Transport Connection in Northern Mountainous Provinces Project Gender Action and Ethnic Minority Development Plan Tuyen Quang Province

Transcription

1 Transport Connection in Northern Mountainous Provinces Project Gender Action and Ethnic Minority Development Plan Tuyen Quang Provincial People s Committee April 2011 (FINAL DRAFT)

2 ABBREVIATIONS ADB = Asian Development Bank CEM = Committee for Ethnic Minority DARD = Department of Agriculture and Rural Development DP = Displaced Person EM = Ethnic Minority GAEMDP GOV = Government of Viet Nam HH = Household MOLISA = Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs NGO = Non-government Organization PDOT = Provincial Department of Transport PPA Participatory Poverty Assessment PPC = Provincial People s Committee PPMU = Provincial Project Management Unit Project = Transport Connection in Northern Mountainous Provinces Project WU = Women s Union YU = Youth s Union

3 TABLE of CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i 1. INTRODUCTION PROJECT DESCRIPTION SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROJECT AREA WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITIES ETHNIC MINORITY HOUSEHOLDS CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION PROJECT BENEFITS RESETTLEMENT IMPACTS AND SOCIAL RISKS HIV/AIDS HUMAN TRAFFICKING ROAD SAFETY BENEFICIAL AND MITIGATIVE MEASURES HIV/AIDS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS CAMPAIGN & ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN EMPLOYMENT DURING CIVIL WORKS SAFETY MEASURES ALONG THE ROAD IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS PPMU Women s Union Committee for Ethnic Minorities (CEM) Youth Union Support from Project Coordination Consultants BUDGET GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM MONITORING, REPORTING & EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE UPLOADING ON ADB WEBSITE LIST OF ANNEX Page Error! No table of figures entries found. LIST OF TABLES Page

4 Table 1: Characteristics of Roads Affected... 2 Table 2 : Household Income by Ethnic Group and Gender... 4 Table 3 : Summary of Perceived Benefits and Adverse Effects of Road Project... 4 Table 4: Table 5 : Summary of Budget for the Implementation of the GAEMDP for Table 6: Indicative Implementation Schedule15 Table 1: Characteristics of Roads Affected... 2 Table 2 : Household Income by Ethnic Group and Gender... 4 Table 3 : Summary of Perceived Benefits and Adverse Effects of Road Project... 4 Table 4: Table 5 : Summary of Budget for the Implementation of the GAEMDP for Table 6: Indicative Implementation Schedule Project Background. The Transport Connections in Northern Mountainous Provinces Project will rehabilitate about 307 km of provincial and district roads in six provinces in the northern mountainous provinces of Viet Nam (Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, and Lao Cai). These provinces have high rates of poverty and ethnic minority populations. The road network consists predominantly of unpaved, narrow roads. Many sections are impassable during the rainy season. The travel time and cost from mountainous remote areas to social infrastructure will be reduced, and the economic activities along the roads will be enhanced. For, the Project will improve 2 roads including: Provincial Road 187 of 12.8 km; Road 187 is located in a mountainous area and links Tuyen Quang to Bac Kan Province ; and Provicial Road 189 of 54.4 km; Road 189 is located in the midlands. The two roads will be upgraded to Class V with a carriageway of 3.5 meters (m) width with an embankment width of 6.5 m. Socio-Economic Information. The main primary source of income of most HH in the project area is agriculture. The incidence of poverty in Tuyen Quang province in 2008 was 38% (new standard). In Tan Thanh Commune (along Road 189), the poverty rate is 51%. Remote areas (Road 187), especially those that become difficult to access by road during the rainy season, are particularly poor. By paving these two roads, the project will improve year-round all-weather access to markets, jobs, schools, and health centers. Women are involved mainly in agricultural activities in the Project area. They also sell their products to the local markets. With better roads, the markets will be easier to reach and trading opportunities for women will increase. Better roads will also bring more customers to the area, improving opportunities to expand women's small enterprises. Access to health center will also be improved. Access to health clinics is important for women. It means that they and their children are able to recover more quickly. The province is composed of several ethnic groups with 6 dominant ethnic groups, namely the Kinh, Tay, Dao, Hmong, Thai and Chinese. The Kinh are the dominant ethnic group comprising about 45% of the population. The ethnic minority people are commonly among the poor groups and have enjoyed limited benefits from social development. Along Road 187, in the uplands, 89% of the population belongs to ethnic minority groups (Tay and Dao). Along Road 189, in the midlands, this proportion is lower at 43% (mainly Tay). GAEMDP. This gender action and ethnic minority development plan (GAEMDP) has been prepared to maximize benefits to local populations and to ensure that women and ethnic minorities equally share the benefits. Enhanced connectivity can also have unintended consequences (e.g. increased risk of HIV/AIDS and human trafficking, increased road safety risks), and this plan includes provisions to mitigate against these risks. The GAEMDP will

