Environmental & Social Management Framework - About ...

Environmental and Social Management Frameworkenvironmental protection agencies, civil social society and private sectororganizations involved in monitoring and advocacy.The project aims to promote social development and participation of all thestakeholders during the project cycle. However, experience shows that localelites and political parties dominate in the consultation processes ant theirproceedings. Low caste and minority groups are largely excluded fromparticipation by attitudes towards their status, education and wealth. The situationof women, low caste groups, the poor and vulnerable people can be particularlydifficult, resulting in their exclusion from decision-making at this most basic level.To avoid this situation, the proposed sub-projects will work towards improving thissituation by holding separate meetings with disadvantaged and excluded groupsduring both the Environmental and the Social Impact Assessment. It isanticipated that taking part in separate, NGO led, project related meetings andsuccessful outcome of the sub-projects, will encourage these groups to takegreater part in project related meetings and hence the planning process. Theinputs, perspectives ad recommendations of the stakeholders received duringpublic consultation will be incorporated in the planning and managementdocuments.The formation of local consultative forums (LCF) is one mechanism to ensurePAP’s participation in the decision making process of the RAP implementation.This group approach is a convenient way of expressing their individual andcommunity concerns and bringing to the notice of the project management. TheLCF meetings will be held as and when necessary at the local level in order toensure the participation of affected households. Representation from PAPs andthe VDC to the Compensation Determination Committee (CDC) is expected topromote ownership and reduce disputes related to compensation fixation andpayment.Local labour especially from the vulnerable and PAFs will receive priority to workduring road construction and maintenance. People willing to participate in theconstruction work from the PAPs and vulnerable communities will be organized inRBGs. At least 30 % of employment will be reserved for women. The NGO will beresponsible for monitoring local labour employment. It will also ensure thatwomen are adequately participating and fairly paid for similar type of work likemen, and that child labour is being avoided.5.3 Screening Framework involving Participatory ApproachTo assess the precise nature and magnitude of social impacts, environmentaland social screening involving local stakeholders to the degree possible will becarried out as part of the feasibility studies for each sub-project. To ensureconsistency in the application of screening criteria, standard formats will be usedfor both aspects. As for the screening format for environmental impacts,reference is made to previous Chapter 2 of this ESMF.The standard social screening is based on current Department of Roads (DoR)screening guidelines for environmental and social impacts. Social screening willidentify the potential for loss of land, assets/structures, livelihoods, and othersignificant social impacts. Social screening will also enable the categorization ofsub-projects based on their level of social impacts. Where the extent of adversesocial impacts is minor and no displacement or loss of assets or livelihoods isexpected, no further action is required. However, where the social screeningindicates that land acquisition and/or loss of assets is unavoidable, and there isadverse impact on PAPs including vulnerable communities, then appropriateresettlement action plans as well as vulnerable communities development planwill be prepared in accordance with the provisions of the framework forresettlement and for vulnerable groups development. During the social screeningApril 2007 Chapter 5-3