ADB Cooperation with Civil Society Annual Report 2008

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ADB Cooperation with Civil SocietyAnnual Report 2008


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PART I: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has substantiallyincreased its collaboration with civil society

organizations (CSOs) this millennium, recognizingthem as vital partners in addressing the profounddevelopment challenges in the worlds mostpopulous region. Stimulated by the spread ofinformation and communication technologies, civilsociety has blossomed in Asia and the Pacific. ADBengages with global, regional, national, and localCSOs undertaking advocacy or service delivery andworking in a range of sectors, including water andsanitation, agriculture, irrigation, and transport.Apart from operational project-level collaboration,CSOs have also been joining policy dialogue andconsultations on ADBs country strategies. This

report highlights ADBs work with civil society,but is only a snapshot of the collaboration andinteraction that takes place at ADBs headquartersin Manila, Philippines and through its 23 offices inits developing member countries (DMCs) across Asiaand the Pacific.

In ADBs new long-term strategic framework20082020 (Strategy 2020),1 ADB commits toengage in partnerships with a more diverse groupof institutions. Partnerships with nongovernmentorganizations (NGOs), community-basedorganizations (CBOs), and foundations arebecoming more central to planning, financing, andimplementing ADB operations. ADB is openingup to a new range of future partnership activitiesthat can deliver aid more effectively, improvedevelopment results, and improve disaster andemergency assistance.

The 2008 ADB Cooperation with Civil SocietyAnnual Report details ADBs increasingly meaningfuland collaborative engagement with civil society.The year saw more countries receiving loans thatfeature elements of civil society involvement andmore technical assistance (TA) projects that includeCSO participation. Lessons from such extensive

collaboration reinforced ADBs commitment topartnership, one of the five drivers of change inADBs Strategy 2020.

ADBs relationship with each of its membercountries is documented in its country partnership

strategy (CPS), and the process of developingthese vital documents continued to involve closecollaboration and consultation with civil society. In2008, Cook Islands, Samoa, Timor-Leste, and Tuvaluall developed their CPSs.

In 2008, ADB reviewed a number of its policiesand civil society played a meaningful role in theprocess. Civil society representatives made aparticularly active contribution to ADBs SafeguardPolicy Update (SPU); between January and April2008, ADB consulted stakeholders, includingCSOs, at 10 SPU events around the world. Theseworkshops provided ADBs various stakeholders

in government, the private sector, academe,affected people and civil society, as well as othermultilateral financial institutions and developmentagencies an opportunity to clarify and commenton the consultation draft of the SafeguardPolicy Statement.

Other highlights of 2008 include the NGOLobby Day meetings which are an opportunity forNGOs to discuss projects and a range of topicswith ADB staff, consultations with CSOs on landissues, ADBs 2008 Annual Meeting in Spain whichagain had a dedicated CSO agenda, work on ADBsdrive against corruption, continuing partnershipswith conservation organizations, publication ofthe Civil Society Organization Sourcebook,2 andcomplimentary training for NGOs and ADBs civilsociety anchors, based across the organizationand region.

ADBs medium-term work plan for ADBgovernmentcivil society cooperation continuesto guide ADB in its engagement with civil society.The work plan, which covers 20062008, is setwithin the context of the role and mandate of ADBsRegional and Sustainable Development Department,which supports all thematic and sector areas of

ADBs operations. The work plan reaffirms ADBscommitment to continue integrating CSO knowledgeand experience into its operations. The NGO and CivilSociety Center (NGOC) in the departments PublicManagement, Governance, and Participation Divisionexecutes the work plan.

1 www.adb.org/Strategy2020/2 ADB. 2008. Civil Society Organization Sourcebook: A Staf Guide to Cooperation with Civil Society Organizations.Manila.Available at www.adb.org/

Documents/Books/CSO-Staf-Guide/deault.asp


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PART II: PUTTING THE WORK PLAN INTO ACTION

Supporting Quality o ADB Operations

CSOs add value to the success of sustainabledevelopment by introducing:

Innovation. identifying new approaches andmodels for specific development activities,drawing upon their close knowledge of localcommunitiesAccountability. helping ensure that projectcomponents are implemented as envisaged andplannedResponsiveness. encouraging projectimplementation that responds appropriately tolocal needs

Participation. serving as bridges betweenproject authorities and affected communities,and providing structures for citizen participationSustainability. nurturing continuity in projectwork, especially when implementing agencieslack capacity or undergo staff changes

1. Civil Society Cooperation in Loans

ADBs most direct engagement with civil society isthrough its loans. In 2008, ADB approved 83 new

loans. Of these, 64 (77%) included some element ofcivil society involvement, ranging from consultationto project design to implementation and monitoringand evaluation. Oftentimes, CSOs are assigned aspecific component of an ADB-assisted initiative,including roles such as consultant, expert, and/ortrainer. Of the 64 new loans involving CSOs in 2008,10 were from Pakistan, followed closely by Indiawith 9. In addition, the list includes the Cook Islandsand Georgia, where civil society involvement in ADB-funded loans has taken place for the first time.

Civil society involvement is found across severalsectors. The highest number of newly approved loans

in 2008, 15, was in multi-sector,3

followed by 12 loansin the transport and communications sector. Theenergy sector continues to have high CSO involvement,with 10 new loans involving CSOs approved.

The work plan comprises three recommendationson how ADB, governments, and civil society can

cooperate most effectively to reduce poverty in Asiaand the Pacific. They are:

Supporting Quality o ADB Operations

ADB will continue to interact with civil societygroups and invite their input into its projects and incountry, subregional, sector, and thematic policiesand strategies. ADB will explore new tools to helpCSOs address the challenges presented by HIV/AIDS and corruption. Together with ADBs regionaldepartments, the NGOC will seek opportunities toengage CSOs in ADB-assisted activities.

Conducting Training and Building CapacityThe NGOC will initiate workshops to enhance thecapacity of ADB staff as they interact with civilsociety. Training courses will include consultationand participation approaches. In addition, ADBwill develop tools for staff to enhance theirunderstanding of the CSO context in DMCs, andhow to carry out participatory approaches inprojects.

Generating and Sharing Knowledge

ADB recognizes that an important ingredientin civil society engagement is nurturing goodcommunication. The NGOC will seize opportunitiesto disseminate information on ADBCSOengagement, and will use various ways to shareknowledge on how CSOs can cooperate with ADB.Importantly, ADB will organize consultations anddialogue with CSOs on ADB projects as well as onthe development and review of the institutionspolicies and strategies. In addition, partnershipswith international civil society groups like theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF) offer valuable forums for continued

knowledge sharing.Part II of this report discusses ADB interactionwith CSOs as they relate to these threerecommendations.

3 Multisector grants are generally urban, covering integrated urban inrastructure: water supply and sanitation, roads, and housing.


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Examples o CSO Participation in ADB Loans

The following loans were ongoing during 2008:

Consulting Communities to Improve Sanitation

in Indonesia

Public consultation is at the core of project designin the Community Water Services and Health Project(341524) in Indonesia. The projects purpose is toprovide sustainable access to safe drinking waterand improved sanitation, and to improve thehygiene of low-income communities in rural andperi-urban areas. Stakeholder consultations andcommunity-driven design mechanisms involvingbeneficiaries and CBOs were a significant part ofthe subproject selection process. Local communitiesused a participatory process to identify projectinvestments. The participants developed communityaction plans and then received funds to implement

them. Newly formed community implementationteams facilitated the community participationcomponent. By the end of the year, more than 330community implementation teams supported watersupply and sanitation facilities in their villages in theprovinces of Aceh, Bengkulu, Central Kalimantan,Jambi, Nias/North Sumatra, and West Kalimantan.

Building Capacity to Supply Water

In the Kyrgyz Republic, the Community-BasedInfrastructure Service Project (31197) followeda sector lending approach and supported thegovernments objectives of decentralization, povertyreduction, and human development. The loanprovided improved community-based infrastructureservices and training programs to strengtheninstitutional capacity in rural areas. CBOs andother NGOs helped prepare socioeconomic surveysand organize community consultations and theNGO Central Asian Alliance on Water trained localcommunities on sanitation and hygiene issues.

Delivering Inormation to Improve Public Health

The Sanitation, Public Health, and EnvironmentImprovement Project (28310) in Kiribati delivered

successful public information programs andcommunity activities in cooperation with womensorganizations and NGOs. NGOs, womensorganizations, churches, cooperatives, schools, andhouseholds, in cooperation with the Ministry of

4 All ADB projects are allotted a specic project number. Further detailed inormation on individual projects is available by entering the project

number in the search box on ADBs website, www.adb.org.

