56813 FAST TRACKBRIEF October 28, 2009 The IEG report "Gender and Development: An Evaluation of World Bank Support, 2002-08," was discussed by CODE on October 28, 2009 Gender and Development: An Evaluation of World Bank Support, 2002­08 The World Bank's current gender policy resulted directly from the 2001 Gender Strategy endorsed by the Board. Subsequently, instructions to staff were reflected in a revised Operational Policy (OP) and Bank Procedure (BP) 4.20. Together, they aim to help client countries reduce poverty and enhance human well- being by addressing gender disparities that are barriers to development. The policy embodies a country-level approach that requires the Bank to prepare Country Gender Assessments (CGAs) for all active borrowers and to integrate CGA findings into Country Assistance Strategies (CASs). Each CAS is then required to specify operational sectors where the Bank is to integrate gender concerns into its funding support for the country in question. This evaluation which covers the period fiscal 2002-08, finds that the Bank made progress in gender integration compared with an earlier IEG evaluation on gender covering the period fiscal 1990-99. Gender integration into Bank support increased both in quantity and in scope, and more than half of relevant projects integrated gender concerns. With regard to outcomes, detailed reviews were undertaken in 12 focus countries, and the evaluation finds that Bank support likely contributed to increased gender equality in three domains--investment in human capital, access to economic assets and opportunities, and voice in development--substantially in 4 of the 12 countries, modestly in another 6, and weakly in 2. At the project level, 42 percent of relevant projects in the 12 focus countries generated substantial outcomes that contributed to progress in one or more of these domains. Two sets of issues qualify these generally encouraging signs of progress. First, the evaluation finds that the implementation of the Bank's gender policy, initially strong, weakened in the latter half of the evaluation period. Insufficient steps to implement an accountability framework and to set up a monitoring system-- both of which had been envisaged in the 2001 Strategy--were likely contributing factors. Second, two key lacunae in the Bank's current gender policy diminish its relevance. These are the absence of a results framework in the 2001 Strategy and the replacement of what was previously a more generalized gender mainstreaming approach at the operational level with the more selective country-level one. The 2007 Gender Action Plan (GAP) broadened the focus somewhat to include certain key sectors that are typically the focus of Bank support. However, IEG is of the view that the absence of strong linkages between the GAP and the 2001 Strategy blurred the Bank's overall policy. The evaluation recommends several actions to regain and sustain the momentum of gender integration that was evident in the first half of the evaluation period. These include redoubling efforts to institutionalize the accountability framework and develop the monitoring system envisioned in the 2001 Gender Strategy, establishing a results framework, and restoring a broader requirement for gender integration at the project level. the use of a new diagnostic tool--the Country Gender The Bank and Gender Assessment. The Strategy promised that a CGA for every In 1977, the Bank was the first multilateral institution to active borrower would be completed by fiscal 2005. CGAs appoint a Women in Development Advisor. In 1984, the Bank were expected to inform CASs, which were to include, as issued an Operational Manual Statement (OMS) 2.20 that relevant, gender-responsive interventions. In sectors and called for Bank staff to consider women's issues as part of themes that the CAS identified as priorities for gender, sector the social analysis undertaken during the appraisal of an managers and task teams were to ensure that gender investment project, and to assess and address through considerations received appropriate treatment in operations. project design any disadvantageous effects on women. A decade later, in 1994, the Bank issued Operational Policy As regards interpretation of the Bank's gender policy, (OP) 4.20 on Gender and Development based on a 1994 Management holds it that the 2001 Strategy and the strategy paper. Taken together, the OP and the strategy subsequent OP/BP 4.20 replaced the provisions of OMS gave gender a central place in the Bank's country-level 2.20, Project Appraisal (1984), by absorbing them into the development model. Through this gender policy, the Bank OP/BP process. Under OP/BP 4.20, the entry point for aimed to address the policy and institutional underpinnings addressing gender issues during project appraisal thus of gender disparities that con-strained development applied only to projects in sectors and themes identified by effectiveness within a client country. The policy rightly CASs to be of priority for gender. underscored the importance of country ownership and commitment for Bank support to be effective in helping to In addition to the above, four specific policies (OP 4.10 on re-duce gender disparities. Two points of entry--one Involuntary Resettlement, OP 4.12 on Indigenous Peoples, through the CAS and the other through project appraisal-- BP 4.30 on Forests, and OP 