Public and Informal Private) in Priority Area4.2

RP1753 V3 REV Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Bangladesh THE Ministry of Water Resources Water Development WORLD Board BANK - Public Disclosure Authorized RIVER MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized RIVER MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ANNEX C VOL 3 Social Development Plan VOL 3 Social Development Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY RMIP Project Context and Overview Affected Populations and Beneficiaries Ongoing river erosion and major flooding of the Key project-affected persons and communities include: Brahmaputra-Jamuna has been a history of human suffering for people living along the river causing an i. To be relocated households and units: 3,639 increasing number of internally displaced ‘refugees’ households (2,256 residential HH), small and a continuous set back on many human businesses (148), joint residential-shop units (84) development indicators. The very high population and 78 CPRs representing 15,558 persons that will density of over 1,300 people per square kilometer either “self-relocate” and/or resettle in project- exacerbates these impacts on many levels. sponsored resettlement sites along the project alignment. BWDB seeks financing from the WB for the River ii. Economically affected without being displaced: Management Improvement Program (RMIP) which 1,437 households lose agricultural plots (< 50 encompasses a total of 147 km of the Central Jamuna decimal land) and 612 household or small Right Embankment (formerly known as BRE) covering businesses temporarily lose income within the 3 administrative districts (Gaibandha, Bogra, Priority area. Sirajganj) over an area of 2,750 km2 and approximately 4.8 million people. This stretch It starts Project beneficiaries include: north of Jamuma Bridge and reaches up to the i. Neighbouring communities / households confluence of the Teesta river upstream. The Program remaining on the old embankment and or living will be implemented in three phases. in 2km proximity of the embankment: These Phase 1 of the Program includes the reconstruction of communities are mostly poor can benefit from the Central JRE (Jamuna Right Embankment) in the social development interventions. These 50-km Priority reach from Simla to Hasnapara, households and communities live in close bankline protection and relocation of the affected proximity to the project-affected household may households in the right of way for construction. This otherwise feel ‘left out’ from the Project. RMIP Phase 1 will be referred to as the Project and is ii. Host villages / communities: The smaller of the the focus of this report. 15 resettlement sites rely on neighbouring villages for some of the services such as schooling SDP Objective and religious services. Communities that receive self-relocated resettlers that exceed 10% of their The overall two objectives of the SDP are to (i) current household number are eligible to receive Mitigate any negative social impacts related to the support with civic amenities. implementation of RMIP Phase I – Priority reach and to (ii) Support the overall development of the Structure of the SDP Report population in the Project area that lives a precarious life along the eroding river in respect to their The SDP consists of four parts: I) Overview II) livelihood, gender and public health status. The SDP is Assessment, impact and interventions related to a 5-year program that encompasses a livelihood income and livelihood restoration and development, restoration and development, a gender gender mainstreaming, and public health, III) mainstreaming as well as public health action plan for Implementation framework, costs and budget, and project-affected people and beneficiary communities. IV) Monitoring and evaluation. This Social Development Plan (SDP) is Volume 3 of the Assessment, Impact and Interventions Social Action Plan (SAP) that contains further Volume Livelihood Restoration and Development 1 Project Context, Socio-Economic Baseline, Consultations and Communication Strategy and The livelihood situation for the population at risk is Volume 2 Resettlement Action Plan (RAP). relatively homogenous in the Project area due to the BWDB i River Management Improvement Project similarities in the socio-demographics (inherent high cultivation of high value vegetables, iii) Improving the poverty levels), river-influenced ecology and productivity of livestock sector, iv) Improving communication as well as poor civic infrastructure. productivity of poultry sector, v) Improving the productivity of fisheries, vi) Training of skilled labor, The potential adverse impacts of RMIP on livelihood vii) Installation of solar home systems and viii) Grants for the project-affected population are temporary to support livelihood enhancing projects. and limited as there is a relatively small loss of productive assets as most people are squatters with Gender Mainstreaming very limited and mostly no productive assets. Therefore, the potential negative impacts are Men and women are relatively evenly distributed in the temporary and limited to i) A short-term loss of Project area. Of the 3,639 project-affected households income, ii) A disruption of livelihood and social along the embankment, 466 or 12% are female-headed capital. households (FHH). They are considered as socially and economically disadvantaged HHs. Majority of them The population in the Project area has a low have less earnings than the male-headed HHs. development status on human (low education and Furthermore, there are 213 disabled persons along the skill levels), financial (circa 48% of population below surveyed population. Seventy-four of them are female poverty level) and physical capital (basic housing, and 139 are male. little or no land). Given the large need for social development in the Project area due to continuous The conducted gender analysis for the project area bankline erosion and regular flooding as well as indicates a number of potential positive and negative forced migration due to land and homestead loss, the impacts of RMIP. The potential positive influences on focus will be on livelihood development. Potential gender equality that need to be fostered are: i) positive impacts that aim to cover the project- Enhanced employment opportunity for women, ii) affected population and beneficiaries are i) Enhanced Active participation and decision making of women, iii) employment opportunities as part of the civil works An increase of skills and knowledge of women as well of the Project but also project supporting works, ii) as iv) Gender mainstreaming overall and within BWDB. Capacity development to improve productivity of The potential negative impacts of RMIP that will existing crops and livestock, iii) Better marketing and particularly affect women and need to be mitigated at linkage of products to markets, and iv) Skill building to any costs are: i) The loss of land and properties, ii) The diversify livelihoods. disruption of livelihoods and living, iii) The change in social and cultural support mechanisms as well as iv) Based on the objectives of the livelihood plan as well The increased risk of sexual assault, violence, HIV/AIDS as the livelihood and impact assessment, two major and STD. strategies will be pursued: 1) To restore income and livelihood of the directly project-affected population Five strategies have been derived from the gender in short-term, and 2) To ensure sustainability mid- and analysis and impact assessment which will each be long-term livelihood improvements. A number of supported by a number of interventions. The strategies interventions have been planned to support each are as follows: i) Promote women’s participation in strategy: i) Cash assistance to support lost income, ii) design and implementation, ii) Enhance employment Assistance to re-establish businesses, employment in opportunities for women, iii) Ensure gender construction site and construction-supported sector responsible resettlement measures, iv) Provide as well as iii) Special assistance for vulnerable groups services and safeguards against social and health are planned to support strategy 1. vulnerabilities, v) Enhance capacity on gender mainstreaming within BWDB. To support strategy 2, the sustainability of the ILRP and long-term livelihood improvement, the following Key interventions are to i) Involve women in all interventions have been designed: i) Community important project committees for RMIP, ii) Give participation in tree, medicinal plantation and social preference to women interested to seek employment forestry on embankment sides, ii) Fostering the as part of the RMIP including social forestry as part of the embankment maintenance, iii) Provide special ii Revised Draft March 2015 VOL 3 Social Development Plan assistance to FHH during resettlement, iv) Raise Potential positive RMIP impacts that can be achieved awareness on health issues and human trafficking, v) for affected people but also beneficiaries in regards to Provide skill training for birth attendants/community public health are: i) Increased health awareness, health workers and vi) Capacity building on gender knowledge and information, ii) Improved health mainstreaming for BWDB. services and iii) Improved health conditions for households. Potential adverse impacts that need to Public Health be mitigated at all costs are: i) Resettlement-related public health risks such as ensuring good health Water-born diseases are the major public health standard in the resettlement villages

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