Armenia, 1

Azerbaijan, 2

Bangladesh, 6

Bhutan, 2

Cambodia, 3

Cook Islands, 2

Georgia, 1

India, 9

Indonesia, 6Kazakhstan, 1

Pakistan, 10

Philippines, 3

PNG, 2

PRC, 6

Sri Lanka, 1

Uzbekistan, 3

Viet Nam, 6

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Cambodia

Cook Islands

Georgia

India

Indonesia

Kazakhstan

Pakistan

Philippines

PNG

PRC Sri Lanka

Uzbekistan

Viet Nam

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Sector

Number

ofLoans

Total Loans With CSO Involvement

Agric

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Source: NGO and Civil Society Center.


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Environment and Social Development, supported bytwo community development TA grants, deliveredmany successful public information programs andcommunity activities. In particular, the promotionof rainwater tanks was very successful. Thepercentage of households using tanks increased

from 23% in 1995 to 43% in 2005. The ministryalso collaborated with the International WatersProgram5 to successfully implement their solidwaste management program on the island. Finally,communities monitored project activities incollaboration with project staff.

Continuing Education in Bangladesh

The Post Literacy and Continuing EducationProject (31309) in Bangladesh aims to establishan effective, community-based post-literacy andcontinuing education program for adult studentswho have completed basic literacy courses. The

program will help students become functionallyliterate and give them social and income-generatingskills related to existing employment and income-generating opportunities.

Partner NGOs include Padakhep ManobikUnnayan Kendra (PMUK), WAVE Foundation,Friends in Village Development Bangladesh(FIVDB), Eco-Social Development Organization(ESDO), Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and others. Theseorganizations have helped learners improve theirbasic literacy skills, and encouraged them to joinpost-literacy activities and understand their rightsand responsibilities. The groups have also organizedtraining programs to develop locally relevant skillsbased on a variety of issues, including the demandfor goods and services in the local market, theopportunities for skills training in the area, and theinterests of the participants.

Facilitating Road Development in India

ADB promotes inclusive economic growth in Indiathrough road development and has increasinglyfocused on the poorer states with weaker capacityto reduce interstate disparities. The Bihar StateHighways Project (41127) will improve the transport

efficiency of the state road network in one of thepoorest states in India. The project contributesto the expansion of economic opportunities,as the immense potential of agriculture willremain untapped until the completion ofsupporting infrastructure.

Indian civil society groups, including Pragati andStudy Point Samiti, helped educate project affectedpersons (PAPs) on their right to entitlementsand obligations during their resettlement inaccordance with ADB safeguard policies. Thegroups organized a training program and provided

support and information to PAPs in the crucialarea of reestablishing livelihoods. CSOs alsoassisted the PAPs in relocation and rehabilitation,including counseling activities, and coordinationwith local authorities. In addition, civil societygroups organized HIV/AIDS and human traffickingawareness campaigns in the project areas.

Mobilizing Communities or Socioeconomic

Inrastructure

The Decentralized Rural Infrastructure andLivelihood Project (30232) in Nepal invests in small,community-based socioeconomic infrastructure and

provides jobs, thus empowering rural communitiesfor development. The project is improving the ruraltransport network and enhancing the livelihoods ofcommunities in 18 districts, including 14 districts inthe western, midwestern, and far western regionsthat are among the poorest in the country.

NGOs, including the Integrated DevelopmentSociety and other local organizations, helpedimplement social development and communitymobilization activities during various stages of theproject. Ten district-level NGOs helped strengthenlabor groups by organizing beneficiary awarenesscampaigns at construction sites, informing themabout their rights, duties, and opportunities asoutlined in the International Labour OrganizationsCore Labor Standards.

Mitigating River Erosion

The Jamuna Meghna River Erosion Mitigation Project(34038) in Bangladesh establishes cost-effectiveand sustainable mitigation measures for riverbankerosion to protect the livelihoods of 2 million peopleliving in the target area of two flood protection andirrigation schemes. Developed with ADB assistancethe mitigation measures address the progressive

erosion caused by the Jamuna and Meghna rivers.The Bangladeshi NGO, Development Organizationof the Rural Poor (DORP), implemented theresettlement plan of the mitigation measures. DORPcarried out a public information campaign andfacilitated group discussions on land acquisition and

5 www.eli.org/Program_Areas/international_water.cm


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entitlements for compensation. Furthermore, DORPassisted with the execution of the resettlementaction plan and participated on the grievanceredressing mechanism.

In addition to the loans already in progressdescribed above, the following loans are a sample

of those approved in 2008.

Assisting Punjab Meet its Millennium

Development Goals

Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistanand has the largest provincial economic base in thecountry. While the province has achieved robusteconomic growth in recent years, it has lagged inattaining the following Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs): reduction of the infant mortality rate(MDG4) and decreasing the maternal mortality ratio(MDG5). More serious efforts are needed to attainthese two essential health MDGs. The loan, Punjab

Millennium Development Goals Program (Subprogram1, 41641), will help the government of Punjab improvethe daily management of health service delivery byreducing delays in the procurement of essential drugs.The health sector reforms will help institutionalizecontracting of health services to NGOs who will playa bigger role in improving the health of Punjabis, andimprove the existing performance monitoring andevaluation systems.

Designing Energy Solutions in the

Peoples Republic o China

In the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), civil societyrepresentatives contributed to the design of theDagushan Hydropower Project (39652) by theirparticipation from the feasibility study stage. CSOsparticipated with more than 4,400 representativesof local government agencies and project-affectedpeople during the feasibility study, environmentalimpact assessment, and land acquisition planningphase of the project design. The participantsdiscussed project alternatives, environmentalconcerns, land acquisition issues, and the economicdevelopment potential of the project. Local residentsoverwhelmingly supported the program as it will

improve their access to more reliable and affordableelectricity and they will enjoy other social benefits.Direct project benefits include hiring and traininglocal workers for project construction, allowingaccess to project facilities (e.g., medical emergencyfacilities, transportation, and electricity supply),supporting purchases of local supplies and servicesfrom the local communities, and providing a morereliable electricity supply to local towns after project

completion. The consultation processes also enabledlocal stakeholders to express their concerns, includingpublic safety, during the construction period.

Monitoring Hydropower Development

The design of the Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project

(36352) in Viet Nam designates an NGO to monitorthe project as an independent third party. Activitiesinclude monitoring (i) the participatory process,mechanisms, and measures used during the projectdesign; (ii) disclosure of the updated and detailedplans to affected persons; (iii) gender issues;(iv) the adequacy of the measures taken to addressethnic minority concerns; (v) the appropriatenessof various entitlements, programs, activities, andmethods of delivery for vulnerable households andgroups; (vi) how information is distributed; and(vii) types of grievances reported, the effectivenessof the grievance resolution mechanism, and if and

how they are resolved. An experienced NGO mayalso implement training on HIV/AIDS and awarenessof human trafficking issues.

Distributing Emergency Food Aid

The local NGO Buddhism for Developmentmonitored the distribution of food aid to over68,000 of Cambodias poorest families in Octoberand November 2008. The program, respondingto the Cambodia food crisis, was supportedby a loan and grant from the Emergency FoodAssistance Project (42186) to meet unexpected highexpenditures for safety net programs for the poorand vulnerable affected by higher food, fuel, andagricultural input prices. The project targeted thepoorest 20% of families in 200 selected communesaround the Tonle Sap Lake.

Collecting Gender Data or Road Design

During program preparations of the Road NetworkDevelopment Program - Project 2 (39176) inAzerbaijan, various stakeholders, includinglocal communities, road users, civil society,representatives of local and central government,the private sector, and external aid agencies,

participated in discussions about the proposedroad project. Meetings, interviews, surveys, groupdiscussions, and written communications, whichdrew participation from over 3,000 people, ensuredcomprehensive consultations about the projectsdesign. The Azerbaijan Women and DevelopmentCenter, one of the leading NGOs in the country,gathered gender-disaggregated data via householdsurveys, review of secondary data, and qualitative


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data. They then used the information to create agender analysis for the projects design.

Ensuring Fair and Transparent Judicial Selection

Under the Governance in Justice Sector ReformProgram (41380) in the Philippines, NGOs such

as Supreme Court Appointments Watch will helpensure that the selection of judges and justices isfair and transparent, and free from undue politicalinfluence. NGOs will also assist in holding justicesector institutions accountable for their actions andraising public confidence in justice sector institutionsand the rule of law. The project will enhance

justice sector integrity through the developmentand enforcement of codes of conduct. Othermechanisms the project will employ include theparticipation of civil society in monitoring justicesector performance and integrity, conducting anintegrity development review, ensuring transparency

in the judicial selection and appointment process,and supporting the wide and timely disseminationof judicial decisions.