2.30 on Development provided the means to integrate gender considerations into Cooperation and Conflict) also require consideration of Bank support for the next several years. issues related to women, namely as part of vulnerable groups. These policies continue to maintain a project-level In April 2001, the Bank strengthened the country-level entry point. approach through a gender strategy paper discussed at the Board (Integrating Gender into the World Bank's Work: A Strategy While the updated OP 8.60 on Development Policy for Action). The 2001 Strategy reiterated the Bank's aim to Operations (DPOs), approved in August 2004, does not help countries reduce poverty, enhance human well-being, explicitly require that DPOs address gender dimensions of and increase development effectiveness by addressing gender development, OP 8.60 re-quires that all DPOs examine the disparities that are barriers to development. It introduced poverty and social impacts of the reform programs Figure 1. Evolution of the Bank's Approach to Gender ­ 1997-2009 1977: WID Advisor 1994: Country-level 2001: Country-level approach 1977-1989 1990-2000 2001-2009 appointed approach requires the strengthened in four ways: 1984: OMS 2.20, Project Bank, in consultation with Country director oversees Appraisal, requires the client, to address preparation of gender assessment for strategic issues through any active borrower consideration of women's issues as appropriate, and analysis in ongoing ESW, Country director ensures that the assures that activities integration of gender results of the assessment are considerations into CASs, incorporated in the CAS and reflected enhance women's in the country dialogue participation in and subsequent integration into Bank In sectors and thematic areas where development and that the CAS has identified the need for project design mitigates operations priority gender-responsive actions, the disadvantageous effects relevant sector managers ensure that on women OMS 2.20 continues to Bank-financed projects and other be effective activities are gender-responsive Regional vice presidents report annually to the managing director concerned OMS 2.20 replaced and provisions absorbed into OP 4.20 which now applies only to projects in sectors and themes identified by the CAS 2006: Gender Action Plan (GAP) focuses on gender integration into sectors considered important for women's empowerment 2 supported by the operation. A Good Practice Note inclusion approach while retaining a direct gender equality (GPN) encourages the integration of gender into such approach in the Philippines. However, the absence of an impact analysis. In 2007, the Bank launched a four-year explicit results framework translating Bank support for Gender Action Plan (GAP), Gender Equality as Smart gender into specific gender-related outcomes diminished the Economics, which it implemented beginning in January 2007. policy's relevance. The evaluation finds that the GAP returned to the sector- specific and project-level approach of the earlier OMS 2.20, The evaluation found another factor that also tended to emphasizing integration of gender into operations and diminish the relevance of the Bank's gender policy, namely activities in predetermined economic sectors of importance the narrowing of the entry point for gender integration at for women's economic empowerment. project appraisal to specific priority sectors indicated in CASs. To illustrate, if only the health and education Scope of the Evaluation sectors were identified in CASs as being of strategic importance for gender in a given client country (Pakistan This evaluation seeks to assess the effectiveness of the 2006, Bolivia 2004), under OP 4.20, Bank staff Bank's gender policy between fiscal years 2002 and 2008. responsibilities to address gender considerations would be To gauge the extent to which the Bank actually limited to activities in these sectors. An agricultural or a implemented its policy while keeping country coverage municipal services project in either country that did not manageable, the evaluation selected all client countries that integrate gender considerations, even if it were highly had a population of more than 1 million and implemented beneficial to do so in these specific cases, would at least two Bank-supported investment projects during the nevertheless be fully consistent with OP 4.20. period fiscal 2002­08. This yielded a sample of 93 countries in which the evaluation looked at investment In addressing strategic country-level issues, the evaluation projects worth $88 billion (1,183 projects, constituting 90 found that the relevance of the OP/BP 4.20 was (and percent of all in-vestment loans made during the period). remains) high. Where the Bank had addressed institutional Separately, the evaluation reviewed gender integration in and policy reform (for ex-ample Bangladesh, Benin, and 307 DPOs approved during the period. In addition, the Ghana), the evaluation found that client demand was evaluation reviewed all 48 available CGAs, 74 Poverty critical for successful implementation. However, an Assessments, and 140 CASs prepared for the 93 countries important distinction arises between support for such over the period. policy and institutional reform and support that aims directly at increasing the access of the poor to human In order to assess the outcomes of Bank support, the