The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 07/20/2021 | Report No: ESRSC02184 Jul 20, 2021 Page 1 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Uganda AFRICA EAST P176747 Project Name Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Social Sustainability and Investment Project 2/4/2022 4/29/2022 Inclusion Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Republic of Uganda Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Public Disclosure Proposed Development Objective To enhance the economic and social empowerment of women entrepreneurs in Uganda Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 250.00 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 project will primarily focus on supporting interventions that address the constraints to women’s economic empowerment with particular focus on women entrepreneurship, thereby enhancing women’s income, productivity and household welfare. In addition, the project will support the Government of Uganda’s gender-inclusive recovery from COVID19 and the gender targets under the Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy (UGGDS) (2017/18 – 2030/31). The project aims to create an enabling environment for women entrepreneurship with (a) increase in access to finance through provision of strategic investment funds and linkages to financial institutions; this will allow Jul 20, 2021 Page 2 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) women to invest in expansion of their businesses, thereby increasing their revenues and profits; (b) human capital development through provision of technical skills, socio-emotional skills, and digital skills that will enhance their productivity; (c) building social capital through creation of platforms that increase quality and size of women’s professional and business networks and provide access to new information and market opportunities to expand and successfully manage their businesses; (d) tackling social norms that hinder women’s economic participation and productivity through sessions on GBV, engagement with men, etc.; and (e) access to economic and social infrastructure through provision of common-user facilities for women businesses, childcare, and other infrastructure that contributes to an enabling environment for women owners/managers of growth-oriented businesses. The project interventions will support women entrepreneurs to generate more income, more profit and potentially expand the business to employ other women, hereby, creating jobs for women. The project consists of four components: Component 1 will support access to finance through creation of strategic investment funds and linkages to financial services. Component 2 addresses human capital and social capital development through provision of skills development (technical, life-skills, digital), business advisory services, platforms that facilitate market linkages and value chain development. In addition, this component will address social norms through sessions on preventing and responding to GBV, engagement with men and community leaders etc. Component 3 responds to the need for women’s access to economic and social infrastructure such as having common-user facilities and child-care centers. Component 4 provides support for project management, policy support for women’s economic empowerment, innovation, and monitoring and evaluation. The project will be coordinated by a Project Steering Committee chaired by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Public Disclosure Development (MGLSD), including key ministries such as the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries, Ministry of Education and Sports, among others. The role of the PSC will be to provide policy guidance, approve annual work plans and budgets, oversee project progress and ensure coordination. MFLSD will implement the project through a Project Implementation Unit. 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 project is expected to have nationwide coverage and the planned works, which will include the construction of small-scale facilities (e.g. processing plants, child care centers, etc.) and provision of equipment for their operation, are expected to have moderate environmental and social impacts. Likewise, the expansion of micro, small, and medium enterprises through the provision of project funds will likely have a similar level of risk. Land acquisition is not anticipated because construction of these facilities will be carried out in the footprint of existing local government land. Overall environmental, health, and safety risks and impacts such as noise pollution, dust emission, labor issues, occupational and community health, and safety during the planned works will be minimal, site-specific, temporary in nature, and readily manageable. It is also worth noting that because of the project's national coverage, it might impact communities that meet the conditions of SSHUTLC under ESS7. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity Jul 20, 2021 Page 3 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) The Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development (MoGLSD) will be the main implementing agency, which has no prior experience in managing the implementation of any World Bank-funded projects. Although some staff at the agency has undertaken ESF training, the Bank will need to provide ESF capacity needs assessment and relevant support to the PIU once it has been established and before project effectiveness. The project will also be implemented through the local government structures, which the MoGLSD has used over the years to implement government programs. The Ministry already have officers at the district level that it will leverage on to implement the project at that level. Some of these officers have taken part in the implementation of World Bank funded projects. However E&S capacity needs assessment to be conducted and a capacity building plan developed and implemented to strengthen teams capacity from the MoGLSD, the PIU and the local government levels so the team is well equipped to effectively and efficiently manage any project related E&S risk. This should be included in the ESMF and ESMP with a budget allocated for it to develop and implement the Capacity building plan. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate Environmental Risk Rating Moderate Overall, the project will generate positive outcomes through enhancing women’s income, productivity, and household welfare. Notwithstanding, the project will support activities under Component 3 including the construction and equipping of small-scale public infrastructure (common-user facilities, processing facilities, child- care facilities etc.), and provide funds for expansion of micro, small and medium enterprises in key growth sectors Public Disclosure (which could result in small-scale civil works) under Components 1 and 2, that are likely to generate low environmental risks and impacts. Key risks and impacts that will largely occur during the construction phase include noise, dust emission, solid waste accumulation, occupational and community health, and safety risks common to civil works, and the risks of communicable diseases including COVID-19 pandemic. These will be minimal, site- specific, temporary in nature, and readily manageable with the implementation of relevant mitigation measures. The operation and maintenance of the facilities may lead to moderate environmental risks and impacts related to occupational health and safety aspects during the operation of equipment and disposal of solid waste from the facilities operations. The overall Environmental Risk rating at this stage is Moderate due to the current low capacity of the PIU, the localized nature of risks, low magnitude, and temporary duration of these impacts. Social Risk Rating Moderate Project activities that are likely to have social impacts include the construction and furnishing of some small agricultural and some socio-economic facilities (processing plants, child-care centers, etc.) and the expansion of micro, small and medium enterprises using project funds. Because of the anticipated small scale of these works, the influx of labor into benefiting communities is not expected, thus issues such as SEA/SH and the spread of communicable diseases will be negligible. Likewise, physical and economic displacement is not expected from the small scale construction activities Indigenous Peoples are expected to benefit through the various project's interventions rather than being negatively impacted. However component 1 of the project aims at supporting access to finance through the creation of and linkages to financial services for women, the selection criteria and screening of beneficiaries for financing needs to be clear, inclusive and acceptable by key stakeholders otherwise this can exclude other categories of potential beneficiaries in the process; like women with disability, poorer women and regional balance should all be considered including intensive publicity of the project through accessible channels to Jul 20, 2021 Page 4 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) ensure full participation of the target group. Putting in place realistic requirements (collateral) that is available to women to enable them to access the funds. On component 2, aims at supporting the human capital and social capital development through provision of skills development (technical, life-skills, digital), business advisory services, platforms that facilitate market linkages, and value chain development. This component needs to take into account the general low literacy levels among women which could lead to a number of women potential beneficiaries being excluded, however provision of appropriate programs and a detailed inclusive selection criteria put in place will ensure no one is excluded in the process. As such, the social risk rating is moderate at this stage. 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: The project will have environmental and social risks and impacts associated with the construction and equipping of the small-scale public infrastructure under component 3 and to the potential expansion of micro, small, and medium enterprises using project funds under components 1 and 2. While all the activities are expected to carry relatively moderate E&S impacts due to the limited scope of the works, there are inherent risks such as those related to ESHS, labor issues, GBV/SEA risk is anticipated arising from construction works to be undertaken under component 3 at existing government facilities, social exclusion, and inadequate stakeholder engagement and a security risk in some parts of the country. In short term, the project activities may be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which Public Disclosure requires the project activities to apply the relevant disease preventive measures. Component 4 covers Project Management, Policy Innovation, and Evidence Generation and details of activities for each of these aspects shall undergo an E&S scoping . As such, the project will be required to prepare an Environmental and Social Management . Framework (ESMF), which will include Labor-Management Procedures by Project appraisal to address these risks. The ESMF will provide a sub-project screening and assessment mechanism, and will also (1) utilize the WBG General Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines (2) include templates for Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) plan, Waste Management Plan, and a Chance Find procedure; and (3) provide references to relevant disease preventive measures, since the project activities, may be affected by ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in short-term. Based on preliminary screening, the project may not be required to undertake detailed Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, however, the screening and preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) will be undertaken in order to adequately manage any potential risks and impacts, including risk hazard analysis and relevant mitigation plan. Capacity assessment, development of a capacity building plan on E&S risk management for Ministry staff, Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and implementing local governments should be made an integral part of the project from inception in order to strengthen E&S risk management though out the project and this should be included as part of the ESCP. In addition, the ESMF will include procedures to screen Business Plan Assessment from potential beneficiaries for potential E&S impacts and propose mitigation measures. Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: N/A ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Jul 20, 2021 Page 5 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) The project will involve direct workers, contracted workers, primary supply workers, and possibly community workers. All labor will likely be locally hired. The project will adhere to Uganda's Labor Laws and the Bank's standards concerning labor conditions and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), including child labor. Requirements will be noted in the LMP. The project presents occupational health and safety risks that may arise from the construction and equipping of public facilities. To ensure the health and safety of workers during the construction and operational phases of the project, the Borrower will develop a Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) plan as part of the ESMF, in line with World Bank Group General Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. GBV/SEA risk however anticipated to be moderate due to the small scale of work and emphasis on hiring of local labor, measures should be put in place to address this including procedures for handling GBV/SEA issues and in addition workers should sign a Code of Conduct and sensitization session for workers on GBV/SEA and other cross cutting issues like HIV should be a continuous process on site. The project activities including proposed construction works may be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which requires the project activities to apply the relevant disease preventive measures and guidelines by Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO). As such, the project will be required to prepare an Environmental and Social Management Plan. The project ESMF will also outline a workers’ GRM as part of the Labor Management Procedures (LMP), GBV/SEA reporting process. The standards explained in the ESMF will also be included in site-specific ESMPs. These plans will include procedures on investigation and reporting of incidences and non-conformances, emergency preparedness and response procedures, and continuous training and awareness to workers. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts Public Disclosure A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions The project will involve direct workers, contracted workers, primary supply workers, and possibly community workers. All labor will likely be locally hired. The project will adhere to Uganda's Labor Laws and the Bank's standards concerning labor conditions and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), including child labor. Requirements will be noted in the LMP. The project presents occupational health and safety risks that may arise from the construction and equipping of public facilities. To ensure the health and safety of workers during the construction and operational phases of the project, the Borrower will develop a Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) plan as part of the ESMF, in line with World Bank Group General Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. The project ESMF will also outline a workers’ GRM as part of the Labor Management Procedures (LMP). The standards explained in the ESMF will also be included in site-specific ESMPs. These plans will include procedures on investigation and reporting of incidences and non-conformances, emergency preparedness and response procedures, and continuous training and awareness to workers. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Due to the nature and relatively low scale of the activities, the risks and impacts related to resource efficiency and pollution will be minor, temporary, and confined to the area immediately surrounding the construction. These risks include the normal impacts of civil works (i.e., generation of solid waste, dust and noise generation, air emissions from vehicles, soil erosion, pollution from construction wastes, and water use) and in instances where fumigation is Jul 20, 2021 Page 6 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) conducted for the disinfection of COVID-19 this could pose a risk to environment and population depending on the disinfectants being used. The implementation of mitigation measures, which will be proposed in the ESMF and ESMPs (including those proposed in WB General Environmental and Health Safety Guidelines (EHSGs)) such as dust suppression where applicable and vehicle and truck maintenance shall be applied to minimize the impact of air emissions during construction/rehabilitation, and residual impacts are expected to be limited in scope and duration. The noise generated from the use of construction machinery and truck movements is expected to be short-term. During the operational phase, depending on the nature of support and enterprises developed, there could be the generation of wastes and chemicals. Adequate training and provision of waste management procedures need to be incorporated into the project ESMF. Waste Management Plans will be developed as part of the ESMPs ESS4 Community Health and Safety During the construction phase, the communities may be exposed to construction and transport vehicles, dust emissions, noise, and potential construction site and material handling-related accidents. The risks are expected to be avoided and/or mitigated