5 include four components, all of which have been designed to ensure as many beneficiaries as possible from the investments made. The four components are: HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking Campaign; Road safety campaign and road safety design measures; Employment of local population during construction; Climate change adaptation HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking Campaign. An HIV/AIDS prevention and human trafficking awareness campaign and a road safety campaign will be conducted before and during construction along the project roads. WU at the provincial and commune levels will be responsible for the whole campaign organization (training of facilitators, materials). Training of facilitators will be conducted by women s unions and representatives of HIV/AIDs centres and communes in each of the two project areas. Campaigns will be conducted at commune & village levels by 2 facilitators per village (village chief & 1 woman member of the WU). Campaigns will be conducted at village level and during market days, through distribution of leaflets, use of loud speakers, and presentation of plays. Construction-Setting Risk Mitigation Campaign. The contractors will have to prepare an awareness campaign plan to develop awareness, training, prevention, diagnosis and treatment programs for workers. This program will be under the contractor s budget. The Women s Union and village officials, together with the gender and ethnic minority specialists, will coordinate with, and monitor and report on the contractors HIV/AIDS programs and provide support by providing materials and carrying out campaign activities targeting workers. Road safety program. PPMU and mass organization will conduct campaign on traffic regulations and safety measures in communes/villages and schools to raise awareness of road safety during construction and operation. Training of facilitators will be undertaken together with the HIV/AIDS human trafficking campaign. As for HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking Campaign, Campaigns will be conducted at commune & village levels by 2 facilitators per village (village chief & 1 woman member of the WU). Campaigns will be conducted at village level and during market days, through distribution of leaflets, use of loud speakers, and presentation of plays. The project design will also include safety measures for pedestrians such as: (i) speed bumps to slow traffic in villages and roadside settlements and at other strategic locations; (ii) lighting poles at strategic locations; and (iii) road safety signage (including pedestrian crossings). The location of these road safety facilities will be discussed with the WU and commune authorities during construction. Employment of local population during construction. Discussion with PPMU Tuyen Quang was held on March 18, 2011, to identify achievable targets for employment of local labor and women. After discussion, it was agreed to include specifications in bidding documents and civil works contracts that require, to the extent feasible, civil works and other contractors for the Project to hire a local labor force, specifically: 30% of the labor force (unskilled labourers) will come from local communities along the improved roads; Among these 30%, 50% will be women; and, Equal work for equal pay and no use of child labour. Discussion was also held with commune authorities to identify the process to hire local people. Contractors will submit to the commune authorities the number of people and the types of tasks needed. The local authorities, in collaboration with the WU, will inform the community and will ask interested people to give their names at the commune level. The list, 50% men and 50% women, will be given to the contractors. The PPMU, commune authorities and the WU will monitor whether the contractor meet the targets (i.e., agreed percentage of local labour and women; wages to be paid by the contractor). Climate change adaptation. 25% of PPMU staff attending adaptation seminars will be female.

6 Consultation and Disclosure. Consultations with the key stakeholders have been carried out during the preparation of the GAEMP. A GAEMDP Information Booklet has been prepared. Copies will be placed in village offices, Office of the Women s Union and Committee for Ethnic Minorities, and in the market areas where bulletin boards are present before ADB Management Review Meeting or before ADB Follow-Up Mission. Implementation Arrangements. The Tuyen Quang PPC is the executing agency while the Provincial Project Management Unit is the implementing agency of the Project. The PPMU is staffed with counterpart personnel mostly seconded from the Provincial Department of Transport (PDOT). Currently PPMU staffs are quite exclusively men. The PPMU is under the PDOT and is located in the PDOT building. There is a woman s group within PDOT, which can be consulted on gender issues. Among the PPMUs, Mr. Le Anh Dung has been appointed to work on resettlement and social issues including gender issues. Specific to activities mentioned in this GAEMDP, mass organizations such as Women s Union and Committee for Ethnic Minorities will lead in the planning and implementation of all GAEMDP. Representatives from other mass organizations such as Fatherland s Front, Youth Union, Farmer s Association will also be requested to participate in the planning and implementation of various GAEMDP activities. The Women s Union will be assisted by a team of international and national gender and ethnic minority development specialists from the Project Coordination Consultants. GAEMDP Budget and Implementation Schedule. The ADB loan funds will be used for the GAEMDP activities (with the exception of the contractors own HIV/AIDS campaigns). The budget for the implementation of the GAEMDP is estimated at 766,580,000 VND (36,733 USD). Loan funds will be used for GAEMDP and will be charged against the international PCC contract. Administration costs (such as transportation, allowances for local authorities and facilitators, purchase or rental of speakers, dissemination of information leaflets) will be part of the provisional sum. The Project is expected to commence in January The GAEMDP activities will be carried out until completion of civil works construction. The PPMU and the Women s Union, assisted by the Project Coordination Consultants will develop gender- and ethnic disaggregated indicators and prepare quarterly progress reports and will be submitted to the PPC and ADB. Table ES: Indicative Implementation Schedule Main GAEMDP Activities Preparation of (GAEMDP) Implementation Schedule GAEMDP Preparation (consultation) Aug-Sep 2010, March 2011 GAEMDP submission to ADB for review and concurrence April-May 2011 Disclosure of GAEMDP Information Booklet May 2011 GAEMDP uploaded on ADB website May 2011 ADB Management Review Meeting Jun 2011 Loan effectiveness 30 December 2011 Implementation period/pre Construction Activities January 2012 June 2015 Recruitment of supervision consultant Second quarter 2012 Awareness campaign for HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, and road safety 3 rd and 4 th Qtr 2012-onwards Start of Civil Works Construction First quarter 2013 Supervision of employment of local workers HIV/AIDS campaign for contractors Continuously during construction period Continuously during construction