development, social, and economic services and resources. evaluation used in-depth country case studies. The With the latter form of support, owing to the different evaluation examined Bank support in 12 countries gender-related roles and responsibilities, the evaluation randomly selected from a stratified weighted sample of the found that men and women often did not have equal or fair 93 countries. In these 12 countries, the evaluation access to project benefits unless project design expressly reviewed the results of all lending activities that closed after took steps to mitigate the impact of local gender practices fiscal 2003. Additionally, at the request of World Bank that inhibited such access in the first place. Board members, the evaluation team undertook a review of Bank support for gender in Afghanistan. With respect to Such an obligation (that is, to ensure gender-responsive the GAP, the evaluation was limited to assessing its project design) cannot be made contingent on client objective and design, as it is too soon to assess results even demand or only in sectors and themes identified in on a preliminary basis. Finally, the evaluation did not focus CASs,--it is a matter of relevance, of efficiency, and of on International Finance Corporation (IFC) activities, given efficacy, and thus a matter of development effectiveness IEG-IFC's proposed evaluation of IFC support for gender (see box, below). This was the spirit underlying the in the near future. provisions of OMS 2.20. Furthermore, given the evaluation's finding that CASs did not systematically Appropriateness of the Gender Policy identify priority sectors for gender integration, and that the links between CASs and operations are difficult to monitor, The objectives of the Bank's gender policy are directly the distinction between country-level or "strategic" policy relevant to the Bank's mandate of poverty reduction and and institutional reform and project-level design features economic development. The policy is sufficiently flexible becomes critical. The failure to make this distinction and such that the Bank was able to respond to country-specific the resulting identical treatment of the two types of Bank settings, issues, and priorities: for instance, to mitigate local interventions under OP/BP 4.20 diminished the relevance sensitivities, the Bank was able to adapt and "package" its of the gender policy. support for gender in the Republic of Yemen using a social 3 While these steps augmented relevance (and in that respect Addressing Gender Issues is a Matter of made the GAP a positive force for change), the Development Effectiveness introduction of the GAP without appropriate policy Through conditional cash transfers and student bursaries, Bank foundations, including the requisite backward links to support contributed to increased enrollment of girls in schools CGAs and CASs as required in OP 4.20, had the effect of and reduction of gender disparity. Supporting microfinance blurring the Bank's overall gender policy. institutions to provide credit to women in a culturally appropriate manner helped to improve their decision-making powers within households. Focused attention on ensuring that Implementation of the Bank's Gender Policy women benefited from temporary work generated by Bank- The quality, scope, and extent of gender integration into supported construction created new opportunities for women Bank support improved significantly in the evaluation and reportedly ensured equal wages for equal work. Support for enhancing women's voice at the community levels helped period covered in this report com-pared with an earlier to give women legitimacy in participating in public activities in IEG evaluation covering the period fiscal 1990-99. While several countries. Supporting the engagement of women as the previous evaluation had found weak integration into decision makers in designing activities for a rural road project sectors other than those related to human development, resulted in the construction of footpaths, which women prefer this evaluation found significant expansion in integrating because they are the easiest and safest way to take their animals gender into thematic areas such as microfinance, land to pasture and to collect firewood and water. management and administration, and justice reform. In contrast, Bank support has not been equally effective in fostering retention of boys in schools in countries where this is Overall, higher levels of gender integration occurred in an emerging issue. Similarly, providing training of trainers for Regions with lower levels of gender equality and/or greater extension services predominantly to men, in a context where gender-related constraints to poverty reduction. The South women overwhelmingly ran family farms and were limited by Asia Region posted the highest levels of gender integration, local norms from attending meetings, diminished project and the Europe and Central Asia Region the lowest. The efficacy and reduced development effectiveness. Weak prevalence of gender mainstreaming in fragile states and in support for gender-aware reform of the agricultural sector International Development Association (IDA) countries could have exacerbated inequities for women who constitute a significant group of the informal labor in many countries. was also higher than in International Bank for Failure to integrate