Islamic Republic of Mauritania Ministry of Employment, Youth, and Sports Mauritania Youth Employability Project ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) Negotiations Version May 17th 2021 1|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN 1. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (hereinafter the Recipient) shall implement the Mauritania Youth Employability Project (the Project), under the leadership of the Ministry of Employment, Youth and Sports, with the involvement of the National Agency for Employment (l’Agence Nationale de l’Emploi, ANE), the National Institute for the Promotion of Technical and Vocational Training (l’Institut national pour la promotion de la formation technique et professionnelle, INAP-FTP), which sits under the Ministry of Employment, Vocational Training, and Information Communication Technologies. The International Development Association (hereinafter the Association) has agreed to provide financing for the project. 2. The Recipient shall implement material measures and actions so that the Project is implemented in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). This Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) sets out material measures and actions, any specific documents, or plans, as well as the timing for each of these. 3. The Recipient shall also comply with the provisions of any other E&S documents required under the ESF and referred to in this ESCP, such as Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP) and Stakeholder Engagement Plans (SEP), and the timelines specified in those E&S documents. 4. The Recipient is responsible for compliance with all requirements of the ESCP even when implementation of specific measures and actions is conducted by the Ministry, agency or unit referenced in 1. above. 5. Implementation of the material measures and actions set out in this ESCP shall be monitored and reported to the Association by the Recipient as required by the ESCP and the conditions of the legal agreement, and the Association shall monitor and assess progress and completion of the material measures and actions throughout implementation of the Project. 6. As agreed by the Association and the Recipient, 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 agree to the changes with the Association and shall update the ESCP to reflect such changes. Agreement on changes to the ESCP shall be documented through the exchange of letters signed between the Association and the Recipient. The Recipient shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 7. Where Project changes, unforeseen circumstances, or Project performance result in changes to the risks and impacts during Project implementation, the Recipient shall provide additional funds, if needed, to implement actions and measures to address such risks and impacts, which may include risks and effects relevant to the Project, such as environmental, health and safety effects; labor inflows;   risks of social conflicts in the event of non-local employment or non-compliance with the rules and regulations ; risks to the health and safety of populations (sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, among the beneficiary populations, etc.) ; and risks related to child labour. 2|Page MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY MONITORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING Biannual reports, during the Project’s PTCU Prepare and submit, environmental monitoring reports and social activities and throughout Project indicating the status of compliance with the measures presented in the implementation ESCP, particularly regarding the preparation and implementation of the environmental and social management tools and instruments referred to in section 1.3 below. B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS Immediately and 48 hours later, after PTCU The Recipient shall immediately report to the Association any incident or becoming aware of such incidents or project-related accident affecting the Project in the Recipient’s territory accidents. which has, or is likely to have, an adverse effect on the environment, affected communities, the public or workers, including risks covered in Throughout Project implementation. the environmental and social assessment. This may include fatal accidents relating to the Project activities or any allegation of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEA/SH). The Recipient shall provide sufficient details of the incident or accident, indicating the immediate action taken to address it, and shall include information from any supplier/ service provider or supervising entity, as required. Subsequently, in accordance with any request made by the Association, the Recipient shall prepare a report on the incident or accident and propose measures to prevent its recurrence. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE One month after project effectiveness and PTCU throughout project implementation As part of the Project, the Recipient shall create and maintain a Project Steering Committee for coordinating the Project activities, in which the Ministry for the Environment shall be represented. There shall be a gender and social safeguards specialist recruited for this The Gender and Social Safeguards specialist project, whose qualifications, experience and terms of reference shall was recruited. The appointment was be satisfactory to the Association. effective on April 7th, 2021 3|Page MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT ESMF was disclosed and adopted on PTCU Update, adopt, disclose and implement the Environmental and Social January 10th, 2020 Management Plan (ESMP), which was prepared for the Project in a manner acceptable to the Association. Moreover, the Recipient shall ESMP was disclosed and adopted on May prepare a Project Operational Manual (or manual procedures) with an 10th, 2020 "Environmental and Social Safeguard Measures" section The POM was prepared and adopted on May 5th, 2021. These instruments shall be implemented throughout the project duration. 1.3 MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS PTCU The Recipient shall ensure that, through the Project Coordination, any INAP-FTP activity that may generate environmental and social risks should be Taazour subject in accordance with environmental and social standards of the World Bank to implement appropriate measures and mitigation instruments and adequate. To this end, the Recipient shall develop, update, adopt, and implement the following tools and instruments of assessment and management (management and planning) risk: LMP and SEP was disclosed and adopted on • SEA/SH risk assessment and action plan May 10th, 2020 • Labor management procedures • Stakeholder Engagement Plan The SEA/SH Action Plan shall be prepared, • Internship manual which shall include terms and conditions of approved, and disclosed nine (9) months internship (including vouchers/cash transfers/grants), non- after effectiveness and implemented during discriminatory provisions, transparent and enforceable the implementation of the project selection criteria, exclusion of child and forced labour, minimum age for eligibility, GM, trainee health and safety and access to Internship Manual shall be prepared, any related training approved, and disclosed before the commencement of project activities These instruments shall be implemented throughout the project duration. 4|Page MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 1.4 MANAGEMENT OF CONTRACTORS Before signing the contract with the PTCU The Recipient through the PTCU of the project shall (i) ensure that supplier/ service providers and throughout contractors hired (NGOs, other structures) and their subcontractors are project implementation legally established reliable entities, and that they have the competence to perform the required activities, including ; (Ii) integrating relevant aspects of the ESCP into the TORs/ bidding documents and contracts, ensuring they are adhered to, and including provisions for non- compliance; (Iii) monitoring compliance by contractors of their contractual obligations; (Iv) requiring contractors to set out equivalent arrangements with their subcontractors and (vii) requiring contractors to implement the relevant section of the internship manual, related to any interaction with trainees. The Recipient shall require the need to develop and implement the following procedures for contractors and subcontractors: • ESMP • Social commitments on child labor • SEA/SH and other elements that shall be identified in the SEA/SH risk assessment and action plan The Recipient shall ensure that all markets and contracts require suppliers/ service providers and subcontractors to comply with the management tools and instruments referred to above. 1.5 CONTINGENT EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMPONENT - CERC The Recipient shall prepare the Environmental and Social Management During the preparation of the CERC PTCU Framework (ESMF) Addendum to cover the CERC activities when Manual. preparing the CERC Operations Manual, satisfactory to the Association. In the event of a crisis leading to the activation of the Project’s Before the start of the emergency response contingent Emergency Response Component, the Recipient shall activities. The request for the activation of prepare the necessary instruments and measures before undertaking the CERC shall come from the Recipient emergency response activities, in order to ensure compliance with the with no prior objection from the Project’s E&S requirements and the Codes of Conduct, prohibitions on Association. SEA/SH, forced labor and child labor. ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 5|Page MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBILE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES LMP adopted prior to hiring of Project PTCU Perform, adopt and implement the labor management procedures workers and implemented throughout (LMP) prepared for the PTCU and any hired worker. The PTCU shall Project implementation include a code of conduct and/ or integrate national laws/ regulations in accordance with the requirements and as permitted by ESS 2. 2.1.2 The Recipient shall ensure the signing of contracts with Direct Workers Prior to any workers commencing work for PTCU for the signing of contracts with and Contractual Workers in compliance with ESS 2. suppliers/ contracts and subcontractors, Direct and Contract workers then throughout project implementation. Suppliers/ services providers for any contracts signed with their workers 2.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM FOR PROJECT WORKERS Before the start of activities and PTCU The Recipient shall ensure that the project and its suppliers/ potential throughout project implementation suppliers develop a grievance mechanism specific to labor management procedures and ensure that it complies with ESS 2. 