7 Main GAEMDP Activities Implementation Schedule period Awareness campaign for HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, and road safety Second and third quarters 2013 Monitoring Second quarter onwards

8 1. INTRODUCTION The Transport Connections in Northern Mountainous Provinces Project will rehabilitate about 307 km of provincial and district roads in six provinces in the northern mountainous provinces of Viet Nam (Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, and Lao Cai). These provinces have high rates of poverty and ethnic minority populations. The road network consists predominantly of unpaved, narrow roads. Many sections are impassable during the rainy season. The travel time and cost from mountainous remote areas to social infrastructure will be reduced, and the economic activities along the roads will be enhanced. A gender action and ethnic minority development plan (GAEMDP) has been prepared, for, to maximize benefits to local populations and to ensure that women and ethnic minorities equally share the benefits. Enhanced connectivity can also have unintended consequences (e.g. increased risk of HIV/AIDS and human trafficking, increased road safety risks), and this plan includes provisions to mitigate against these risks. The socio-economic situation of the project area in general and households in particular is based on the following sources: Publications, socio-economic profile of households potentially affected by land acquisition; Information gathered during the public meetings held at the village level in August - September In early March 2011, two consultation meetings were again organized at the district, commune and village levels to Identify the expected direct benefits to the local communities; Determine how awareness campaigns should be conducted and by whom; Determine how the local communities could actively participate in the various GAEMDP activities Determine specific targets for the employment of local people and of women during construction; Identify persons in charge of social issues within PPMU; Information from these consultation meetings were derived from the following participants: Tuyen Quang PPMU staff, representatives of the Women s Union (WU) and the Committee for Ethnic Minorities (CEM) at the provincial level. Representatives of the Tan Thanh commune s authorities (Road 189), the local women s union, and representatives of the community were also met. 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION For, the Project will improve 2 roads including: Provincial Road 187 of 12.8 km; Provicial Road 189 of 54.4 km and; The two roads will be upgraded to Class V with a carriageway of 3.5 meters (m) width with an embankment width of 6.5 m. Due to lack of funds for regular maintenance and improvement, the 2 provincial roads that will be improved under the Project are generally described as seriously damaged and degraded with narrow roadbeds and low class pavement structure. Road 187 is located in a mountainous area and links Tuyen Quang to Bac Kan Province. We should note that the section of the road in Bac Kan Province (25.0 km), will also be upgraded under the Project. Therefore, it will constitute a section of 37.8 km of improved road between the 2 provinces. The pavement is in very bad status with many rocks. Communication along this road is very difficult. Road 189 is located in the midlands. It is parallel to the main axis of the province, National Road (NR) 2, but on the left bank of the Lo River. A bridge on the Lo River connects Road 189 and NR 2. NR 2 links several provinces (Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang). Road 189 is mainly an earth road, impassable when it is raining. In some sections, there are no bridges over the streams that cross the road. For both roads, the gain on travel time will be significant and economic activities will be enhanced. Page 1