gender into Bank support for local Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) countries--a governments reduced development effectiveness and resulted priori a desirable pattern. in missed opportunities to ensure gender-aware development at the local level, where the risks of elite male capture are The Bank implemented its gender policy well during the typically high. Finally, individual women's needs differ first few years of the evaluation period. Many CGAs were depending on their responsibilities and roles. Consultation undertaken and subsequent CASs were more likely than only with wives of community leaders resulted in provision of previously to discuss gender issues, propose a program of insufficient water at inconvenient times to women from poorer action, and include at least one gender-relevant monitoring households. indicator. Gender integration into relevant projects increased, peaking at 64 percent in fiscal 2003. Starting with its establishment in 2007, in recognition of This promising start notwithstanding, implementation shortfalls in gender integration at the operational level in weakened subsequently. Between fiscal 2006 and 2008, selected sectors, the GAP encouraged gender mainstreaming only nine additional CGAs were undertaken or updated, by providing staff with incentives to integrate gender into even though the 2001 Gender Strategy had called for predetermined sectors and activities. While these steps completion of CGAs (either as self-standing documents or augmented relevance (and in that respect made the GAP a otherwise) in all active borrowers by fiscal 2005. While positive force for change), the introduction of the GAP CASs increasingly discussed gender issues, particularly in without appropriate policy foundations, including the relation to Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) and requisite backward links to CGAs and CASs as required in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the OP 4.20, had the effect of blurring the Bank's overall gender evaluation found a decline in the frequency of meaningful policy. gender integration into CASs. One key weakness was that CASs often did not specify priority sectors or themes for Starting with its establishment in 2006, in recognition of the integration of gender concerns, weakening the link shortfalls in gender integration at the operational level in between CASs and operations. The lack of effective selected sectors, the GAP encouraged gender monitoring of the country-level approach further weakened mainstreaming by providing staff with incentives to the implementation of OP 4.20. With respect to gender integrate gender into predetermined sectors and activities. integration at the project level, the evaluation found that 4 this declined between 2006 and 2008, after improving early issues in DPO Program Documents as compared with fiscal in the evaluation period and peaking in 2003, when 1990-99, the period covered by the previous IEG evaluation. measured by four criteria that IEG used, although it rose It also found at least one gender-related measure or action in (recovering to approximately the 2003 level) if measured by 53 (about 17 percent) of the 307 DPOs approved for the 93 one of these four of these criteria, which Bank countries during the evaluation period. Most gender-related management uses. analysis, actions, and monitoring efforts remained focused on health, education, and safety nets, and gender integration Despite the lack of explicit coverage of gender issues in OP outside these areas remained limited. Nevertheless, this 8.60, the evaluation found increased discussion of gender trend represents progress that needs to be recognized, issues in DPO Program Documents as compared with tracked, and built upon. fiscal 1990-99, the period covered by the previous IEG evaluation. It also found at least one gender-related Finally, the introduction of the GAP in 2007, issues of "fit" measure or action in 53 (about 17 percent) of the 307 with the Bank's gender policy as currently configured DPOs approved for the 93 countries during the evaluation notwithstanding, laid the groundwork for revitalizing the period. Most gender-related analysis, actions, and gender integration agenda by providing fiscal incentives for monitoring efforts remained focused on health, education, addressing gender in Bank-supported operations and and safety nets, and gender integration outside these areas analytical work. remained limited. Nevertheless, this trend represents progress that needs to be recognized, tracked, and built Institutional Arrangements and Incentives upon. A review of policy coherence and institutional Finally, the evaluation finds that the introduction of the arrangements relating to the Bank's gender policy points to GAP in 2007, issues of fit with the Bank's gender policy as several factors that may underlie the drop-off in currently configured notwithstanding, laid the groundwork implementing OP 4.20 in the latter half of the evaluation for revitalizing the gender integration agenda by providing period. In particular, the Bank did not put in place fiscal incentives for addressing gender in Bank-supported important corporate-level institutional arrangements operations and analytical work. identified by the 2001 Strategy as necessary to underpin the shift to the country-level approach. Targeted funding to The Bank implemented its gender policy well during the first pursue gender concerns was fully available only in fiscal few years of the evaluation period. Many CGAs were 2002, and not again until fiscal 2007 and 2008, after the undertaken and subsequent CASs were more likely than Bank had put the GAP in place. previously to discuss gender issues, propose a program of action, and include at least one gender-relevant monitoring The 2001 Strategy promised that "an effective system of indicator. Gender integration into relevant projects monitoring and evaluation" would be in place by fiscal increased, peaking at 64 percent in fiscal 2003. 