Reducing the Impacts o Disasters

The objective of the Emergency Disaster DamageRehabilitation Project (41657) in Bangladesh isto contribute to sustainable economic growthby minimizing the devastating impact of severefloods and cyclones, and reducing future risk fromsimilar events. The project will focus on priorityareas identified through consultation with the

government, private sector, NGOs, and otherCSOs. Participation by beneficiaries including thepoor, NGOs and local government institutionsin subproject identification, implementation,operation, and maintenance of improvedinfrastructure will continue throughout theproject implementation.

Revitalizing Rural Services in Pakistan

Economic growth in Sindh in recent decadeshas been characterized by large fluctuations.As a consequence, long-term growth has beenmoderate, which has had several implications. The

Sindh Growth and Rural Revitalization Program(Subprogram 1 - 41545) will promote greater privatesector participation across the Sindh economy,more efficient public expenditure management,and increased investment and service delivery inrural areas. In particular, it aims to improve socialservice delivery, which is vital for building up human

capital and improving the welfare of rural people.Revitalizing the rural economy that includes creatingpartnerships with NGOs and the private sector todeliver essential rural services has been prioritized.

2. Civil Society in Technical Assistance Projects

Civil Society Cooperation in Technical

Assistance Projects

In 2008, ADB approved 197 technical assistance(TA) projects, of which 73 (37%) included civilsociety involvement, an increase from 2007, whenonly 31% of the newly approved TA projectsinvolved civil society. The countries with the highestnumber of TA projects are India, Viet Nam, and thePhilippines with 11, 10, and 9 projects respectively.Altogether, 21 countries involve civil society in ADB-

financed TA projects.As with newly approved loans, the highest

number of TA projects (15) with CSO involvementis in multisector and transportation andcommunication sector projects. TA projectsfocusing on water supply, sanitation, and wastemanagement, and agriculture and natural resourcesalso involved CSOs frequently, with 11 and 10 TAprojects in each sector.

Following are examples of ongoing TA projects.Some initiatives are limited to a single country, butothers are regional and involve multiple countries.

Monitoring Resettlement Impacts

Following an investigation of the ADB-supportedSouthern Transport Development Project (38647)in Sri Lanka, ADBs Compliance Review Panelrecommended that the ADB project managementimplement several changes to bring the project backinto compliance. Measures include helping establishwell-staffed monitoring of resettlement activities byan independent institution and forwarding concernsof the affected persons to the Road DevelopmentAuthority for urgent action. Through support fortechnical assistance, ADB engaged an independent

institution to review the progress of resettlementactivities and report to the Road DevelopmentAuthority, where necessary, for immediatecorrective action. A national NGO, the Center forPoverty Analysis, monitored the progress of theSouthern Transport Development Project.


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Finan

ce

Publi

cSec

tor0

10

20

30

50

60

Sector

Numbe

rofTAs

Total TAs With CSO involvement

Agric

ulture

and

Natur

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Educ

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Energ

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Healt

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Society Participation in Poverty Reduction (42124),will help reduce rural poverty in the PRC. In lightof global experience, the government increasinglyrecognizes the largely untapped potential of civilsociety actorsincluding NGOs and nascentvolunteerism and corporate social responsibility

as partners in state-supported poverty work.Developing new models and mechanisms formobilizing civil society in poverty programs will alsobe central to achieving national goals of people-centered development toward a harmonioussociety. The project will bring together NGOs andother civil society actors within more effective,responsive, targeted, and sustainable povertyreduction programs across the country. The projectoutcome will be formulation and demonstrationof replicable models and mechanisms for civilsociety participation in national poverty reductionprograms. In particular, the project embeds the

results of ADB assistance to explore new ways ofmainstreaming NGOs into village poverty alleviationand development planning, PRCs flagshipgrassroots poverty program.

Preparing the Integrated Flood and

Riverbank Erosion Management Project

Flooding is a perennial problem in Assam, India,causing significant economic damage eachyear. The states flood-prone area amounts to3.1 million hectares (ha), or some 40% of Assamstotal geographical area. Thus, effective flood

management is crucial to the states economicperformance. The TA project, Preparing the NorthEastern Integrated Flood and Riverbank ErosionManagement Project (38412), assists the stategovernment in developing and implementing acomprehensive, cost-effective, and affordable floodand river erosion management strategy. The projectaims to protect the areas of vital socioeconomicand national interests such as productive urbanand rural centers, tea plantations, and oil refineriesthrough effective structural and nonstructural floodprotection and river training activities.

During project preparation stage, ADB

organized a series of consultations, throughworkshops and individual meetings, with localNGOs on the design and implementationarrangements of the project. Several NGOs,including the Indian Confederation of Indigenousand Tribal Peoples North East Zone and River BasinFriends, provided input in determining the projectssocial and environmental impacts.

Source: NGO and Civil Society Center.

A ghanistan, 1

A erbaian, 1

angladesh,

hutan, 1

Cambodia,

Federated States o

Micronesia, 1

eorgia, 1

India, 11

Indonesia, 6

Lao P R, 3

Mongolia,Nepal, 2

Pa istan,

Philippines,

Papua New uinea, 3

Peoples Republic o

China,

Sri Lan a, 1

Ta i istan, 1

Timor Leste, 1be istan, 1

iet Nam, 10

A ghanistan

A erbaian

angladesh

hutanCambodia

Federated States o Micronesia

eorgia

India

Indonesia

Lao P RMongolia

Nepal

Pa istan

Philippines

Papua New uinea

People s Republic o China

Sri Lan a

Tai istanTimor Leste

be istan

iet Nam

Developing New Models or

Civil Society Participation

The lack of a supportive institutional environmentalong with workable mechanisms has limited theextent and efficacy of civil societys role in reducingpoverty in the PRC. The TA, New Models for Civil


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Promoting Efective Water Management Policies

and Practices

The regional TA project, Promoting Effective WaterManagement Policies and Practices Phase V(38539), promotes effective water managementpolicies and practices at the regional, subregional,and country levels. Located in the SouthernHighlands Province of Papua New Guinea, Lake

Kutubu is Papua New Guineas highest freshwaterlake and is expected to be greatly affected byupcoming industrial developments that includea gas pipeline from the Southern Highlands toQueensland and a road from the highlands to thecoast passing close to Lake Kutubu.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pacifichelped prepare biological and socioeconomicinformation on the Lake Kutubu catchment fordeveloping an integrated catchment managementplan. WWF helped strengthen the capacity ofnational and local institutions to manage thecatchment. The project will protect biologicaldiversity and ecological processes while promotingthe sustainable management of natural resourcessupported by a properly implemented catchmentmanagement policy.

Sharing Experiences Among Civil Society

Organizations and Local Media on Pro-Poor BudgetingThe TA project Pro-Poor Planning and Budgeting(39063) works to improve access of the poor toquality social services and infrastructure in Indonesiathrough support for initiatives to operationalizelocal poverty reduction strategies and linkthese strategies to a pro-poor and participatorybudget process. The TA project has focused onbuilding capacity for pro-poor planning andbudgeting among local government officials,members of district representative assemblies, andrepresentatives of local CSOs. A 2-day workshopheld in May 2008 as part of this assistance offeredan opportunity to share lessons and experiencesin planning and budgeting to reduce poverty andstrengthen the understanding of practices of CSOsand local media that advance pro-poor planning atthe district level.

Integrating Concerns o Tracking and Migration

The regional TA initiative Integrating HumanTrafficking and Safe Migration Concerns for Womenand Children into Regional Cooperation (40320)will enhance mainstreaming of anti-trafficking andsafe migration concerns within the Greater Mekong

Subregion (GMS) and South Asia SubregionalEconomic Cooperation (SASEC) and strengthenregional policy dialogue and partnerships on thesetopics in the GMS and South Asia. In the GMS,various high-level NGO staff and governmentofficials will participate in targeted regional andlocal training. NGOs are valuable partners inregionwide networks that address trafficking andsafe migration in these regions.

Box 1: Strengthening Civil Society

Participation in the Pacic

The regional technical assistance project, Pilot

Strengthening of Civil Society Participation in

Development in the Pacific (38638), built on andcomplemented ongoing and planned assistance

to civil society in the Pacific from ADB and other

external funding agencies. It strengthened CSO

understanding of development policy. CSOs directly

engaged with their governments and external

funding agencies in the design, formulation,

and implementation of ADBs country strategies,

programs, and projects as an example to all

development programs. ADB and the Pacific Islands

Association of NGOs collaborated to achieve

project objectives.

Outcomes through this project includeda more developmentally aware, less

factionalized, and more effective civil society

as CSOs learn to understand and influence the

formulation, implementation, and evaluation

of government and external funding agency

policies; the project ensured that development

plans were constituent-directed and

publicly accountable;

establishment of the means and best practices

for civil society participation in development;

actual increased civil society participation in

advocacy, planning, policy development, and the

delivery of some services, in the case of ADB-

financed programs;

a resulting heightened demand by civil

society for improved public services and

responsive markets;

improved collaboration among the governments

of Pacific DMCs, external funding agencies, and

CSOs; and

greater acceptance of the legitimacy of civil

society in development.


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Supporting the Energy or All Initiative

ADB organized the regional workshop FinancingVillage-Level Energy for Development in AsiaPacific (40629) in Manila on 1011 April 2008. Theforum was a knowledge-sharing event focusingon the methodologies and options available for

financing and implementing sustainable energysupply initiatives, including microfinance and carbonfinance initiatives. The Foundation for DevelopmentCooperation and Global Village Energy ProgramInternational, two international NGOs, co-hostedthe workshop with ADB. The meeting assembledkey decision makers and practitioners in Asia andthe Pacific who are expanding access in developingcountries to clean, renewable and lower cost formsof energy to the village level.

Establishing Regional Knowledge Hubs

The regional TA project, Establishment of Regional

Knowledge Hubs (39201), supports regionaldevelopment by creating knowledge hubs inselected DMCs as centers of excellence. Theknowledge centers will provide decision makers andthe development community in Asia and the Pacificwith up-to-date knowledge products and servicestailored to client or regional needs. One goal ofthe project is to establish centers of excellence withparticular emphasis on a partnership approachinvolving governments, private sector, NGOs,academic institutions, and other donor agencies. InIndia, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) isone of the organizations that serves as a knowledgehub for information on clean energy. TERI is aninternationally recognized organization which worksclosely with several multilateral organizations,national governments, corporate organizations,NGOs, and academia around the world. As ofnow, it has over 900 organizations as sponsorsand around 200 organizations as partners from43 countries.

In addition to the TA projects already inprogress described above, the following area sample of those approved in 2008. Someare national level and others take place in

multiple countries.

Building Capacity or Housing Micronance

In the Philippines, the technical assistance, CapacityBuilding for Housing Microfinance (37704), willstrengthen systems in the Development Bank ofthe Philippines, Housing and Urban Development

Coordinating Council, local government units, andmicrofinance institutions to enable the formulationof housing projects and financing appropriate to theneeds of the poor. It will involve close consultationwith representatives of communities likely to benefitfrom the project. The project is expected to engage

NGOs assisting these communities particularly inpromoting sustainable mechanisms for effectivecommunity participation. Through participatoryapproaches, NGOs will facilitate the process of thebeneficiaries preparing community action plans.

Developing Benet-Sharing Mechanisms in Viet Nam

The TA project, Developing Benefit SharingMechanisms for People Adversely Affected byPower Generation Project (39379), supports theGovernment of Viet Nam in preparing guidelinesfor benefit-sharing mechanisms for peopleadversely affected by power generation projects.

It will help the government prepare a pilot-testedpolicy framework, as an initial step in developing anational policy for benefit-sharing mechanisms forimproving the well-being of the people affectedby power projects. The mechanisms will allow theallocation of a certain percentage of revenue frompower generation projects. These will mitigate thelong-term adverse social impacts of such projectsand will help the project-affected people improvetheir livelihoods in a sustainable manner. The benefitsharing funds will be channeled from the powergeneration projects to independent institutions,such as possibly collaborating with local andinternational CSOs, including representatives ofproject-affected communities.

Supporting Power Sector Development

The Power Sector Development Project (41504) inPapua New Guinea will form a steering committeeto help ensure adequate cooperation from localgovernment bodies, governments, and NGOs activein the power sector. In consultation with localNGOs, the project will also identify key projectstakeholders to examine their interests and viewsin relation to the project. This is a new role for

NGOs in Papau New Guinea, but one that will linkconsumers with producers more closely.

Reorming the Khadi6 and Village Industry Subsector

Indias rural nonfarm sector is considered a majorsource of income for rural communities and holdsthe key to faster economic development of the

6 Khd is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth.


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country. The khadi and village industries sectoris an integral and significant subsector of thenonfarm sector as it holds significant employmentpotential for women. Thus, the TA Capacity Buildingfor Reforming the Khadi and Village IndustrySubsector (42151) will benefit mostly poor rural

women. During program implementation, genderand NGO experts will use a participatory approachin their needs assessments and informationdissemination activities. They will focus on capacitydevelopment initiatives especially for women anddisadvantaged beneficiaries. As NGOs often operatekhadjproduction centers, the NGOs will alsobenefit as these centers become more productiveand sustainable as a result of the reforms to thesubsector.

Planning the Central Asia Regional Economic

Cooperation (CAREC) Transport Corridor

Design of the CAREC program (42052) TransportCorridor III (DushanbeUzbekistan Border Road)will include participatory exercises with a rangeof development actorscommunity membersand local groups, NGOs, line agencies involvedin road subsector development, and businesses.Participatory tools such as focus group discussions,participatory workshops, and community-levelrapid assessment will ensure that local concerns andpriorities are included in the design stage of theroad project.

Increasing Capacity or Flood Management

The Pyanj River poses significant flood and erosionrisks to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The Pyanj RiverBasin Flood Management Project (41601) willimprove water resource management in the PyanjRiver Basin, and will reduce the negative impactsfrom floods and bank erosion. The outcome of thisTA project will be improved knowledge, increasedcapacity, and strengthened institutions for planningand managing the Pyanj River Basin with a focuson flood management. Ongoing activities of thegovernments, development partners, and NGOs inthe basin will be coordinated. It will also directly

support initial studies that address critical datagaps, focusing on hydrology, the hydrometeorologynetwork, river morphology, and social andeconomic baseline data. NGOs will be recruited toassist with necessary community engagement andfor other technical studies and services under theTA project.

Enhancing Engagement with Pacic Developing

Member Countries

The TA Enhancing Engagement with Pacific DMCs(41658) will help generate economic growth inSamoa, Solomon Islands, and Tonga through(i) enhanced relationships between ADB and

the participating governments, (ii) improveddevelopment partner coordination, and (iii)improved ADB country portfolio performance. Theproject is expected to enhance ADB relations withthe governments, the private sector, and NGOs inthe region. It will support the provision of additionalresources and capacity for development partnercoordination, and potentially harmonization, witha focus on facilitating government implementationof national development strategiesin Samoa,Solomon Islands, and Tongafor 3 years.

Building More Gender-Responsive

Decentralized GovernanceThe Gender-Responsive Decentralized Governance inAsia project (40314) will create a more transparent,gender-equitable, and socially inclusive governmentat the decentralized level in Cambodia, Indonesia,and Nepal. The project helps disseminate practicallessons for use by ADB staff, governments, CSOs,and funding agencies to improve the genderresponsiveness in policy, planning, budgeting, andproject design. The project will identify practices forgreater representation and participation by womenin decentralized governance. It will also supportwomens NGOs as they train participating women totake part in sector policy dialogue.

3. Civil Society Cooperation in Country

Programming

ADB and each of its DMCs jointly prepare acountry partnership strategy (CPS) every 5 years todefine and guide their collaborative developmentinitiatives in the country. The CPS is based on ananalysis of the countrys development prioritiesand specifies key approaches to remove constraints

on country development, and explicitly states thestrategys objectives. ADB partnerships with CSOs,including NGOs, community-based organizations,and foundations, will become central to planning,financing, and implementing ADB operations asthe CPS is executed. Therefore, ADB invites a broad


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Box 2: Country Partnership Strategy

Development in Sri Lanka

ADB and the Government of Sri Lanka have forged

a new CPS 20092011 designed to help improve

the investment climate, unclog infrastructurebottlenecks, and ensure all segments of society

benefit from the nations solid economic growth.

During the development of the CPS, the Sri Lanka

Resident Mission successfully piloted a new

consultation and participation strategy especially

for the CPS process which they began in 2007.

The new strategy requires that a multisector team,

instead of an individual, from the Sri Lanka office

manage and participate in the CPS consultations.

Based on its success, ADB hopes to replicate this

model in other countries.

ADB will also ensure that its interventions

are conflict-sensitive, with strong emphasis ontransparency and full and active consultation

among all stakeholders. The strategy supports the

governments 10-year development framework

that targets inclusive economic growth through

improved infrastructure, increased private

sector investment, and measures to boost the

countrys competitiveness.

range of CSOs to join in active, open dialogues andconsultations with ADB and government officialsduring the CPS design process.

The consultation process for the developmentof CPSs in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka all beganin 2007 but continued into or through 2008. The

CPSs for Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tuvalu wereall approved in 2008 and Timor-Leste also beganits consultations in 2008. ADB engaged withcivil society through formal consultations in eachcountry during the process.

In March 2008, ADB organized a mid-termreview of the 20052009 Nepal CPS to assess therealities on the ground and gather the perceptionsof the strategys underlying assumptions fromlocal stakeholders, particularly in light of politicalchanges since the strategy was formulated. Thereview included regional consultations in all fiveof Nepals target regions and a meeting with

representatives of civil society, including freedbonded laborers, members of the dalit7 communityand other marginalized groups, womens groups,and NGOs. The consultations also enabled ADBto inform stakeholders on the strategys progressand get their views on its continued relevance inthe new political context. The discussions provideda fresh outlook to complement the political andintellectual discussions which too often focus inthe capital, Kathmandu. According to participants,most development needs identified during the 2003regional consultations and encompassed in ADBpriorities through the four strategic pillars (broadbased and inclusive high economic growth, inclusivesocial development, governance and capacitybuilding, and climate change and environmentsustainability) adopted by the previous CPS werestill valid. The participants also reiterated that withthe right approach, including the participation oflocal people, development is possible even underdifficult conditions.

The consultations in Pakistan yielded valuablefeedback, which is reflected in the focal areasof the CPS. Governance; financial management;lack of coordination among local government

departments; the need for improvements inplanning, budgeting, and monitoring systems, andlow operation and maintenance budgets figuredcentrally in the consultations. The consultationsconfirmed that ADB is best known in Pakistan forits contributions to infrastructure development,particularly in the transport, power, and irrigation

sectors. Stakeholders had several recommendationsto improve performance in infrastructure projects,

including need-based identification and improveddesign of projects; pro-poor projects, like farm-to-market roads; mass transit facilities; modernintercity and cross-country railway systems; andalternate energy including solar systems in remoteareas and windmills in the costal areas. Additionalrecommendations included the need to focusattention to gender concerns.

Even though dialogue with partners in Timor-Leste began in 2008, the dialogue with CSOsand other stakeholders continues into 2009.Development of Timor-Lestes CPS includes informaland formal dialogues with CSOs in the country. The

government is aware that its limited capacity meansthat it cannot address all development issues in thenew nation, and likewise donors understand thatthey cannot expect government alone to achievedevelopment targets. They see NGOs as essentialfor helping bridge these capacity gaps. The NGOssupport the four proposed areas of ADBTimor-

7 Dalit is a sel-designation or a group o people traditionally regarded as untouchables (outcastes) or o low caste.


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Leste engagement, infrastructure, public sectorcapacity development, private sector development,and regional cooperation. They also advocate theimportance of development efforts aimed in boththe rural and urban areas of the country.

In preparation for the Mongolia CPS, ADB hired

the Asia Foundation, an international NGO workingin Mongolia, to prepare sector risk assessmentsand risk management plans in the educationand urban infrastructure sectors in Mongolia.These assessments and plans lay the foundationfor complementary work to reduce corruption inprojects that ADB intends to support.

As the CPS process continues each year indifferent countries, it will fully involve governmentand nongovernment stakeholders to ensure broadcommitment to, and ownership of, the CPS.Furthermore, the CPS consultation should be inline with and should complement the consultation

process of the national poverty reduction strategyand the national development plan. NGOs oftencritically look at their governments developmentplan and see the gaps that they think ADBcould fill. The participatory approach will helpformulate a better and more relevant strategy andensure greater participation and commitment ofstakeholders in the implementation process.

Beyond ADBs consultation related tocountry partnership strategies, loans, or technicalassistance, country level coordination and lessformal collaboration are important instrumentsfor cooperation with civil society. The BangladeshResident Mission has established regular links withNGOs in the country to share the country programand other issues of common interest. Thesemeaningful cooperation strategies add value to allparties on a range of levels.

In addition to occasional one-on-one meetingsas requested by NGOs, ADBs PRC Resident Missionhas hosted regular informal roundtables, whichserve as a forum for information exchange andmutual familiarization, and for seeking NGOfeedback/views on development issues and ADBsrole in the PRC. In 2008, roundtables in the PRC

were merged with three events: the July Beijingsister launch of NGOC bookFrom the Ground Upand a Chinese-language extract monograph, theSeptember Final Policy Forum, and the Novemberworkshop to discuss the draft final report fromADBs subproject on government outsourcingto NGOs.

4. Conancing Funds Supporting Civil Society

Engagement and Participation

Japan Fund or Poverty Reduction

The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) is an

untied grant facility established by the Governmentof Japan and ADB in May 2000. From an initialcontribution of $90 million, the fund now standsat $360.4 million, with a net uncommitted balanceof $126.7 million. JFPR assists ADB clients providedirect relief to the poorest and most vulnerablesegments of society while building up theircapacities for self-help and income generation.

The JFPR is a tool for local communities andCSOs, including NGOs, to actively participatein development. The partnerships are forged attwostages:

Project design The community group orNGO may collaborate with the ADB task teamcurrently managing an existing and relatedADB-financed project in conceptualizing anddesigning the proposed grant. However,only ADB staff can officially submit the JFPRapplications. Civil society groups are advisedto establish contacts with the country teamsdirectly or through the NGO liaison officers and/or civil society specialists in ADB field offices.Project implementation and execution TheJFPR grants may be executed by recipientgovernments (central or local) or by CSOs.Alternatively, the executing agency may procurethe services of CSOs in implementing specificgrant activities.

As of the end of 2008, ADB had approved atotal of 116 grant proposals (with a total value of$300.3 million), which included a total of 13 newprojects approved in 2008, worth $34 million. Ofthe 13 new projects in 2008, NGOs are playing alarge role in five of them, as described below.

Community-Based Early Childhood Care

and DevelopmentThe Community-Based Early Childhood Careand Development Project (41051) aims to assistthe Government of Viet Nam to identify anintegrated early childhood care and developmentmodel focusing on children under 3 years, with acommunity and poverty targeted focus for selected


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ethnic minority groups and migrant workers. Inconjunction with the United Nations Childrens Fund(UNICEF) and Save the Children Federation, theproject will improve the health, nutritional status,and cognitive and social development of childrenin Viet Nam.

UNICEF has developed extensive advocacymaterial on early childhood education anddevelopment on which the project will build. TheSave the Children Federation will help in trainingpromoters of early childhood care and development,in cooperation with the provincial departments ofhealth and education.

Supporting Resettlement in Viet Nam

The Livelihood Improvement of Vulnerable EthnicMinority Communities Affected by the Song Bung 4Hydropower Project (36352) in Quang Nam Provinceproject improves the living standards and reduces

the prevalence of poverty of the people who areaffected by the construction of the hydropowerproject. Project activities include adapting therelocated people to their new natural and socialenvironment, developing land use and agriculturalpractices, and increasing the capacity of the ethnicminority resettled people through a participatoryapproach to enable them to take a key role in theirown livelihood development. CHF,8 a Canadian NGOoperating in Viet Nam, will provide resettlementguidance, oversee the compensation and grievancemanagement components, and support thedevelopment of sustainable livelihoods options afterresettlement.

Improving Water Resources or Nomadic Families

in Mongolia

JFPR has extended a grant for $2 million for theWater Point and Extension Station Establishment forPoor Herding Families project (41660), which will beoverseen by ADB and executed by the Ministry ofFood and Agriculture with the cooperation of theNGO Voluntary Services Overseas Mongolia. Morethan half the population in Ovorhangay dependson herding for daily living and this project will

help establish or rehabilitate 60 water points in 10districts over 3 years. The resources will be managedby 60 herd-management groups that will receivetechnical and legal support in developing andoverseeing pasture and well management plans.Nomadic herding families, who rotate their mixed

herds across remote pastures, account for morethan half the rural population of the country.

The new and rehabilitated water points areexpected to increase land available for grazing by168,000 hectares, benefiting 900 nomadic herdingfamilies. The project will also support improvedlivestock production and alternative livelihoods

8 Formerly known as Canadian Hunger Foundation.

Box 3: Community Participation in Flood

Management

The 3-and-a-half year Community Participation

in Flood Management Project (40046) aims at

developing capacity to anticipate, protect against,prepare for, and cope with floods and other

disasters in about 130 flood-prone villages by

implementing two components: Participatory

Disaster Preparedness and Silviculture9 Flood

Protection (40046) in Tajikistan. The Agency

for Technical Cooperation and Development

(ACTED), an international NGO, is leading the

implementation of the project in partnership with

the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan, Ghamakhori,

CAMP Kuhiston, and the Regional Environmental

Center for Central Asia. The project will enable

this group of NGOs to develop an overall common

package for disaster risk management at thecommunity level which they will then install,

test, and adapt. After 3 years of implementation,

this system should be ready for adaptive

replication nationally and in other countries with

similarconcerns.

