@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprcoverpage#doctemplate Report No: PIDIAF0124 Project Information Document (PID) Appraisal Stage | Date Prepared/Updated: 12-Feb-2025 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprbasicinformation#doctemplate BASIC DATA A. Product Information Main: Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) Operation ID Product/Financing Instrument P176693 Investment Project Financing (IPF) Beneficiary Country/Countries Geographical Identifier Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, The, Mali, Mauritania, Western and Central Africa Senegal, Togo Practice Area (Lead) Health, Nutrition & Population Borrower(s) Implementing Agency ECCAS, ECOWAS, Ministry of Development Planning and Burkina Faso, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Republic of Cooperation, Ministry of Economic Prospects and Chad, Republic of Mali, Republic of Senegal, Republic of International Cooperation, Ministry of Health, Ministry of The Gambia, Republic of Togo Women, Family and Child Protection Additional Financing Request 1 Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date 29-Jan-2025 31-Mar-2025 Additional Beneficiary Country/Countries Mali, Mauritania Development Objective Original Development Objective (Approved as part of Approval package on 29-Sep-2023) To increase girls’ and women’s access to learning, economic opportunities, and utilization of health services, and to strengthen the region-wide institutional capacity for gender equality. Components 1. Design and implement interventions that promote girls’ and women’s social and economic autonomy 3. Foster regional and national commitment and capacity for policymaking and gender equality 2. Improve the availability of quality RMNCAHN services and qualified health workers at the community level @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprprojectfinancing#doctemplate Page 1 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 COSTS & FINANCING (US$, Millions) SUMMARY Proposed Last Approved Addition Total Total Operation Cost 365.00 95.00 460.00 Total Financing 365.00 95.00 460.00 Of which IBRD/IDA 365.00 80.00 445.00 FINANCING DETAILS Additional World Bank Group Financing Last Approved Financing Total International Development Association (IDA) 365.00 80.00 445.00 of which IDA Recommitted 60.00 0.0 0.0 IDA Credit 0.00 20.00 20.00 IDA Grant 20.00 0.00 20.00 IDA Credit 75.00 0.00 75.00 IDA Credit 100.00 0.00 100.00 IDA Credit 62.50 0.00 62.50 IDA Grant 82.50 0.00 82.50 IDA Grant 25.00 0.00 25.00 IDA Credit 0.00 60.00 60.00 Non-World Bank Group Financing Trust Funds 0.00 15.00 15.00 SAHEL ADAPTIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMNEW 0.00 15.00 15.00 IDA Resources Page 2 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 Country/Region Regional Institution Credit Grant SML Guarantee Total Window Burkina Faso 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 National Performance- 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Based Allocations (PBA) Regional 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mali 60.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 60.00 National Performance- 24.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 24.00 Based Allocations (PBA) Regional 36.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 36.00 Mauritania 20.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.00 National Performance- 8.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.00 Based Allocations (PBA) Regional 12.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.00 Senegal 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 National Performance- 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Based Allocations (PBA) Regional 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Togo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 National 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Performance- Page 3 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 Based Allocations (PBA) Regional 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Total 80.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 80.00 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprenvsocrisk#doctemplate Other Decision (as needed) B. Introduction and Context 1. Empowering AGYW is essential to accelerate Africa’s demographic transition, improve human development outcomes, and build human capital and inclusive economic growth. Countries in Western and Central Africa Region (AFW) have the highest adolescent birth rates in the world.1 When young women have children at an earlier age, they tend to have more children over their lifetime,2 increasing total fertility rates. Early and unwanted childbearing3 also poses several critical challenges to young mothers, in terms of health, education, and life opportunities. AGYW who lack opportunities are vulnerable to child marriage, early pregnancy, and dropping out of school. This limits their employment and life options and can also put their health at risk. Conversely, young women with more years of schooling exercise greater control over their fertility, have increased economic opportunities, and tend to marry later. Girls’ and women’s empowerment (GWE)—in terms of their enhanced access to health services, education, economic participation, and increased agency— helps overcome poverty, reduces inequalities, increases productivity, and improves children’s nutrition, health, and school attendance. 2. The Sub-Saharan Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus (SWEDD+ P176693) Project was approved by the Board on September 29, 2023, for a total US$365 million. This regional Project currently covers five countries and two regional economic communities (RECs): Burkina Faso (US$75 million), Chad (US$82.5 million), The Gambia (US$25 million), Senegal (US$100 million), Togo (US$62.5 million), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (US$15 million) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) (US$5 million). SWEDD+ builds on the earlier Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project (SWEDD, P150080, approved on December 18, 2014, and closed on December 31, 2024), which was the first ever multi-sectoral, government-led GWE program in the region. 