2002 to monitor the implementation of the country-level approach. This evaluation finds that the Bank did not fully This promising start notwithstanding, implementation implement such a system. In addition, the Bank had weakened subsequently. Between fiscal 2006 and 2008, planned annual monitoring reports, but it presented only only nine additional CGAs were undertaken or updated, three such reports to the Board before fiscal 2006. even though the 2001 Gender Strategy had called for Subsequently, the Bank subsumed monitoring of support completion of CGAs in all active borrowers by fiscal 2005. for gender under the Sector Strategy Implementation While CASs increasingly discussed gender issues, Updates, although the Poverty Reduction and Economic particularly in relation to Poverty Reduction Strategy Management Network (PREM) Gender Group has Papers (PRSPs) and the Millennium Development Goals continued to prepare annual progress reports--focusing (MDGs), the evaluation found a decline in the frequency of inter alia on implementation of the GAP--for presentation meaningful gender integration into CASs. One key to the Board. In addition, in fiscal 2008 the Bank's weakness was that CASs often did not specify priority President required country directors to report on what they sectors or themes for the integration of gender concerns, were (and could be) doing to enhance women's economic weakening the link between CASs and operations. The lack empowerment. of effective monitoring of the country-level approach further weakened the implementation of OP 4.20. Results of Bank Support in 12 Focus Countries IEG reviewed a portfolio of 164 Bank-supported projects Despite the lack of explicit coverage of gender issues in OP and DPOs in 12 focus countries. All of these projects and 8.60, the evaluation found increased discussion of gender DPOs closed after fiscal 2003 and before fiscal 2009, and 5 all had an Implementation Completion Report (ICR) began well, it weakened markedly after fiscal 2005, both at available. The evaluation selected Bank programs in these the country and project levels. This decline in gender countries for in-depth gender-related review, focusing integration suggests a need to regain the momentum evident notably on how Bank support contributed to reducing in the first half of the evaluation period. The 2007 GAP gender disparities in three domains: in-vestment in human helped to reinvigorate the agenda, but any such initiative capital, access to economic assets and opportunities, and needs to be sustainably institutionalized and set within a voice in development planning and implementation. For policy framework covering the project level, with a clear each domain, the evaluation identified goals and objectives overall results framework. (from the CAS or other relevant documents). Where there was little evidence in ICRs, CAS Completion Reports To be effective, the evaluation found that gender integration (CASCRs), or other relevant documents, and where the needs to address strategic issues (institutional and policy evaluation team had not conducted a field assessment, the reform) that would help to facilitate and sustain gender and evaluation rated the results as modest. It used a common development outcomes on the ground. By their nature, set of indicators identified in chapter 6 of the report. strategic issues need to be addressed selectively and opportunistically, for such support can be effective only with A prima facie review indicated that 138 of the 164 projects client commitment and ownership. At the operational level, and programs could plausibly have influenced outcomes ensuring a gender responsive project design, when related to gender equality or women's empowerment in at appropriate, is necessary for development effectiveness. least one of the three domains. Many of the 138 relevant Owing to the different roles and responsibilities of men and initiatives were innovative and successful--42 percent of women, the evaluation found that in roughly 75 percent of the projects generated substantial relevant results in terms Bank operations, women (and, in some untypical cases, men) of gender outcomes. Of the 12 countries, substantial will participate less and benefit relatively less from project results were achieved in four countries in at least two activities if the design does not mitigate such impact. The domains and Bank support was judged sufficient to have GAP is attempting to compensate for this and its policy base plausibly contributed to systemic changes in gender should be strengthened and formalized, either through outcomes. In another six countries, the Bank's revision of OP 4.20 or through restoration of broader contribution was modest, with results confined to one