CAMBODIA EXPERIENCES ON GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN THE RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR

Tonle Sap Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Sector Project (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)
Regional Seminar Gender, Urban Development , and Water Supply and Sanitation 14-16 November 2011, Vientiane, Lao PDR

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Mr. Nuon Pichnimith Deputy Director Department of Rural Water Supply Ministry of Rural Development

Kingdom of Cambodia

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Tonle Sap Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project

Impact: Improved health and quality of life for rural people. Outcome: Sustained access to safe water and sanitation and better hygiene. Executing Agency: Ministry of Rural Development Total Project Cost: US$24 million: (i) ADB Grant $18 million; (ii) Government $2.06 million; and (iii) Community $3.94 million Project Duration: 4.5 years (53 months from 2006 to 2010) 4 Outputs:

Community mobilization and skills development Water supply improvement Sanitation improvement Capacity building and institutional support

Gender Mainstreaming: Gender Action Plan

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Analysis:
Identification of Different Roles and Responsibilities

MEN
Sometimes

WOMEN
Almost

collect and carry water to the house Often make decisions on construction of WSS facilities, including location and design Participate in training on construction, operation and maintenance Sometimes share cleaning of the house, latrine, bathroom and disposal of rubbish Decide on location and way to release wastewater from the house

always collect and carry water to the house Concerned with household water security and family health Sometimes influence, but often not able to make the final decision, on investment in WSS facilities, their location and design Usually clean the house, latrine, bathroom and area around the well, and dispose of rubbish Participate in household wastewater management, but rarely influence decisions Play main role in educating children on good hygiene behaviors, including proper use of latrines, hand-washing, handling of water etc. Concerned with unsafe water and its harm on womens health. Participate most in hygiene education

SPECIFIC TO PROJECT AREA:

Womens

3rd priority issue is poor conditions of water supply Women comprise of 51.5% of total population 75% of respondents reported that the burden of collecting water falls on women and children (e.g., during the dry season, they spend up to 3 hours per day collecting water with frequent trips and long queues at water points) 65-75% of respondents said women are responsible for hygiene and for cleaning water jars and around the well area.

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Action Plan

Output
Community mobilization

Gender Targets as per Project Design and Monitoring Framework

25%

of NGO staff will be female 40% of WSUG board members to be female At least 40% of sanitation & hygiene training participants to be male
Consider

Water supply improvements

womens needs in access to water points, child safety, and operation of hand pumps before construction 50% of O&M training participants to be female
Review

Sanitation improvements
Capacity building and institutional support

specific considerations that affect females (e.g. separate public toilet blocks for

women)
Gender

training for MRD staff at all levels At least 30% training participants female Sex-disaggregated data Project guidelines on gender mainstreaming
Chair

Implementation Arrangements

of MRDs Gender Working Group to sit on steering committee At least 2 GWG members in PMU 6pm international gender & social development consultant, 10pm national community development specialist

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Actions For Output A Community Mobilization

Gender balance participation in Project Awareness Promotion Campaigns

Womens concerns are considered in the selection of sub-projects Womens major role in technology choices and preparation of village water supply and sanitation plans 25% of NGO staff will be female 40% of WSUG board members to be female

At least 40% of sanitation and hygiene training participants to be male.

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Actions For Output B Water Supply Improvement

Women participate in the technology choice and technical assessment process

Women are main users, and designs criteria include women-friendly principles (e.g., womens needs in access to water points, education on child safety, and training on operation of hand pumps before construction) 50% of O&M training participants are women and one woman and one man appointed for hand pump caretakers Women participate in construction works Women participate in the financial management of the Water System O&M

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Actions For Output C Sanitation Improvement

Consider women's specific needs:

Separate public toilet blocks for women Safety, privacy and convenience

Both men and women participate in Water use and hygiene improvement trainings, and messages are designed for both sexes Implement informed choice to fit individual requirements and financial affordable levels Husband and Wife together chose Household Latrine Types Women together participate in latrine construction works Women are trained in O&M of household latrines

Gender Actions For Output D Capacity Building and Institutional Support

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender training for MRD/PDRD project staffs at all levels

At least 30% training participants female M&E and MIS system includes sexdisaggregated data Project guidelines on gender mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming principles are integrated in the RWSS policy strategy framework Gender aspects are indicated in the capacity development training for WSUGs and community leaders (WSUG Handbooks)

TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Actions For Output E Project Implementation Arrangements

Chair of MRDs Gender Working Group (GWG) to sit on project steering committee
At least 2 GWG members in PMU (one Gender Officer; one for Health & Hygiene Education, and each PIU has a staff responsible for gender activities.

At least one member of the female commune council member cooperate and oversee the Projects Gender Action Plan implementation at the community level.
6 person-months of international gender & social development consultant, 10 person-months of national community development specialist. Gender assurances (targets) included in the Project Reports

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TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Mainstreaming Achievements

505,840 people have access to safe water (out of which, 51% are female populations) 225,000 people have a hygienic latrine Gender mainstreaming and Gender Action Plans included in the village engagement process 7 out 20 NGO staff was women (35%) Womens active participation in planning, technology choice, WUHE and O&M activities in water supply and sanitation

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TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Mainstreaming Achievements

Encourage womens active participation in management In 5,452 WSUGs, 44% of members are women (12,273 women among 28,402 members) Encourage mens participation in health and hygiene education- 56% (6,234 men among 11,166 ) are male participants

About 39% of participants trained in O&M were women (4,734 women among 18,741 participants).
40% women (11,269) among 27,799 technical training participants Gender monitoring indicators in Project Performance Monitoring Systems

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TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Gender Mainstreaming Achievements

Reduced transportation time and labor for water collection Sufficient water for domestic use and personal hygiene practices Reduced water and sanitation related diseases in the family and reduced health care costs More productive time and healthy conditions for income-generation activities and family care Better social safety and convenience through having reliable water points close their homes (within 150 meters) and household latrines

Increased influence in the decision making process for RWSS planning and construction through active participation in the WSUG Boards and community construction teams

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TONLE SAP RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0018-CAM)

Issues and Challenges of Gender Mainstreaming

Illiteracy is high among rural women Strong traditional norms that assign higher status to men Traditional gender roles Limited time for womens participation due to household work Married women are reluctant to take responsibilities for the Organization Management together with men Women hesitate to express their ideas against mens decisions and ideas

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Lessons Learned

Gender requirements in DMF with specific targets by components help project teams focus on gender results during project implementation. Gender Action Plan integrated into the Village Engagement Plan with specific actions for gender help project staff and community leaders with better understanding of gender issues With the gender mainstreaming guidelines supported by MRD and MOWA, the project teams had a clear vision on National Gender Strategy and were able to link up RWSS Sector strategy with the National strategy Gender Working Group (GWG/MRD) involvements in the Project management teams helped ensure gender focus activities and encouraged womens active participation in project activities

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RWSSP-2 Gender Actions

RWSSP-2 includes a Gender Action Plan with specific targets based on the TSRWSSP experiences and lessons RWSSP-2 Gender Targets

50% of village/commune focal persons are women 50% of Water Point Caretakers are women 40% of WSUG Board members will be women At least 40% of women and 20% of men will be included in of awareness and behavioral change training At least 40% of all hygiene and sanitation education participants are male At least 40% of M&E training participants at village levels are female 50% of CD and Sanitation staffs of PCU and PPTs are women At least 1 out of 3 NGO persons placed in each PPT will be women Commune-base small groups have at least 60% female representatives

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Womens Active Participation in RWSS Program ensure that Womens Concerns are Properly Addressed For Household Water Security and Family Health Improvements

17 THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION