📋 Tender Overview
Project Name
Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Inclusive Safeguards Implementation in South Asia
Project Number
59053-001
Country / Economy
Regional
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Sri Lanka
Project Status
Proposed
Project Type / Modality of Assistance
Technical Assistance
Source of Funding / Amount
TA: Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Inclusive Safeguards Implementation in South Asia
Japan Special Fund US$ 1.75 million
Sector / Subsector
Public sector management / Public administration
Gender
Some gender elements
Description
The TA will address the requirements for implementing the requirements of the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). It aims to enhance the understanding and capacity of developing member countries (DMCs) stakeholders with particular focus on South Asian DMCs - to meet ESF requirements, particularly for disadvantaged or vulnerable groups, across projects financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy
The ESF was approved by the Board of Directors on 22 November 2024. Like the 2009 Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS), the ESF will apply to all projects financed and/or administered by the ADB, including both sovereign and non-sovereign projects.
Expanded requirements for disadvantage or vulnerable groups under the ESF. The ESF expands its environment and social safeguards focus to protect and support disadvantaged or vulnerable groups by ensuring they do not bear disproportionate adverse impacts from projects. It promotes non-discrimination and equity, ensuring that these groups derive fair benefits. The framework also addresses intersectional vulnerabilities, such as the overlapping effects of poverty, gender, and disability, to effectively tackle compounded disadvantages. In addition, projects are required to design tailored measures that meet the specific needs of vulnerable groups, ensuring their concerns are adequately addressed. The ESF emphasizes context-sensitive approaches, adapting assessments and mitigation measures to align with local and country legal frameworks and project-specific risks. It prioritizes risk management and harm mitigation that do not require broader legal reforms beyond the project's scope. The ESF also ensures that projects do not inadvertently increase risk exposure for vulnerable groups. Furthermore, it mandates inclusive stakeholder engagement and accessible grievance mechanisms, fostering accountability and ensuring the participation of all affected persons including disadvantaged or vulnerable groups throughout the project lifecycle.
DMCs lack capacity to fully meet the new ESF requirements for disadvantaged or vulnerable groups. The expanded scope of the ESF presents significant institutional challenges for DMCs, including those in South Asia, particularly in several critical areas. One significant challenge is the lack of a standardized framework for conducting contextual risk
