Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development

1. Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development Cheryl Gray, Director Independent Evaluation Group World Bank

2. Gender matters for development. • 530,000 women die from childbirth every year. • Girls have less opportunity to attend school and develop skills. • Women’s restricted access to resources and assets slows entrepreneurship. • Women’s limited voice and participation skews development choices. • Some emerging issues disproportionately affect males.

3. Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development 1. World Bank’s Gender Policy

4. The World Bank has recognized the role of gender in development for over 30 years.

5. 2001 Strategy called for four-step process for gender integration.

6. Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development 2. Evaluation methodology

7. IEG’s 2009 gender evaluation asked three questions. • Were the Bank’s gender policies relevant and appropriate? • Was gender integrated into Bank support? • What were the results of the Bank’s policy?

8. Three dimensions of results were evaluated.

9. A mix of evidence was gathered.

10. Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development 3. GeneralEvaluation findings

11. Finding 1: The gender policy is relevant. • Consistent with Bank mandate • Allows tailoring support to country-specific context • Well-defined 4-step process for integration • Envisages a strong accountability framework Limitations: • A stronger results framework is needed. • Limited mainstreaming mandate at project-level. • GAP has helped to address this issue.

12. Finding 2: Integration of gender in bank support has improved since the 1990s… • Integration broadened in scope and extent beyond traditional human development sectors. • Some evidence that the Bank shifted its focus toward countries with higher levels of gender disparity.

13. …though a renewed focus is now needed. • Unclear what is being achieved, and thus results framework essential. • Implementation weakened during the mid-2000s. • Accountability and monitoring need stronger institutionalization. • Resources and incentives will be key.

14. Finding 3: Gender integration has delivered results… • Project Level: • About half of closed projects contributed significantly to gender-related outcomes • Country Level: • Outcomes better: • when gender well-integrated • when client demand strong • when institutional and policy aspects also addressed

15. … and should be scaled up. • Economic sectors: • Support has delivered results in a range of economic sectors, from transport to land, but needs to do so consistently. • Education: • Bank support increased girls’ enrollment but could not significantly handle second-generation gender issues in education. • Microfinance: • Support for microfinance, provided in a culturally appropriate manner, empowered women and improved status. • CDD: • Support encouraged participation of women in CDD activities, but sometimes reinforced traditional roles.

16. Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development 4. SPECIFIC FINDINGS: East-asia, pacific

17. What IEG reviewed in EAP • 8 of 93 sample countries • 11 CASs (approved during evaluation period) • 186 investment projects • 19 DPLs for 5 countries • In-depth analysis of results in the Philippines (one of 12 focus countries)

18. EAP has had strong gender diagnosis… • Strategy implementation • Highest percentage (75%) of Country Gender Assessments undertaken • Donor collaboration • Regional-level understanding with donors on diagnostics (Philippines, Cambodia) • Country ownership • Significant efforts to increase country ownership and commitment (Lao, Vietnam)

19. … and above average integration into CASs… • 63% of CASs integrated gender strategically • Yet decline in gender mainstreaming in second CASs • CASs support partnerships with government and others Country CPIA 7 Rating CAS # 1 CAS # 2 Papua New Guinea 2.5 M Cambodia 3 H Indonesia 3.5 S Lao PDR 3.5 H Mongolia 3.5 M Vietnam 4 H S China 4 S M Philippines 5 H N

20. … and good integration at the project level (especially in 1st half of 2000s). • 64% of relevant projects integrated gender considerations • Declining trend picked up in FY 08

21. Sector analysis shows progress and suggests areas for improvement. • High-performing sector – ARD • Excellent improvement in mining and energy • Declining integration in health and education? • Need to strengthen performance in transport and safeguards

22. Evaluation of Bank Support for Gender and Development 5. RECOMMENDATIONS

23. Looking forward, EAP could strengthen the accountability framework… • Establish a results framework • Hold Country Directors accountable and empower country gender coordinators (CGCs) in • reviewing gender integration in CASs and operational documents • reporting regularly on progress to VP • Provide resources to update diagnostics before new CAS

24. … and replicate good practices • Vietnam: Fund for gender mainstreaming and alignment with country gender policy and strategy • Philippines: Good donor collaboration • Lao, PDR: Wide client participation in updating gender diagnosis • Several CASs: Gender mainstreamed, but still gets focused attention

25. To summarize: three main messages • The Bank’s gender policy is broadly appropriate. • Integration of gender into projects and country program has made progress but needs strengthening. • Some results have been achieved, but deepening these results will require • a results framework, • stronger accountability and monitoring, • timely and regular resources and incentives.

26. Thank You www.worldbank.org/ieg