9 Provincial Road 187 Table 1: Characteristics of Roads Affected Road District Communes Location/accessibility Socioeconomic situation Benefits expected - Mainly unpaved road - High level of poverty located in remote and (45%); Yen Lap mountainous areas; - 89% of the population if Chiem - Link Tuyen Quang to from an EM (mainly Hoa Bac Kan Province; road Tay); used by villagers on - Difficult conditions for each side of the agriculture; provincial border Provincial Road 189 Ham Yen Binh Xa, Tan Thanh, Phu Lu, Minh Dan, Minh Khuong, Bach Xa and Yen Thuan Communes - Mainly earth road located in midland area, impassable when it is raining; - The road is linked to the main axis of the province, NR2. - Absence of bridges along the road. 3. SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROJECT AREA - High level of poverty (51%) - 42% of the population if from an EM (Tay and Dao); - Good conditions for agriculture (oranges sugar cane); - Safer travel; - Reduction in travel distance; - Easier access to services (school, markets, health center) - Economic enhancement at local and between the 2 provinces; - Safer travel; - Reduction in travel distance; - Easier access to services (school, markets, health center) - Economic enhancement at local level; - Lower costs for transportation of agricultural products. Main Source of Income. The main primary source of income of most HH in the project area is agriculture and forestry. Local Produce Found in the Area. Road 187 is located in Chiem Hoa District, in a mountainous area. The climate is favourable for temperate plants, raising cows, horses, goats and poultry; and growing maize as the main food crop. Forestry (mainly bamboo) is also an important source of income. Road 189 is located in the midlands. The climate is favourable for tropical plants, forestry and fruit trees. Orange and sugar cane are the main agricultural products in the project area. Due to the bad status of the road, when it is raining, the road is impassable and products have to be transported by foot. Due to these difficult transportation conditions, the prices of goods are higher in the villages along this road. Poverty. The national poverty line is established by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA). For the period from 2006 to 2010; the rural poverty line was VND 200,000/person/month while the urban poverty line was VND 260,000/person/month. The incidence of poverty in Tuyen Quang province in 2008 was 38% (new standard). In Tan Thanh Commune (along Road 189), the poverty rate is 51%. Remote areas (Road 187), especially those that become difficult to access by road during the rainy season, are particularly poor. Transport takes a lot of time and physical effort in rural areas. Paved roads and enhanced connectivity are vital for local economic development and poverty reduction. By paving these two roads, the Project will improve year-round all-weather access to markets, jobs, schools, and health centers. Yen Lap Commune (Road 187), Phu Lu, Minh Dan, Minh Khuong, and Bach Xa communes (Road 189) are classified as poor communes and eligible for Program No Programme 135 (P135) was established in 1998 to implement government policies targeting the most vulnerable communes, promoting production and access to basic infrastructure, improving education, training local officials and raising people's awareness for Page 2

10 4. WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITIES Labor. Women are involved mainly in agricultural activities in the Project area. They also sell their products to the local markets. Their position has been improved though slowly; they now have better knowledge of the economy, society and culture; the quality of life (health, clothing, accommodation, transportation and cultural needs) has improved; the birth rate has declined. A very low percentage of women have a position in the government apparatus. In all the communes visited, there were no women, other than heads of WU, acting as commune or village leaders. Education. All the communes along the Project s roads have primary schools and some have lower secondary schools. All the children, both boys and girls, go to school. We should note that along Road 189, a primary school is located near a stream, which crosses the road without a bridge in Binh Xa Commune. When it is raining, the teachers have to help the students to cross the stream to avoid accidents. To continue after lower secondary, the students along Road 187 have to go to the district town, Vinh Loc, 15 to 25 km of mountainous road from Yen Lap. They go to boarding school and stay all week in Vinh Loc. With improved roads, girls will have a better chance of attending secondary school (especially along Road 187). For students along Road 189, the district town Tan Yen is closer, 5 to 15 km away. Involvement in groups. Women have started to take part more actively in community activities such as village meetings. The Women s Union is considered an active mass organization at the grassroots level. However, lots of old practices/traditions still prevail and hinder women s advancement (men still want to be the main participants in social engagements leaving the women to work long hours on agricultural production and housework). Markets. Each commune, along both roads has its own market. Market day varies from one commune to another to allow sellers to go to all the markets. Men and women usually go together to the market on a motorbike to sell and buy their agricultural products. People living along Road 189 go to Tan Yen Town on average once a week. In Tan Yen, the district town, there is a larger daily market. They sell their agricultural products at this market. With better roads, the markets will be easier to reach and trading opportunities for women will increase. For Road 187, Yen Lap has a market in Bac Ca. This market is frequented by most of the villagers along Road 187 and even those from Bac Kan Province. Therefore, the improvement of the road will have a major impact on the transport of goods. Local people from Yen Lap Commune also go to Bac Kan Province for markets. Better roads will also bring more customers to the area, improving opportunities to expand women's small enterprises. Market places are an important source of information for the community. Information flow is mainly via commune and village officials, neighbours, and also via market places. Health. Access to health clinics is important for women. It means that they and their children are able to recover more quickly. For women, this is especially important, not only because women and children tend to fall ill more often but also because they do not have to stay home so long to tend to their sick children. Along roads 187 and 189, all the communes have health centers. More developed health services are found in the district towns. Anticipated benefits. According a study by IFAD 2 in, as road users, women have benefited greatly in many different ways from improvement of roads. First, the radius of their mobility has extended beyond the few kilometres that separate the villages and the communes. The women interviewed said that they can now go to district markets and shops to check on the prices of livestock and crops, and that their capacity for negotiation with traders is also enhanced. The cumulative effects of this on women s self-confidence are definitely not to be underestimated. Second, a road expands women s choice of affordable means of transport: e.g. buffalo cart or motorbike rather than on foot or bicycle. We saw a number of women on motorbikes transporting goods to and from the market. 5. ETHNIC MINORITY HOUSEHOLDS The province is composed of several ethnic groups with 6 dominant ethnic groups, namely the Kinh, Tay, Dao, Hmong, Thai and Chinese. The Kinh are the dominant ethnic group comprising about 45% of the population. The ethnic better living standards and quality of life. The rationale for establishing P135 was to help people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas overcome poverty, narrow the income gap with other communes in other districts and provinces and eliminate risks for social instability. 2 Govind Kelkar and Thanh-Dam Trong (2008) Case Study on the Gender Impact of an IFAD Project (Viet Nam: Participatory resource Management Project in ) in, Viet Nam. Page 3