1 M. Szmigirera. 2021. Adolescent fertility rate worldwide as of 2020, by region (per 1,000 girls), Staista, Demographics, Dec 21, 2021. 2 A. Moran. 2020. What Factors Affect the Total Fertility Rate, or TFR? Sept 2020. 3 Approximately 40 percent of all pregnancies from developing countries are unplanned. (Bongaarts, J. and J. Casterline. 2013. Fertility transition: Is sub-Saharan Africa different? Popul. Dev. Rev. 38 (suppl. 1), 153–168. doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457.2013.00557.x pmid:24812439). Page 4 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 SWEDD tackled the root causes of child marriage, adolescent fertility and early school dropout in nine countries.4 3. The Project Development Objective (PDO) of SWEDD+ is to increase girls’ and women’s access to learning, economic opportunities, and utilization of health services, and to strengthen the region-wide institutional capacity for gender equality. SWEDD+’s results chain is based on the existing evidence and understanding that multi-sectorial challenges hinder gender equality and women’s empowerment. The Project brings about this positive change through access to learning, economic opportunities, and utilization of health services, whilst strengthening institutional capacity at national and regional levels to guarantee an enabling environment for gender equality. The simultaneous work in these four spaces (4E - Education, Enhancing utilization of health services, Economic opportunities, and an Enabling environment) is referred to as a 4E approach and underpins the results chain for SWEDD+ (see Annex 1). Country Context 4. The expansion of the geographical coverage of SWEDD+ to include two new countries (Mali and Mauritania) will strengthen the political commitment towards AGYW empowerment at national and regional levels. The inclusion of Mali and Mauritania under the proposed AF will increase the Project’s regional benefits and expand the positive cross-border externalities among the participating countries. The positive spillover of the Project will be enhanced thanks in part to the geographical relevance of Mali and Mauritania to the other participating countries, including shared borders, culture, heritage, and customs. In addition to reaching hotspots of vulnerable AGYW that transcend borders, the proposed AF will provide robust regional responses to common challenges and will help manage the political economy around AGYW issues in the Sahel and more broadly in sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, Mali and Mauritania will bring their positive implementation track record, and substantive contributions to championing AGYW empowerment in the region from their participation in the earlier SWEDD Project. Sectoral and Institutional Context 5. The parent SWEDD+ Project and the activities supported by the proposed AF are well aligned to the World Bank’s priorities, and to national strategies in Mali and Mauritania. These follow the Africa West Regional Integration update strategy for FY21-23,5 and particularly the Human Capital Development pillar’s focus on “pandemic response, disease surveillance, skills and capacity building, harmonized statistics, Identification for Development, and demographics and women’s empowerment�. The Project is aligned with the goals of the World Bank Western & Central Africa Region priorities 2021-20256 “Supporting a Resilient Recovery: Africa ACT- Adapt Connect and Transform, People First� transformational goal one on “Rebuilding trust between citizens and the state to create a new social contract� and transformational goal three on “Strengthening human capital and empowering women to help ensure that all boys and girls reach their full potential.� The Project is in harmony with the World Bank’s 4 Countries included in the SWEDD Project were Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d’ Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, Mali and Mauritania. 5 World Bank. 2020. Supporting Africa’s Recovery and Transformation : Regional Integration and Cooperation Assistance Strategy - Update for the Period FY21–FY23. Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. https://documentsinternal.worldbank.org/search/32673155 6 World Bank. 2021. Supporting A Resilient Recovery : The World Bank’s Western and Central Africa Region Priorities 2021-2025. Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. https://documentsinternal.worldbank.org/search/33107623 Page 5 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020-2025,7 particularly: (i) investing in human capital and building the resilience; and (ii) preparedness of communities, including the ability to manage climate change and environmental degradation. Finally, the Project is directly linked to the Gender Strategy for 2024-20308 and its three strategic objectives: (i) End gender-based violence and elevate human capital; (ii) Expand and enable economic opportunities for all; (iii) Engage women as leaders. 6. In Mali, SWEDD+ aligns with the national development strategy, Mali Vision 2063, which is currently being developed. It focuses on the provision of basic services to benefit the population and thereby strengthens the role of the state. An up-to-date Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Mali is not currently available, however, a Country Engagement Note (CEN, P500154) is in the pipeline and will be delivered on May 15, 2025. The Project is aligned to the CEN’s second focus area: to strengthen the delivery of basic social services. The Project is consistent with the Systematic Country Diagnostic Update (SCD) for Mali (2022, P500039) that highlights rebuilding capabilities for a stronger social contract (pathway 1) and investing in Mali’s people to build human capital (pathway 2). 