gender-related provisions along the lines of OMS 2.20. domain (or even to one sector) and unable to improve the environment for gender equality or women's empowerment In order to strengthen accountability, it is important to significantly. The results were insufficient to address formulate a results framework to underpin the gender gender power relations, gender-based division of labor, policy. This would help in targeting a coherent and local decision-making processes, or the management of mutually reinforcing set of outcomes to support the gender resources. In the other two countries, results were weak and development goals of Bank clients. Additionally, a and limited to a single domain; hence the Bank's well-functioning monitoring system to assess contribution to progress in gender equality was judged to implementation of gender-related results at the operational be low. and country level, as envisaged in the 2001 Gender Strategy, is essential. In addition, accountability for policy Findings and Recommendations implementation needs strengthening through provision of resources and training for all Bank managers. The evaluation found that the objectives of the Bank's gender policy were relevant and that the Bank's support for Finally, the Bank needs to use the significant flexibility gender over the evaluation period as a whole was stronger provided by its gender policy in tailoring its support to compared with the 1990s, the period covered by IEG's different contexts. In countries with higher levels of previous gender evaluation. There is also some evidence gender parity (such as Colombia or the Philippines), it may that the Bank shifted its focus toward countries with higher be sufficient to focus on gender issues in a single sector. levels of gender disparity. Outcomes were significant--42 However, in countries with higher levels of gender percent of relevant projects in 12 countries that were inequality, there is a need to mainstream gender issues analyzed in depth achieved substantial results. Bank within and across different sectors in a mutually reinforcing support was more successful in countries where demand manner if desired outcomes are to be achieved. In these for gender work by the client was greater, such as Ghana countries, it is also critical to strengthen Bank support for and Bangladesh. gender-aware institutional reform, particularly at the sub- national and local government levels, and to reinforce the However, the evaluation found that while the demand for reduced gender disparities through appropriate implementation of the country-level approach envisaged in incentives. the 2001 Gender Strategy and reflected in OP/BP 4.20 6 In order to ensure a better understanding of the gender policy and to ensure its effective implementation in a manner that will contribute to reducing gender disparities and empowering women in the Bank's client countries, the evaluation calls attention to several measures: About Fast Track Briefs Foster greater clarity and better implementation of Fast Track Briefs help inform the World Bank Group (WBG) the Bank's Gender Policy, notably by: managers and staff about new evaluation findings and o Establishing a results framework to recommendations. The views expressed here are those of IEG and should not be attributed to the WBG or its affiliated facilitate consistent adoption of an organizations. Management's Response to IEG is included in outcome approach to gender integration the published IEG report. The findings here do not support any in the Bank's work. general inferences beyond the scope of the evaluation, including o Establishing and implementing a realistic any inferences about the WBG's past, current or prospective action plan for completing or updating overall performance. country-level diagnostics, giving primacy to countries with higher levels of gender inequality. o Extending implementation of the 2007 The Fast Track Brief, which summarizes major IEG GAP while formalizing and strengthening evaluations, will be distributed to selected World Bank Group staff. If you would like to be added to the subscription list, please its policy basis. An alternative would be to email us at ieg@worldbank.org, with "FTB subscription" in reinstate and strengthen provisions along the subject line and your mail-stop number. If you would like the lines of OMS 2.20 in order to restore a to stop receiving FTBs, please email us at ieg@worldbank.org, sector- and/or project-level entry point for with "FTB unsubscribe" in the subject line. gender. Establish clear management accountability for the development and implementation of a system to monitor the extent to which Bank work adequately addresses gender-related concerns, including effective reporting mechanisms. The pivotal role Contact IEG: of country directors needs to feature centrally in Director-General, Evaluation: Vinod Thomas the accountability framework. Director: Cheryl Gray (IEG-WB) Manager: Ali Khadr (IEGCR) Strengthen the incentives for effective gender- Task Manager: Gita Gopal (IEGCR) related actions in client countries by continuing to provide incentive funding through the GAP to strengthen the collection, analysis, and Copies of the report are available at: dissemination of sex-disaggregated, gender- http://www.worldbank.org/ieg/gender relevant data and statistics. IEG Help Desk: (202) 458-4497 E-mail: ieg@worldbank.org 7