Capacity building is a common thread

throughout this grant. NGOs will strengthen the

capacity of villages to organize themselves to

address risk before, during, and after possible

disasters. On the government side, officers will

understand the capacity of villagers, NGOs, and

local and national governments. More frequent

interactions among these players will build trust and

increase clarity about the responsibilities for disaster

risk management.

9 Silviculture is the art and science o controlling the

establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality

o orests to meet diverse needs and values o the many

landowners, societies, and cultures (Wikipedia).


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through one-stop agricultural and social serviceextension centers expected to serve 100 nomadicherding groups and help them raise their income byat least 15% over the life of the project.

Improving Access to Quality Basic Education or

Children with Special NeedsThis project (40359) in the Kyrgyz Republic,approved in 2007 by JFPR but still ongoing,addresses the educational requirements of childrenwith special needs, bringing them into mainstreamactivities, and therefore making them more activemembers of society. The three components ofthe grant are supporting the policy, legal, andinstitutional frameworks; building capacity andraising public awareness; and supporting thephysical infrastructure, furnishings, and equipmentof educational facilities serving children with specialneeds. Save the Children Alliance is assisting with

the second, to promote participatory developmentof stakeholders and communities, and raisingawareness of communities on the rights andprivileges of children with specialneeds.

Water Pilot and Demonstration Activities

ADBs pilot demonstration activities (PDAs),introduced in 2002, provide opportunities fortesting and improving innovative ideas, technology,and methodologies on a small scale in the watersector. PDAs are short-term activities designed to

test and validate new and innovative approaches,methodologies, and strategies for improved waterresources management and water services delivery,as well as sector policy development and sectorreform. Since 2002, PDAs have been financed underADBs Cooperation Fund for the Water Sector, amulti-agency facility that promotes effective watermanagement policies and practices in Asia andthe Pacific. ADBs Water Financing PartnershipFacility10 has also been supporting PDAs sinceits establishment in 2006. The facility mobilizesadditional financial and knowledge resources fromfinancing partners to support the implementation of

ADBs Water Financing Program 20062010, whichaims to deliver substantial investment, reform, andcapacity development in rural and urban waterservices, and basin water management. CSOs areexecuting the following PDAs:

Developing Appropriate Sanitation Solutions or

Peri-Urban Areas

This PDA seeks to call the attention of governmentto the expected worsening of sanitation issues asa result of increased water supply. The objectiveis to develop a sanitation model for peri-urban

areas of Viet Nam, applicable to other parts ofSoutheast Asia based on a combination of researchand surveys, along with the implementation of onepackage treatment plant, through a bottom-upapproach in Kieu Ky commune. Specifically, the PDAaims to (i) select appropriate domestic wastewatercollection and treatment systems, (ii) selectappropriate wastewater collection and treatmentsystems for craft making villages, (iii) implementa pilot package wastewater treatment plant. Theproject is being implemented by the NGO EASTViet Nam, a French NGO collaborating with theGovernment of Viet Nam.

Demonstrating the Value o Greater

Womens Involvement

The PDA Greater Womens Involvement inImplementing Arsenic Mitigation Measures inRural Areas in Bangladesh demonstrates howgreater female involvement in specific activities inwater supply improvement such as water sourceidentification and implementing arsenic mitigationmeasures, including evaluation of technologyoptions, could improve sustainability of water supplydelivery. The implementing NGO, the Environmentand Population Research Centre, also aims to

enhance the livelihood opportunities of the localpopulation in the specified subproject areas ofthe Southwest Area Integrated Water ResourcesPlanning and Management Project by improvinghealth through the reduction of waterborne- andarsenic-related diseases. The project will assessthe roles that women play in managing water forvarious domestic uses and how they have beeninvolved in making decisions about how watersupply interventions should be designed andimplemented, and illustrate the advantages ofgetting women involved in decision making. Finally,the project will demonstrate the mechanisms oftraining and promoting a Water Safety Plan bywomen groups among women users for drinkingsafe water.

10 www.adb.org/water/WFPF/about.asp


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Demonstrating the Compensation Mechanism

or Watershed Protection ServicesThis PDA, Using Compensation Mechanism forWatershed Protection Services in Citarum, is beingimplemented by the NGO Center (NGOC) for Landand Water Resources Management (LembagaPenelitian, Pendidikan, dan Penerangan Ekonomidan Sosial or LP3ES). Its objectives are to (i) support

the development of compensation mechanismsfor watershed services and improved livelihoodsin the catchment areas of Citarum, Indonesia; and(ii) encourage the commitment of beneficiaries toprovide compensation to local people who guardand steward sustainability of watershed services.

The mechanism requires the commitmentof beneficiaries and those involved in managingthe watershed protection services to compensateupland farmers who maintain land use byguardianship and stewardship of the Citarumwatershed area. Thus, money collected fromwatershed services is intended to be usedfor the sustainable management of thesewatershed services.

Promoting Efective Water Management Policies

and Practices

ADBs support to the Gender and Water Network

(GWANET) in Central Asia, financed by the WaterFund and implemented within the framework ofPromoting Effective Water Management Policies andPractices Phase Four (38538), was in collaborationwith the Scientific Information Center of theInterstate Commission for Water Coordinationin Central Asia. The main project outputs areincreased awareness and understanding of genderissues by water sector stakeholders includingrelevant NGOs, strengthened capacity of the watersector institutions (including NGOs such as waterusers associations) to mainstream gender anddevelopment at the decision-making levels, andincreased womens participation in planning andimplementation in water management.

Gender and Development Cooperation Fund

The Multidonor Gender and DevelopmentCooperation Fund12 was established in May 2003as a facility to promote gender equality andwomens empowerment in Asia and the Pacific.The fund supports country gender assessmentsand strategies to guide the formulation of CPSs,project-specific gender action plans for ADB

gender-relevant projects, recruitment of long-termgender consultants, gender impact assessments,and promotion of partnerships with womensorganizations and other development partners.Since its inception, the fund has supported sevendifferent projects, of which five were ongoingin 2008.

12 www.adb.org/gender/gad-und.asp

Box 4: Demonstrating the Application o

the Vetiver11 System

The objective of the PDA Applying Vetiver System

for Slope Stabilization and Erosion Control

in Citarum Riparian Community Groups is todemonstrate the use of the vetiver system in

the Citarum River, Indonesia. The implementing

NGOs, the Ekoturin Foundation and Yayasan

Ekoturisme Indonesia, will raise awareness of

stakeholders, particularly at the community level,

on the effectiveness of this system in water, soil,

and natural resources conservation; soil and

water erosion control; river basin management;

sustainable agriculture; slope stabilization; and

disaster mitigation.

Specifically, the PDA will (i) introduce and raise

awareness on the effectiveness of vetiver systems;

(ii) provide hands-on training for key stakeholders onvetiver characteristics, vetiver planting, propagation,

maintenance and management, and interaction with

farmers groups in other regions of Indonesia who

have successfully converted arid mountain slopes

into flourishing vegetable gardens; (iii) establish

pilot projects with key stakeholders in some

steeper basin regions and empower local NGOs

and key stakeholders to successfully replicate and/

or extend vetiver system training and technologies

to other farmers groups in the Citarum River basin;

(iv) initiate sustainable upland organic farming

systems for food security and eventual economic

development; and (v) develop a core group from

the stakeholders and NGOs as vetiver leaders to

establish vetiver network to disseminate vetiver

systems technology throughout the whole Citarum

River basin.

11 Vetiver is a perennial grass o the Poaceae amily, native

to India, whose roots grow almost exclusively downward,

making it an excellent stabilizing hedge or stream banks,

terraces, and rice paddies (Wikipedia).


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In 20072008, the international NGO MercyCorps implemented two subprojects in Mongolia

under the regional technical assistance, PromotingGender Equality and Women Empowerment(37402), supported through the fund. The firstsubproject, Gender in Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, targets rural women entrepreneursand aims to (i) improve their business andtechnical skills and knowledge of agriculturalmarket including supply chains; (ii) establish andpromote their relations with business serviceproviders; (iii) improve working conditions includingbetter understanding and support from localadministration, civil society, and the community;and (iv) improve awareness of gender equality ofthe women and the community. In accomplishingthese objectives, Mercy Corps has been workingclosely with local NGOs in four target provincesof Mongolia.