11 minority people are commonly among the poor groups and have enjoyed limited benefits from social development. Along Road 187, in the uplands, 89% of the population belongs to ethnic minority groups (Tay and Dao). Along Road 189, in the midlands, this proportion is lower at 43% (mainly Tay). Source of Income. Ethnic minorities stand out as particularly disadvantaged in Viet Nam s economic context. They tend to be less educated, more likely to suffer from malnutrition, are almost twice as likely to work self-employed in agriculture and are half as likely to be wage earners. In the project area, ethnic minority groups are almost all involved in agricultural production. Regarding income, HHs along Road 187, in the uplands, have lower incomes than those along Road 189 in the midlands; 1.7 million VND and 2.2 million per month, respectively. Along Road 189 in the midlands, there are no significant differences regarding incomes among the different ethnic groups. However, along Road 187, the Tay, the main ethnic group, have a significantly lower income at 1.7 million VND than the Kinh (1.9 million VND/month) and the Dao (2.0 million VND/month) (see Table 2). Table 2 : Household Income by Ethnic Group and Gender Roads/ Contribution to Household Income (VND/month) Ethnic Group Male Female Total Road 189 Kinh 1,045, ,510 2,011,100 Dao 1,000,667 1,092,860 2,093,527 Tay 940,540 1,071,430 2,011,970 Chinese 1,500,000 1,200,000 2,700,000 Average 2,204,149 Road 187 Kinh 1,366, ,000 1,866,670 Dao 1,000,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 Tay 679, ,950 1,208,120 Average 1,691,597 Education. In general, ethnic minority groups have a lower level of education than the Kinh. In the project area, all the children from ethnic minority groups go to primary and lower secondary schools generally located at the commune level. Ethnic minority people use their own languages in daily communication, but the majority of them (mostly young people) can understand and speak Vietnamese. provides education services (free education plus support for textbooks, etc.) to ethnic minority people and people living in remote/difficult areas. 6. CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION During project preparation (in August-September 2010, March 2011) public consultation were conducted along each of the two project roads. Affected households from EM groups and representative of CEM attended to these meetings together with local authorities, affected HH and representatives of various mass organizations (Women s Union, Youth Union etc.). During these public meetings, Ethnic Minority Households (EMH) were asked to respond on some specific issues and concerns among their communities. The following table summarized the concerns of the affected HH. EMH and Kinh share the same concerns in the project area. These concerns have been taking into account, in the GAEMDP, for the preparation of beneficial and mitigative measures. Table 3 : Summary of Perceived Benefits and Adverse Effects of Road Project Page 4

12 Benefits 1. Improved roads will provide safer traffic condition for local people. 2. People will have better access to schools by making roads easier to navigate specially during rainy season. Easier and safer for children to go to school. 3. Better transportation contributes in promoting product exchanges and trading activities and facilitates the movement of products from source to markets. 4. Improved roads and transportation will help improve the standard of living of local people. 5. The people within the project area can earn additional income from jobs in construction work and for providing lodging and food to Contractors and construction workers coming from outside. Adverse Effects 1. Number of traffic accidents may increase. 2. Number of social evils may increase. Improved roads will provide easier access for outsiders who may bring with them vices such as drug addiction and prostitution, trafficking of women and children and spread of communicable diseases. 3. Disruption in daily living of people during construction period like their mobility in going to school and market. 4. Households who will be directly affected in terms of their houses and livelihood are concerned that they will not be paid on time nor given assistance for repairing their houses or relocating. 7. PROJECT BENEFITS As mentioned in the table above, improved connectivity can bring great benefits to the local population. Access to markets and transport services increases, travel becomes faster and more convenient, and children can safely travel further from home. The quality of rural health, education and other services improves with better accessibility. Because ethnic minorities account for 89% of the population along Road 187 and 41% along Road 189 and women play an important role in the local economy, the Project s benefits will directly help ethnic minorities and women. 8. RESETTLEMENT IMPACTS AND SOCIAL RISKS Impacts on women and EMH specific to resettlement are not significant. Resettlement impacts are not different than the Kinh in the project area. A stand-alone Resettlement Plan has been prepared for Tuyen Quang province. 2,012 households will be affected by small land acquisition. 23 households will have their shop partially affected but all of them could repair them or move back on their remaining land No households will lose 10% or more of their total productive assets and there will not be any acquisition of common property resources. Access to properties and economic opportunities will not be restricted during project construction and operation. In terms of social risks, the following associated social risks in the improvement of project roads have been identified: HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, and road safety. 8.1 HIV/AIDS General. The HIV epidemic in Vietnam is still in a concentrated stage, with the highest HIV prevalence found in male injecting drug users (18.4%), female sex workers (3.2%) and men who have sex with men (16.7%). The HIV epidemic may have begun to stabilize, as reflected by stable trends in HIV prevalence among injecting drug users and female sex workers in many places. In other places, these trends are increasing such as in the northwest of the country. HIV prevalence among women attending antenatal clinics and among male military recruits has begun decreasing and continues to be observed at low levels, 0.3% and 0.15%, respectively. People aged years account for more than 80% of all reported cases and the proportion of people living with HIV aged is showing signs of increasing. Men accounted for 73.2% of all reported cases in HIV cases have been reported nationwide in all 63 provinces/cities, 97.5% of districts, and 70.5% of wards/communes. As of 31 December 2009, there were 160,019 reported HIV cases and 44,050 deaths due to AIDS-related illnesses. 3 According to the Viet Nam HIV/AIDS Estimates and Projections , adult HIV prevalence (aged 15-49) was 0.44% in The management board of the HIV/AIDS prevention project in indicated that diagnosed their first HIV/AIDS-infected case in July There are currently 3 National Committee for AIDS, Drugs, and Prostitution Prevention and Control The Fourth Country Report on Following up the Implementation to the Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS. Hanoi. 4 Ministry of Health Viet Nam HIV/AIDS Estimates and Projections: Hanoi. Page 5