7. In Mauritania, SWEDD+ is consistent with the National Health Policy—Vision 2030, the National Health Development Plan (NHDP) 2021–2030, which outlines the Government’s vision for achieving UHC, ensuring that all individuals in the Mauritanian population, including refugees, have access to quality essential health and nutrition services and are protected against financial risks. The program is also aligned with the Stratégie Nationale de Croissance Accelerée et de Prosperité Partagée (National Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity, SCAPP) 2016–2030 and other relevant national policies and plans in the health sector, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3: ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. SWEDD+ will contribute to five strategic pillars of the national health strategy: (a) health; (b) resilience of vulnerable groups; (c) political governance, social cohesion, peace, and security; (d) capturing of the demographic dividend; (e) promotion of women’s civic participation and fight against gender-based violence. C. Proposed Development Objective(s) Original Development Objective To increase girls’ and women’s access to learning, economic opportunities, and utilization of health services, and to strengthen the region-wide institutional capacity for gender equality. Current Development Objective To increase girls’ and women’s access to learning, economic opportunities, and utilization of health services, and to strengthen the region-wide institutional capacity for gender equality. Proposed New Development Objective The PDO will not be revised. 7 World Bank. 2020. World Bank Group Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020–2025. Vol. 1 of 2Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. https://documentsinternal.worldbank.org/search/31820313 8 World Bank.2024. World Bank Gender Strategy 2024-2030 - Accelerate Gender Equality for a Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Future : Consultation Draft . Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. https://documentsinternal.worldbank.org/search/34358465 Page 6 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 D. Project Description 8. SWEDD+ Project activities are organized around three components that empower girls and women at the individual, community, and societal levels, building onto the multisectoral “4E� approach. The components are: a. Component 1: Design and implement gender transformative interventions that promote girls’ and women’s social and economic autonomy. b. Component 2: Improve the availability of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAHN) services and the number of qualified health workers at the community level. c. Component 3: Foster regional and national commitment and capacity for policy making on gender equality, and Project management. 9. This AF will help expand the geographic coverage of the SWEDD+ regional Project to include Mali and Mauritania as the sixth and seventh SWEDD+ countries, without changing the Project’s original design. The PDO of the Project will remain unchanged. Similar to the approach for countries already benefiting from the Project, activities to be supported by the AF in Mali and Mauritania will be selected from a menu of evidence- based interventions and adapted to country contexts. 10. The components and subcomponents of the Project will be maintained. Proposed activities for Mali and Mauritania build on the experience of interventions that performed well under SWEDD, with an additional focus on sustainability and leveraging innovations and synergies with projects in the education, social protection and health sectors in Mali and Mauritania. In Mali, the co-financing from the SASPP TF will support activities under Sub-Component 1.4 related to financial inclusion and under Sub-Component 3.2 by supporting the expansion and use of the Unique Social Registry. Project components are as follows: Component 1: Design and implement interventions that promote girls’ and women’s social and economic autonomy: a. Sub-component 1.1: Social and Behavior Change Communication Campaign. a. Sub-component 1.2: Improve life skills and sexual and reproductive health knowledge of adolescents. b. Sub-component 1.3: Keep girls in school through at least secondary level to delay marriage and early childbearing. c. Sub-component 1.4: Economic and financial inclusion to increase agency and opportunities for adolescent girls and young women. d. Sub-component 1.5: Strengthen GBV prevention and response actions. Component 2: Improve the availability of RMNCAHN services and the number of qualified health workers at the community level: a. Sub-component 2.1: Enhance the availability of contraceptives and RMNCAHN services at the community level. a. Sub-component 2.2: Enhance the performance of the pharmaceutical supply chain, including last mile delivery. Page 7 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 b. Sub-component 2.3: Improve the availability and capacity of health workers providing RMNCAHN services in rural/isolated areas. Component 3: Foster regional and national commitment and capacity for policy making on gender equality and Project management. This component will continue to strengthen capacity related to policymaking, implementation and monitoring of interventions designed to accelerate the demographic transition at subnational, national and regional levels: a. Sub-component 3.1: Strengthen legal frameworks and political commitment for girls’ and women’s reproductive health rights at continental, regional, and national levels. a. Sub-component 3.2: Strengthen capacity for policy making and M&E related to demographic dividend and gender issues. b. Sub-component 3.3: Support Project implementation capacity. @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidlegalpolicyandscreeningrisk#doctemplate Legal Operational Policies Policies Triggered? Current Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 No Projects in Disputed Area OP 7.60 No Summary of Screening of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The E&S risks associated with the AF include elite capture, grievances associated with the allocation of the grant subsidy program under subcomponent 1.4, SEA/SH risks, as well as generic E&S risks associated with minor civil works, such as occupational and community health and safety risks (noise, vibration, the risk of child or forced labor when local contractors hires daily labor, etc.