The second subproject, Enacting the Law onGender Equality, implemented by the governmentagency on gender equality of Mongolia, has

successfully mobilized national stakeholders, i.e.,CSOs working on womens and gender issues in thedrafting process. The bill contains comprehensiveprovisions on (i) efficient and appropriate assuranceof the de jure and the de facto equality of men andwomen; (ii) strengthening of the state obligations

to prevent and prohibit the gender discrimination,including gender-based discrimination and violenceand sexual harassment; and (iii) changing theculture of direct and indirect discrimination inthe political, economic, social, and family lives.The project used gender mainstreaming in thebill drafting and legislative advocacy. The draftlaw was endorsed by the Cabinet and submittedto the Parliament of Mongolia for its 2009 fallsession. National NGOs and research organizationscontributed substantially to the content andwording of the clauses of the law and are serving asmovers and shakers as well as technical resources in

the legislative advocacy in the government and thepublic of Mongolia.

In 2008, the Multidonor Gender andDevelopment Cooperation Fund cofinanced onecomponent of a large ADB loan/grant project, Creditfor Better Health Care (41664). In the EnhancingMidwives Entrepreneurial and Financial Literacyproject, the Development Bank of the Philippineswill fund a national health NGO to lead activitiesin community health, training, and legal matters.The project will address low and inefficient publicexpenditures in health care by mobilizing additionaloff-budget credit for pro-poor investment througha government financial intermediary, leveragingprivate participation, and improving allocationtoward investment priorities. These priorities include(i) maternal and child health services, (ii) controlof communicable diseases, (iii) services to improveaccess to basic health care, and (iv) referral servicesincluding laboratory and other diagnostic services.

The fund supported the Promoting RuralWomens Entrepreneurship in Transition Economiesproject (40308). The project started in June 2008and will be completed after 2 years. The impactof this regional TA project will be enhanced rural

womens economic empowerment in three centralAsian countries: the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan,and Uzbekistan. One main project output isstrengthening of womens associations, womensself-help groups, NGOs, and networks throughsocial mobilization; intensive capacity developmentactivities; and technical and financial support inagribusiness processing in selected project areas.

Box 5: Civil Society Organization Sourcebook

In 2008, ADB published Civil Society Organization

Sourcebook: A Staff Guide to Cooperation with

Civil Society Organizations, which was developed

to enhance staff understanding of why and howADB collaborates with civil society organizations

(CSOs), and to provide guidance on how to

cooperate with CSOs in a wide range of operational

contexts. The book provided the basis for the ADB

training for NGO anchors (see below). It provides

background information on CSOs, examples of

CSOADB collaboration, practical tips, and answers

to frequently asked questions. In short, the CSO

Sourcebook is a valuable resource tool for ADB staff

and partners with questions on how to cooperate

with CSOs to achieve better results.

This staff guide also complements the NGOCs

Staff Guide to Consultation and Participation,13ahandbook which provides practical tools and tips to

make participation more accessible and effective in

improving ADB operations. It also helps staff fulfill

ADB strategic objectives to consult or otherwise

promote participation.

13 www.adb.org/participation/toolkit-staf-guide.asp.


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B. Conducting Training and Building Capacity

1. Developing ADBs Capacity or Cooperation withCivil Society Organizations

Training or Nongovernment Organizations/

Civil Society Anchors

ADB maintains an internal network of NGO/civilsociety anchors across the organization at bothits headquarters and its resident missions andrepresentative offices. The anchors serve as thefrontline representatives of the institution for in-country interaction with CSOs. In August 2008, theNGO and Civil Society Center conducted a secondtraining course for NGO and civil society anchorsto enhance their capacity to engage civil society inADB activities. The course provided participants anopportunity to share knowledge on the differentapproaches taken by field offices in cooperatingwith civil society. Participants learned about toolsto address common questions and challenges inCSO engagement, including identifying potential

CSO collaborators, interacting with key CSOs,and cooperating with CSOs in difficult contexts.

Following the training, regular communication andknowledge sharing continues with many anchorsin accordance with the needs and issues of thecountry.

Staf Training on Consultation and Participation

in the CPS Process

Using theStaff Guide to Consultation andParticipation as basis, the staff training onconsultation and participation in the CPS processtaught staff how to fulfill the consultation andparticipationrelated requirements of the newresults-based CPS guidelines. The workshopprovided participants with an understanding ofhow to conduct stakeholder analysis, developa consultation and participation plan, selectappropriate consultation and participation toolsand methods, and carry out adequate consultationduring CPS processes.

Numerous studies have shown that the participationof beneficiaries in development projects improves theeffectiveness, relevance, and sustainability of those

projects. To illustrate the impact of participatorydevelopment, ADB has collected stories from eightprojects across a range of sectors and countries andcompiled them into the publication, From the Ground Up.The case studies include:

Peoples Republic of China: Tapping a newwell, where the government funds local NGOs toimplement community projectsIndia: Self-help in the slums, focusing on issuesincluding domestic violence, child labor, and underagemarriageIndonesia: Harvesting new ideas which enables poorfarmers, with the help of local government and NGOs,

take charge of village improvement projectsMongolia: Fruits of resilience describes ADB-fundedsupport to a disabled group who helped alter publicattitudes, as well as increase the income-earningpotential of the disabled

Papua New Guinea: Restoring the reef, a story ofhow two dozen shoreline villages are taking action toprotect their marine resources

Sri Lanka:

cash up front, please, reports on how anADB-supported rural water project took communityinvolvement one step furtherTajikistan: rebuilding broken lives tells of a pilotmicrocredit-based livelihood project for women andfarmersViet Nam: fighting for the forest, about a partnershipto partnered to save one of mainland SoutheastAsias most diverse rainforests in Viet Nams CentralAnnamites

They reveal some of the challenges of pursuing aparticipatory approach, as well as the liberating andempowering results achieved when such challenges can

be overcome through the commitment of concernedparties, including dedicated individuals, communities,CSOs, governments at various levels, and internationalfinancial institutions. From the Ground Up was launched

in 2008.

Box 6: From the Ground Up14

14 ADB. 2008. From the Ground Up: Stories o Community Empowerment. Manila. www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Ground-Up-

Community-Empowerment/Ground-Up-Community-Empowerment.pd?bcsi_scan_D4A612CF62FE9576=LgFD9YWePCwR1qu7u

wdTAQAAABcfUB&bcsi_scan_lename=Ground-Up-Community-Empowerment.pd.


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Integrating Civil Society Knowledge into

ADB Operations

In 2008, NGOC published 12 editions of CSOWeb Review, a monthly internal electronic bulletinfeaturing policy positions and activities of asampling of CSOs active in Asia and the Pacific.

ADB participated in the International NGOTraining and Research Center (INTRAC) conferenceWhat Ever Happened to Civil Society15 thatrepresentatives of more than 120 CSOs, bilateral andUN organizations attended. During the conferenceparticipants learned about ADB cooperation withNGOs in Asia and the Pacific and saw a projectpresentation on ADBs experiences with civil societyin the PRC. The participants shared experiencesabout civil societys transformation over the last fewyears, the new challenges it faces, and the directionit should take to promote equality, human rights,aid effectiveness and good governance.

ADB also joined the Annual Meeting of CSOFocal Points at Inter-governmental Organizations(IGOs) in September 2008. The discussions includedchallenges IGOs sometimes face in collaboratingwith CSOs and the changing opportunities thatare created. Participants gave examples of a rangeof types of innovative engagement with CSOsand NGO coalitions that lobby IGOs. Civil societyrepresentatives from networks and internationalNGOs addressed challenges they face in workingwith IGOs. The meeting demonstrated howmore thought is being placed on how to shape

consultation processes to bring forth the viewsof the most marginalized and how this translatesinto organizations displaying a commitmentto accountability.

The NGOC regularly organizes discussionsand brownbag seminars on timely developmentissues that feature resource persons from CSOsand development actors. The International Forumfor Rural Transport and Development presentedinformation on rural transport and how transportis directly linked to reaching the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. SGS,16 an insurance company,presented its new NGO benchmarking system

to provide an independent assessment of NGOsconformity level with internationally recognizedbest practices. A third brown bag disseminatedinformation about the outcomes of the INTRACworkshop, What Ever Happened to Civil Society,

which included a review of the changes that civilsociety has undergone over the last few years.

The global Transport Knowledge Partnership(gTKP), a program supported by the UnitedKingdoms Department for InternationalDevelopment, sponsored a regional workshop

entitled Mobilizing Civil Society to ImproveGovernance in Transport. The workshop, hosted byADB, reviewed examples of governance case studiesand refined plans to capture further case studies,discussed the progress of developing a bookletabout road infrastructure for road stakeholders, anddeveloped recommendations for other educationalmaterials to assist civil society. NGOs focused onthe road sector and road sector professionals fromADB member countries. Representatives frominterested international agencies participated in the3-day workshop.