13 1,460 people living with HIV/AIDS in the province. To prevent the spread of the disease in the community, the province has established three clubs for HIV/AIDS carriers with 50 members to help people gain a deeper understanding of HIV/AIDS and its effects. The province has also launched many programmes to disseminate information on preventing drug use and prostitution. Project Areas. In the commune visited (Tan Thanh), there are no known cases of HIV/AIDS, according to the commune authorities. Opening remote areas, especially Road 187, which will link two provinces and become a main axis, could increase the spread of HIV/AIDS, both during construction and through a greater influx of outsiders once the road is complete. The Women s Union, in collaboration with health centers, conducts regular awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS at the commune level. In all the communes visited, these campaigns were being conducted. PDOT Tuyen Quang indicated that they already conducted such a campaign for a World Bank Project (Third Rural Transport Project) in HUMAN TRAFFICKING General. Viet Nam is a source and destination country for human trafficking. Vietnamese men, women, and girls are trafficked for commercial sexual and labor exploitation in Cambodia, the People's Republic of China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. Women and men are trafficked for forced labor in brothels, factories, construction projects, ships, and to work as domestic servants. Vietnamese women are also recruited through fraudulent marriages. Between , there were around 25,000 marriages by Vietnamese women to Korean men, and 24,600 to Taiwanese men from 2003 to In 2008, the Vietnamese Government estimated that approximately 10% of the arranged marriages with Chinese men become trafficking cases. Women are often recruited through licensed and unlicensed migrant labor recruiting agencies. In response, the government tightened the requirements for foreign marriages, making marriage brokerage illegal. From , as many as 900 human trafficking cases involving 1,600 traffickers and 2,200 smuggled women and children were detected. 6 There are many causes for human trafficking in Vietnam. The UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking argues that many of the causes are socio-economic, such as difficulty finding employment in rural and remote areas, lack of awareness, and low education level. The National Action Plan Against the Trafficking of Women and Children from places the Viet Nam Women s Union in charge of promoting public education while the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) focuses on assisting victims and repatriation and reintegration. A study conducted under ADB regional technical assistance (TA) 7 found that construction of a new road, located in the far northeast of Cambodia with borders on Lao and Viet Nam, had more impact in encouraging migration for ethnic minorities than in facilitating access to social facilities and services. As such, for many of these ethnic minorities, the new roads that lead into their provinces also offer a way out of hardship and poverty and into prosperity, through migration. According to this study, migration, when unregulated, especially for people with limited education, skills, and information, can lead to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Ethnic minorities are particularly at risk. Women from the ethnic minority villages in the Northern region 8 in particular became sexual victims, with several percent ending up in Laos. In China, most became victims of the sex industry or are forced labour in rural areas (through forced marriages to farmers).. Tuyen Quang does not share a border with the People s Republic of China. However, the risk of human trafficking with China is present and will increase with the improvement of the road network. According to the provincial WU leader, in Tuyen Quang, there are 40 people (11 women and 29 children) who have been brought to 5 World Vision. GMS Human Trafficking: A Changing Landscape. Available online: 6 Human Trafficking Crackdown in Viet Nam. 7 January Available at /768 7 ADB Technical Assistance for Preventing the Trafficking of Women and Children and Promoting Safe Migration in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Manila. (RETA 6190) 8 The provinces of the Northern region in which the serious cases of human trafficking are concentrated include Ha Giang Province (134 cases), Lao Cai Province (105 cases), Lang Son Province (95 cases), Quang Ninh Province (73 cases), Ha Noi City (66 cases), Nghe An Province (66 cases), Lai Chau Province (56 cases) and Bac Giang Province (44 cases). (Source JICA, Country Gender Profile: Viet Nam (2011) Page 6