through adopting best practices in line with General EHSGs. A risk hazard analysis and mitigation plan, proportionate to the risks identified, will be developed and included in the ESMP. Adverse social impacts such as gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation, and the transmission of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS on affected communities may also occur because of project activities. The country has bit hit by the COVID-19 pandemic which is affecting the entire country and spread to both urban and rural communities. This might affect project activities, which requires the project activities to apply the relevant disease preventive measures provided for by Ministry of Health and World Health Organization. The client will be required to comply with the Public Disclosure community health and safety requirements as stipulated in WBG EHS guidelines. The potential risks and mitigation measures for impacts on beneficiaries will be analyzed in the ESMF and will be detailed in site-specific ESMPs. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Physical and economic displacement is not anticipated under the project since the public facilities to be constructed under Component 3 will be located on local government/district land, but the borrower will be required to develop an RPF to address any impacts on assets, restricted access and disruptions of livelihoods. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources Given the nature and scope of the project activities, there is minimal impact envisaged on the biodiversity, since the proposed projects are likely to be undertaken in the urban settings where the habitats may already be altered or destroyed. For any facilities to be established in virgin areas, however, potential impacts on biodiversity (flora and Fauna) will be assessed, and proposed mitigation measures included in the ESMPs. The ESMF will provide guidance on screening and mitigation measures to ensure that project activities do not alter or cause the destruction of any critical or sensitive natural habitats. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities Communities, which meet the conditions of SSHUTLC under ESS7, are present in the country and might be affected by project activities. - They are considered vulnerable and disadvantaged in Uganda and as such, a Vulnerable and Jul 20, 2021 Page 7 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) Marginalized Group Framework (VMGF) will be prepared by project's appraisal to provide guidelines on how to avoid adverse impacts of the project on these communities and ensure their access to services and potentially participation and access to other project benefits. Project activities are not anticipated to cause relocation or impact resources or cultural heritage of Batwa/Ik groups. The SEF will include provisions for consultation with Batwa and Ik communities (see ESS10). ESS8 Cultural Heritage As the project will finance some limited civil works, some excavation and movement of earth can be expected. The activities to be financed by the project are small scale and very limited in scope and the potential impact on known and unknown physical and cultural resources is likely to be minimal. At this stage in project preparation, the presence of culturally significant sites associated with the project cannot be determined. The project will avoid impacts on cultural heritage and where such avoidance is not possible, will identify and implement measures to address these impacts in accordance with the mitigation hierarchy. A chance find procedure will be included in the ESMF and subsequent ESMPs. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries The use of Financial intermediaries is currently not envisaged under the project. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply Public Disclosure OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No III. WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DUE DILIGENCE A. Is a common approach being considered? No Financing Partners N/A B. Proposed Measures, Actions and Timing (Borrower’s commitments) Actions to be completed prior to Bank Board Approval: Preparation of an ESMF (Including LMP) Preparation of a SEF Preparation of an RPF Preparation of a VMGF Possible issues to be addressed in the Borrower Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): Jul 20, 2021 Page 8 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) Capacity assessment, development of a capacity building plan on E&S risk management for Ministry staff, Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and implementing local governments. Preparation of site-specific ESMPs during implementation once the sub-projects have been defined. C. Timing Tentative target date for preparing the Appraisal Stage ESRS 16-Aug-2021 IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Margarita Puerto Gomez Title: Senior Social Development Specialist Telephone No: 5393+2258 / 256-414-302258 Email: mpuertogomez@worldbank.org Contact: Fatima Naqvi Title: Senior Social Protection Specialist Telephone No: 5393+2212 / 251-011-53932212 Email: fnaqvi@worldbank.org Contact: Samuel Thomas Clark Title: Senior Social Development Specialist Telephone No: 5327+3505 / 62-21-5299-3505 Email: sclark@worldbank.org Public Disclosure Borrower/Client/Recipient Borrower: Republic of Uganda Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development Implementing Agency: Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development 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): Fatima Naqvi, Margarita Puerto Gomez, Samuel Thomas Clark Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Ruxandra Maria Floroiu Recommended on 14-Jul-2021 at 10:29:22 GMT-04:00 Jul 20, 2021 Page 9 of 10 The World Bank Generating Livelihoods and Opportunities for Women (GLOW) Uganda (P176747) Safeguards Advisor ESSA Peter Leonard (SAESSA) Cleared on 20-Jul-2021 at 10:41:21 GMT-04:00 Public Disclosure Jul 20, 2021 Page 10 of 10