…), minor medical waste associated with the acquisition of medicine under Component 3. As these risks are localized and can easily mitigated with appropriate mitigation measures and capacity- building, the consolidated E&S risk rating has been rated as Moderate. To minimize the risks highlighted above, the Borrower will implement a communication campaign to disseminate information on the eligibility criteria and selection process and put in place a robust grievance mechanism. For small scale civil works, a list of activities excluded from financing will be included in the project Manual of Operations (MoP) and grant allocation guidelines. These will include subprojects with substantial or high E&S risks as well as those leading to land acquisition, involuntary risks and impacts and restriction of access or use of land. E&S measures for civil works will include the application of Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) or Good Practices Codes, and the inclusion of generic and specific E&S clauses in contractors' bidding documents as relevant. Given the limited risks, Labor Management Procedures (LMPs) will not be prepared. Key ESS2 considerations, such as the minimum age to work on the project (18 years old), terms and condition for community workers, driving safety measures and the application of a Code of Conduct (CoC) will be directly integrated in the Project’s Manual of Operation (MOP) for each PMU in addition to the ESCPs. related to the production of biomedical waste will be managed by a Biomedical Waste Management Plan which can be developed based on the capitalization of health projects in both countries. With regards to the subsidy/grant allocation program under the economic empowerment subcomponent 1.4, the PMU will put in place an E&S screening process. A Code of Conduct will be applied to all project workers to minimize SEA/SH risks. Page 8 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 E. Implementation Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 11. Institutional arrangements: There are no changes in implementation arrangements at the regional level. For Mali specifically, the institutional arrangements of the recently closed SWEDD Project will be maintained. The supervisory ministry of SWEDD+ will be the ministry responsible for demographic issues (Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing, Regional Planning and Population). Given the successful implementation of SWEDD, its coordinating body (national steering committee) will serve as a basis for multi-sectoral collaboration. It will include representatives from all implementing bodies, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Health (inclusive of the Social Protection Directorate), the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, the Ministry responsible for the advancement of women, the Ministry of Youth, the High Council of Territorial Communities, and the PIU. In addition, the PIU that managed the SWEDD Project will be maintained and strengthened through the recruitment of additional technical personnel including necessary staff to comply with environmental and social (E&S) standards. For Mauritania, the institutional arrangements of the SWEDD Project will also remain in place. The supervisory ministry for SWEDD+ will be the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Building on the successful implementation of SWEDD, its coordinating body (national steering committee) will continue to serve as the foundation for multi-sectoral collaboration. This committee will include representatives from key implementing entities, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Reform of Education, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Original Education, ministry of youth, sports and civic service and the Ministry of Childhood and Family, as well as the PIU. The PIU will be recruited or designated by the Government. @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidisdscontactpoint#doctemplate CONTACT POINT World Bank Eleonora Del Valle Cavagnero Senior Economist Page 9 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 Olga Guerrero Horas Health Specialist Kofi Amponsah Senior Economist, Health Djibrilla Karamoko Senior Health Specialist Teegwende Valerie Porgo Senior Health Specialist Borrower/Client/Recipient Burkina Faso Islamic Republic of Mauritania Republic of Chad Republic of Mali Republic of Senegal Republic of The Gambia Republic of Togo Implementing Agencies Page 10 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 ECCAS Yvette Kapinga Ngandu Superviseur de la préparation du projet SWEDD de la CEEAC yngandu@hotmail.com ECOWAS Melchior Aissi Director General maissi@wahooas.org Ministry of Development Planning and Cooperation Amevi Akpoto Komlagan Komlagan National Focal Point cakpoto@gmail.com Ministry of Economic Prospects and International Cooperation Mahamat Chaib Brahim General Secretary machabra@yahoo.fr Ministry of Health Fatou Sagarr Jagne Coordinator fatou.sagarr@gmail.com Ministry of Health Robert Lucien Jean Claude Kargougou Director rkargougouljc@gmail.com Ministry of Women, Family and Child Protection Mouhamed Ndiaye Director mouhamed.ndiaye@femme.gouv.sn 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 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidapproval#doctemplate Page 11 The World Bank Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus Project (P176693) – Additional Financing Request 1 APPROVAL Eleonora Del Valle Cavagnero, Olga Guerrero Horas, Kofi Amponsah, Djibrilla Task Team Leader(s): Karamoko, Teegwende Valerie Porgo Approved By Practice Manager/Manager: Rifat Afifa Hasan 15-Jan-2025 Country Director: Mohammed Dalil Essakali 12-Feb-2025 Page 12