Country Directors ForumThe NGOC presented information about ADBs workwith civil society at the ADB Country DirectorsForum in December 2008. During the presentation,the head of the NGOC highlighted several examplesof successful collaboration through the ADB fieldoffices. Examples included development of asuccessful consultation and participation plan inSri Lanka; implementation of a tripartite action planin Nepal; regular e-group meetings in Indonesia;and in the PRC, assisting the government identifynew models for civil society in anti-poverty efforts.

2. Building Nongovernment Organization Capacity

and Providing Institutional Support

Although ADB completed the majority of itsplanned activities for building NGO capacity in thefirst 2 years of its 20062008 work plan, 2008included less formal activities in this area. Forexample, ADB provided training to NGOs and otherlocal partners through its resident missions in arange of situations. ADB trained NGOs on its PublicCommunications Policy and disclosure issues in

Nepal and the Philippines.The Office of the Compliance Review Panel

(OCRP) of ADBs Accountability Mechanismalso worked closely with NGOs during 2008.With support from the OCRP, the Compliance

15 December 2008, Amsterdam. For more inormation, see www.intrac.org/pages/cseventmain08.html.16 www.sgs.com


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Review Panel (CRP) undertook a wide program ofboth external outreach, which included regularinteraction with both CSOs and NGOs, andinteraction with ADB staff on the role and functionsof CRP. Disseminating information on compliancereview as a critical function of ADBs Accountability

Mechanism continued to be one of CRPs priorityactivities. In 2008, ADB led public outreachactivities in Azerbaijan, Canada, India, Kazakhstan,the United States, and Uzbekistan. The outreachmission in India included four sessions attendedby over 60 participants from the government, theprivate sector, and NGOs. The Central Asia outreachmission was attended by over 110 participants,mostly staff from government and from NGOs. Inaddition, presentations were held in Washingtonand in Ottawa; each was attended by staff fromother partner organizations, development institutes,research centers, and NGOs.

To maintain contact with various networks, CRPmembers and OCRP staff had several formal andinformal meetings with groups including the BankInformation Center and other NGOs in Asia and thePacific in 2008.

Improving Stakeholder Understanding o

ADB Operations

ADB published several concise information briefs in2008 to help CSOs and other stakeholders betterunderstand ADBCSO collaboration, as well asADB operations and work in particular sector andthematic areas. ADB published (i) four civil societybriefs17 (Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, the Philippines,and Turkmenistan) that gave an overview of civilsociety in these countries and opportunities formoving forward; and (ii) three In Brief issues18ADB and Civil Society, Participatory Development,and Core Labor Standardsthat discussed eachissue from the ADB lens, illustrating the importanceof each theme across ADBs work.

ADB participated in two workshops in June2008 which offered ADB the opportunity tocontribute ADB perspectives on collaboration. Thefirst one was a 3-day workshop organized to seek

CSO perspectives on the World Banks East AsiaPacific Regional Strategy and on collaboration withthe development bank generally. The second wasa 1-day joint initiative of the ASEAN Secretariatand the World Bank aimed at seeking government,World Bank, and CSO views on ASEAN collaborationwith CSOs.

3. Strengthening GovernmentCivil Society

Cooperation and Collaboration

GovernmentCSOPrivate Sector Collaboration or

Better Public Services

The loan, Municipal Services Development project

(41198), brings a range of stakeholders in Georgiatogether. The loan supports the Government ofGeorgias Municipal Development Fund, in whichparticipating municipal governments, private sectorand/or utilities companies, communities, and CSOs,including CBOs, will work together to increasethe effectiveness of municipal governments in theidentification, planning, delivery, and cost recoveryof municipal infrastructure and utility services. Thetypes of projects to be implemented will includerehabilitation of water supply and sewerage,development of solid waste management systems,rehabilitation of municipal roads, and improvement

of municipal transportation. CSOs are likely tobe key partners for the municipal governmentsin achieving changes in behavior throughcommunity mobilization, awareness raising, andtechnical training.

Mainstreaming NGOs in Government Poverty

Programs

Representatives from ADBs Beijing office spokeat the Policy Forum on Mainstreaming NGOs inGovernment Poverty Programs in September 2008.The presentation described the nearly completeTA project NGOGovernment Partnerships forVillage-Level Poverty Alleviation (38234) and itsimpact. The focus of discussions was a pilot testrecently completed in three poor counties in JiangxiProvince. The initiative marks the first time in thePRC that budgetary funds have been channeledto competitively selected NGOs to work under thegovernments flagship grassroots-level povertyreduction program. ADB believes that NGOsworking closely with local government withinPRCs poverty program has led to a deepening ofparticipation by the hardest to reach: the poor,women, and other vulnerable groups. Moreover,

NGOgovernment partnerships have raised thetransparency, efficiency, and equity of stateresources for poverty reduction.

Joining Support or Transparent Procurement

The Development Policy Support Program Subprogram 2 (40538) is a $250 million loan

17 www.adb.org/Documents/Reports/Civil-Society-Bries/18 www.adb.org/Documents/Brochures/InBries/


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to the Philippines to build on reforms initiatedunder subprogram 1 for fiscal consolidation andstrengthening of governance in public expendituremanagement and procurement. As part ofthe project design process, ADB led extensiveconsultations with a wide range of stakeholders,

including private sector, civil society groups, anddevelopment partners. Subprogram 2 broadens thereform program in the four core areas to (i) improvefiscal sustainability, maintain macroeconomicstability, and improve creditworthiness; (ii) enhancegovernance in public expenditure management;(iii) improve the investment climate, ruraldevelopment, and infrastructure; and (iv) reducepoverty and increase social inclusion. It sets thegroundwork for a more substantial agenda onthese themes.

The Government of the Philippines issuedan executive order to create a procurement

transparency group to promote publicmonitoring and enhance transparency of thepublic procurement system, as mandated underthe procurement law. The group comprisesrepresentatives from government procurementpolicy board, key procurement agencies, and sixCSOs nominated by a CSO Forum, a voluntarygathering of major CSOs. The six CSOs are theBishopsBusinessmen Conference, Makati BusinessClub, Transparency and Accountability Network,Ateneo Government Watch, Confederation ofFilipino Consultants, and Procurement Watch.The procurement transparency group will beoperationalized under subprogram 3 and will startwith tracking procurement of selected infrastructureprojects from the time the bid notice is posted toselection of the winning bid.

Collaborating to Promote Social Development

The technical assistance Sindh Basic Urban Services(37220) will help the Government of Pakistanprepare a flexible program focused on providingincentives for sustainable service delivery. Theexpanded scope of the project preparatory technicalassistance will include, among others,

(i) preparation of an urban sector developmentroad map, including institutional and policy reformsto address core issue of urban services deliverysystems; (ii) assessment of options for publicprivatepartnerships and other alternative urban servicedelivery mechanisms; and (iii) preparation of a10-year investment program (comprising physicaland nonphysical investments) suitable for financingby ADB, including subproject preparation and

associated safeguards work, and determination ofinstitutional and implementation arrangements.Recent workshops with stakeholders held in January2008 followed smaller focus group meetings heldin 2007. Further workshops and meetings with localtaluka (county) councils took place between March

and August 2008. The workshops bring togetherstakeholders from the public sector and civil societyto collaborate on how to address local needs.

C. Generating and Sharing Knowledge

1. Engaging CSOs in Continuing Dialogue

NGO Lobby Day Meetings

ADBs annual Lobby Day meetings to discuss issuesof concern to NGOs have been part of ADBsdeepening dialogue with a range of advocacy

NGOs working across Asia and the Pacific. It is aday dedicated to NGOs for lobbying ADB abouttheir concerns and issues. Lobby Day includes aseries of discussions with members of the NGOForum on ADB (the Forum). The Forum is an Asian-led network of NGOs and CBOs that support eachother to amplify their positions on ADB policies,programs, and projects affecting resourcesand local communities. On Lobby Day 2008, heldon 26 March, 53 participants from nearly50 organizations joined ADB staff for a range oftalks. Discussions covered, among other topics, avariety of ADBs projectsreducing corruption, howthe NGOC works, ADBs Integrated Citarum WaterResources Management Investment Program, ADBin Armenia, and the Safeguard Policy Update.

Consultations on Land Issues

ADBCSO dialogue on land issues provided ADBstaff the opportunity to listen to civil societyperspectives on access to land and food securityissues. NGO representatives from the six countriesunder Land Watch Asia presented the results oftheir country studies to ADB, describ

ADB Cooperation with Civil Society Annual Report 2008

Documents

Transcript of ADB Cooperation with Civil Society Annual Report 2008