of the current security situation and the impact of access to health centersand schools, and SEA/SH risks for health workers, community workers, teachers, and project beneficiaries. A preliminary Security Risk Assessment (SRA)/Security Managmeent Plan (SMP) has been developed and has shown that the security risk is high. Violence and insecurity increased throughout the country after the recent presidential election in December 2020. There is the presence of non-state armed groups in many parts of the country, who spread terror, theft, aggression and cause killings and massive internal displacement. Measures have been defined to avoid, reduce or mitigate the identified risks for workers, beneficiaries and project assets. These measures which are contained in the SMP include : Security partnerships, the provision within the PIU of a security specialist at the request of the MEPC to the security ministries. Mitigation measures will also include security focal points in the prefectures who will be designated by the respective prefects of these prefectures to secure the project at the prefectural level. Background checks, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and reporting; verification of allegations of misconduct and securing of Safe Spaces, etc. Influx of health workers during outreach visits, accompanied by community workers, could increase SEA/SH risks, especially if the communities are rural and in remote areas. The project will screen for, and where necessary, include specific measures to address SEA/SH risks. This will be captured in the SEA/SH assessment and associated action plan, to be prepared during project preparation. As this is a High risk project and the security risk is expected to be significant. A draft security assessment and management plan has been prepared prior to appraisal to inform the Board on level of risk and proposed management strategy. May 07, 2021 Page 11 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement ESS5 is not currently relevant to the Project. Land acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement due to project activities are not expected. The project will include construction and rehabilitation works for school toilets and vocational training centers, but they will be carried within the existing facilities. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources ESS6 is not currently relevant to the Project. The Project is not expected to support any activities that might jeopardize the integrity of biodiversity or living natural resources. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities ESS7 is considered relevant to the Project. The project will likely implement activities in areas where Indigenous Peoples (Pygmies) are present . No activity under this project is expected to have an adverse effect on Indigenous Peoples (IPs). However, there is a risk that IPs are excluded from participating in consultations carried out by the project or that they are not adequately undertaken in an accessible and culturally-sensitive manner with them, which may result in IPs not being Public Disclosure aware of project’s provided benefits, or may result in discrimination by others groups. The SEP includes outreach programs to ensure that indigenous communities, especially those living in remote areas, are aware of the availability of integrated programs and essential services delivered by the project in their locations, community mobilization and awareness raising activities on key positive practices, as well as alternative education opportunities offered to women and adolescent girls. The potential social impacts can be adequately managed/ mitigated through the development, implementation and monitoring of appropriate measures. This means that the borrower should proactively engage with the IPs to ensure their ownership and participation in project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The project’s Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) will need to be developed, consulted upon, approved and disclosed prior to disbursement for Components 1 and 2. Once project specific sites and activities are determined, if needed, the Borrower will prepare an Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) acceptable to the Bank that sets out measures through which the project will ensure that: (i) IPs affected by the project receive culturally appropriate social and economic benefits; and (ii) if potential adverse effects on IPs are identified, those adverse effects are avoided, minimized, mitigated or compensated. The project will not significantly impact social norms/practices aspects of the affected Indigenous Peoples. Therefore the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of IPs will not be needed. ESS8 Cultural Heritage ESS8 is not currently relevant to the Project. Although Component 1 of the project aims at community mobilization and awareness raising on key positive practices, none of the activities aimed at achieving this objective will have an May 07, 2021 Page 12 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) impact on cultural heritage, whether tangible or intangible. However, It will be important to determine during project preparation if the project will significantly impact cultural heritage that is material to the identity and/or cultural, ceremonial, or spiritual aspects of the affected Indigenous Peoples. If this is fixed, the project could also in fact require the FPIC of IPs. ‘Chance find’ procedures will be included in the ESMF. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries ESS9 is not currently relevant to the Project. No financial intermediary will be financed through the Bank funds for the implementation of the project's activities. However, access to finance possibly through local financial institutions could be considered under the project. In case project decides to involve use of financial institutions to provide access to finance, ESS9 would apply. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No Public Disclosure B.3. Reliance on Borrower’s policy, legal and institutional framework, relevant to the Project risks and impacts Is this project being prepared for use of Borrower Framework? In Whole Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: The Borrower’s E&S framework is limited. Therefore, the project will not use the Borrower’s framework for addressing environmental and social risks and impacts. The project will rely on the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Avril Dawn Kaplan Title: Health Specialist Telephone No: +1-202-473-3873 Email: akaplan1@worldbank.org Contact: Boubakar Lompo Title: Senior Education Specialist Telephone No: 5320+6314 Email: blompo@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient May 07, 2021 Page 13 of 14 The World Bank Central African Republic Human Capital and Girls' Empowerment Project (Maïngo) (P171158) Borrower: Central African Republic Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Ministere de l'Economie, du Plan et de la Cooperation Internationale V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Avril Dawn Kaplan, Boubakar Lompo Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Senait Nigiru Assefa Cleared on 04-May-2021 at 14:50:11 GMT-04:00 Safeguards Advisor ESSA Nathalie S. Munzberg (SAESSA) Concurred on 07-May-2021 at 16:22:39 GMT-04:00 Public Disclosure May 07, 2021 Page 14 of 14