14 China. They all managed to return home. These people now participate with the WU in awareness campaigns on preventing human trafficking. The representative of the CEM also indicated that ethnic minority people usually trust others and therefore are potential victims for human traffickers. Project Area Along Road 189, there has been one known case of trafficking. According to local authorities, the woman was brought to China and never came back. The Women s Union conducts regular awareness campaigns on human trafficking at the commune level. In all the communes visited, such campaigns were being conducted. 8.3 ROAD SAFETY Pedestrians and motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road users and account for the majority of traffic deaths in Vietnam. With the improvement of the roads (especially Road 187) and the anticipated increase in traffic (cars and trucks) and speed, there may be increased road accidents. This safety issue will affect all road users and, in particular, women who often travel to and from their fields. It will also affect students going to school. Road safety issues were also identified as a concern by women during public meetings conducted in A safety transportation board has been established within DOT. This board is in charge of awareness safety campaigns in the province. The WU at the provincial level is a member of this board. Road safety campaigns are already being conducted in, at the commune level, by the Women s Union. The WU conduct their campaigns on market days. Usually markets take place once a week in the affected communes. The day of the market varies from one commune to another. The WU conducts various awareness campaigns every month at the commune level. The WU uses different means to inform the community and women in particular. They distribute leaflets and use loud speakers. Some plays with actors on specific subjects can also be organized. 9. BENEFICIAL AND MITIGATIVE MEASURES Based on the above analysis, the proposed GAEMDP will include four components, all of which have been designed to ensure as many beneficiaries as possible from the investments made. The four components are: HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking Campaign; Road safety campaign and road safety design measures; Employment of local population during construction; Climate change adaptation Specific to resettlement impacts, as mentioned above, a separate Resettlement Plan has been prepared. It includes specific actions for women and ethnic minorities such as: EMH are covered by customary rights, separate meetings with women and EMH during RP updating and implementation will be carried out, and special assistance will be provided to women and EMH based on their needs. Key information in the Resettlement Plan will be disclosed to the affected households through distribution of copies of information leaflets in Vietnamese language during market days in the communes prior to submission to the ADB for review and concurrence. A GAEMDP Information Booklet has been prepared as shown in Annex 1. Copies will be placed in village offices, Office of the Women s Union and Committee for Ethnic Minorities, and in the market areas where bulletin boards are present before ADB Management Review Meeting or before ADB Follow-Up Mission. 9.1 HIV/AIDS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS CAMPAIGN & ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN An HIV/AIDS prevention and human trafficking awareness campaign and a road safety campaign will be conducted before and during construction along the project roads. To facilitate the organization both campaign will be conducted at the same time. Page 7

15 There are currently HIV/AIDS and human trafficking prevention and road safety activities implemented in all the communes by the Women s Union and health centers. The proposed campaigns took experience from the existing activities conducted in Organization 3-day training course at subproject level - A 3-day training course will be undertaken in one commune along each project road; - During the 3-day training course, the Women s Union at the provincial level, along with HIV/AIDS centre members, will train community members. - Each commune affected by the project road will send the following representatives to the 3-day training course: - Women s Union chairwoman and vice chairwoman; - Commune PPC Member in Charge of Safety Issues; - Commune Youth Union Leader; - Commune health care centre ; - A teacher from primary school and a teacher from basic secondary school. - This training course will focus on the main topics and materials to be used. - The WU will give each representative the necessary training materials; 3-day training course at commune level - After the training course at the subproject level, the representatives of each commune that participated in the first training course will become trainers in their respective commune, - Each village in each commune affected by the project road will send the following representatives to the 3- day training course: - Village Women s Union Chairwoman; - Village Leader. - These representatives will become the 2 facilitators at the village level (at least 50% should be women); Dissemination of information - The two facilitators in each village will have 2 weekly meetings with villagers to disseminate information on HIV/ AIDS, human trafficking and road safety; - In mountainous areas, if the houses are scattered, the facilitators will go to each house to disseminate information every 2 weeks; - When necessary, the facilitators will translate the information in other languages; - Twice a month, during market days in each commune, information will be disseminated. Plays will also be organized. - Trained teachers will provide information in their respective primary and basic secondary schools. Timing and Material Training materials will come from the provincial and district level (WU and Health Centres) and from the Provincial Department of Transport (PDOT). The gender and ethnic minority specialists, under the Project Supervision Consultant, will review the existing material and supplement it if necessary. For HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking, the supplement will be based on the existing materials developed for the following ADB projects: TA-6467 (REG) and RETA : HIV Prevention and Infrastructure: Mitigating Risk in the GMS. All the written information will be in Vietnamese. However, at least one facilitator will be able to verbally translate the information to those who don t understand Vietnamese. 9 ADB Regional Technical Assistance Report for HIV Prevention and Infrastructure Mitigating Risk in the Greater Mekong Subregion (RETA 6467). Page 8