2.3 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OHS) MEASURES Throughout project implementation Suppliers/ service providers The Recipient shall ensure that suppliers/ service providers develop and implement a plan for occupational health and safety (OHS) or include clauses on health and safety at work in their contracts. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT Not relevant for the Mauritania Youth Employability Project ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY 6|Page 4.3 GBV AND SEA RISKS PTCU ToRs of the SEA/SH risk assessment and An SEA/SH risk assessment and an action plan shall be prepared, preparation of the action plan were adopted and implemented during the implementation of the project. prepared and approved on May 6th, 2021. The Recipient shall indicate the amount of additional funds for the The SEA/SH Action Plan shall be prepared, implementation of measures to deal with the risks and effects of approved, and disclosed nine (9) months SEA/SH and sexual exploitation and abuse that might arise during the after effectiveness and implemented during implementation of the Project. the implementation of the project The SEA/SH Action Plan shall be executed and updated as necessary Throughout project implementation depending on the changing conditions on the ground within the sub- projects. Updating the SEA/SH action plan, as needed The Recipient shall ensure that all bidding documents, works contracts or contracts for services other than consulting services in the Project The codes of conduct be signed by service require suppliers / service providers, contractors or consultants to providers and direct workers and their adopt a code of conduct that shall be presented for signature to all training will be provided before the start of workers. Project activities. ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT Not relevant for the Mauritania Youth Employability Project ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES Not relevant for the Mauritania Youth Employability Project ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES Not relevant for the Mauritania Youth Employability Project ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE Not relevant for the Mauritania Youth Employability Project ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES 7|Page Not relevant for the Mauritania Youth Employability Project ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN PREPARATION AND SEP was disclosed and adopted on May Project preparation team IMPLEMENTATION 10th, 2020 and will be implemented PTCU The Recipient shall prepare, consult, adopt and disclose a Stakeholder throughout the implementation of the Engagement Plan (SEP), in compliance with ESS10. Project The SEP may be modified and updated, as required, during Project implementation. 10.2 PROJECT GRIEVANCE MECHANISM: Prior to the start of Project activities and PTCU The Recipient shall develop and implement the terms applicable to the throughout project implementation project grievance mechanism. The Recipient will also develop a communication plan for the project grievance mechanism in order to ensure that people and potentially affected communities are aware of the existence of this mechanism and familiar with the process for submitting complaints including those relating to the working conditions for Trainees. 8|Page CAPACITY SUPPORT (TRAINING) Specific training to ensure Target groups and schedule Training period The Recipient shall develop and implement a group training plan, with the support of partners and the needs identified for capacity building. This training plan will ensure that they are aware of the environmental and social risks relating to the Project, as well as their mitigating measures proposed through the relevant set of tools and instruments. The ESCP presents an initial training plan covered under the capacity support areas below. This plan will be adapted, as required, over the course of project implementation. CS1 ESS Management Tools and Instruments Module PTCU Year 1 Other stakeholders involved with the • ESS 1: Assessment and management of environmental risks and implementation of the Project impacts • ESS 2: Labor and working conditions • Stakeholder engagement and information disclosure • Contents of Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) • Contents of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) CS2 Environmental and Social Assessment Module PTCU Year 1 • Selection process and environmental and social risk classification Other stakeholders involved with the of subprojects implementation of the Project • Procedures for the ESIAs • Knowledge of the process of monitoring the implementation of the ESIAs • Policies, proceedings and legislation regarding environmental and social risks in Mauritania CS3 Health and Safety Module PTCU Year 1 • Personal protective equipment Other stakeholders involved with the • Risk management in the workplace implementation of the Project • Prevention of occupational accidents • Health and safety rules • Management of solid and liquid waste • Preparedness and response to emergencies CS4 SEA/SH Risks Module PTCU Before the start of Project activities and • Awareness and prevention/ mitigation of SEA/SH risks Other stakeholders involved with the periodically throughout project • Themes, activities, and target audiences will be defined in the implementation of the Project implementation SEA/SH Action Plan 9|Page