16 The organization of this awareness campaign has been discussed with the WU, at the provincial and commune level, and with representatives of other stakeholders (PPMU, CEM, commune authorities). All the stakeholders met agreed with the proposed organization. It should be noted that an awareness campaign will also be conducted by contractors specifically for their workers. The contractors will have to prepare an awareness campaign plan to develop awareness, training, prevention, diagnosis and treatment programs for workers. This program will be under the contractor s budget. The Women s Union and village officials, together with the gender and ethnic minority specialists, will coordinate with, and monitor and report on the contractors HIV/AIDS programs and provide support by providing materials and carrying out campaign activities targeting workers. 9.2 EMPLOYMENT DURING CIVIL WORKS Civil works for road improvements will require local labourers for land clearance, earthworks and other activities. Greater gender equality in labor-based road construction and maintenance will provide significant social benefits to participating households and communities. According to local authorities met, women are already involved in maintenance road work. The activities conducted by women are mainly clearing drainage ditches and culverts and spreading crushed stones on the road. Women can also maintain embankments and plant and care for trees and other plants that protect against erosion. According to the IFAD study in Tuyen Qyang 10 women are benefiting from the upgrading of roads both as workers and as users. As workers, women and men are mobilised in mixed teams (gender, age, ethnicity). On average, in all districts in Tuyen Quang province, about 30% of the people engaged as labourers for road upgrading are women. The specific percentage varies from district to district depending on whether women have alternative sources of cash income. As per the Labour Code, all employment for civil works will have to respect GOV commitments to gender equity and promotion of ethnic minorities, including: Employment targets for women and ethnic minorities; No discrimination against the employment of qualified women and ethnic minorities; and, No differential wages paid to men and women for work of equal value. Discussion with PPMU Tuyen Quang was held on March 18, 2011, to identify achievable targets for employment of local labor and women. After discussion, it was agreed to include specifications in bidding documents and civil works contracts that require, to the extent feasible, civil works and other contractors for the Project to hire a local labor force, specifically: 30% of the labor force (unskilled labourers) will come from local communities along the improved roads; Among these 30%, 50% will be women; and, Equal work for equal pay and no use of child labour. Discussion was also held with commune authorities to identify the process to hire local people. Contractors will submit to the commune authorities the number of people and the types of tasks needed. The local authorities, in collaboration with the WU, will inform the community and will ask interested people to give their names at the commune level. The list, 50% men and 50% women, will be given to the contractors. The PPMU, commune authorities and the WU will monitor whether the contractor meet the targets (i.e., agreed percentage of local labour and women; wages to be paid by the contractor). During meetings at the commune level, participants asked whether the contractors would pay the laborers daily or weekly. Information on local employment will be included in the monitoring reports. It is worth mentioning that hiring local laborers may be difficult during the planting and harvesting season. 10 See Note 2. Page 9

17 9.3 SAFETY MEASURES ALONG THE ROAD The project design will include safety measures for pedestrians such as: (i) speed bumps to slow traffic in villages and roadside settlements and at other strategic locations; (ii) lighting poles at strategic locations; and (iii) road safety signage (including pedestrian crossings). The location of these road safety facilities will be discussed with the WU and commune authorities during construction. 9.4 CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION Climate change adaptation seminars will be conducted during the Project. Of the total number of participants, 25% of them will be female. Table 4 summarizes the content of the GAEMDP. Table 4: Project outputs Activities and Indicators Responsibilities Time frame Output 1: Project roads are rehabilitated - During construction Output 2: PDOT s capacity on climate change adaptation and flexible application of road classification is enhanced Output 3: Awareness of potential social problems is enhanced among vulnerable people, especially women and ethnic minorities -Contractors will prioritize the use of local unskilled labour (through subcontracting); at least 30% of the labour force will be local unskilled labor; -Among the 30% of local labour, at least 50% of unskilled labourers will be female; -Male and female unskilled workers will receive equal pay for equal work; - Contractors will not employ child labour on civil works contracts; - Persons interested will write their names at village level; commune authorities and village chiefs will provide names to the contractors; priority will be given to members of the poorest households -Separate male/female latrines / basic facilities will be provided in the construction sites. - 25% of the PPMU staff attending adaptation training seminars will be female HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking Campaign Community-Based Risk Mitigation Campaign - The risk mitigation information will be delivered to project-affected communes and villages using a participatory approach with a special focus on the poor, vulnerable households (e.g. ethnic minority groups, households headed by women, and families - PPMU/Project Coordination Consultant will be responsible to ensure this clause is included in the contract; - Commune authorities will submit to the contractors the list of interested people; - Women s Union and Commune authorities will be responsible for ensuring that employment targets are met. - - PPMU staff - During implementation - WU at the provincial and commune levels will be responsible for the whole campaign organization (training of facilitators, materials development) in collaboration with district and commune health centres. - WU at the village level will be responsible for the dissemination of information - Commune/district health centres will assist WU at commune level - Monthly, before and during construction Page 10