GENDER IN COUNTRY PARTNERSHIP STRATEGIES - THE VIETNAM EXPERIENCE FEBRUARY 22, 2012 Mette Frost Bertelsen, CPS Co-TTL and Gender Focal Point

Brief Overview of Gender in Vietnam  Vietnam has made significant progress in gender equality (legal framework, education, infant and maternal mortality, participation, etc.)  Important challenges remain, both socially and economically (health insurance coverage, employment, education gaps for ethnic minorities, poverty among widows, etc.)  Policy actions are needed to address these challenges in the context of an economy making the transition from low to middle income

Vietnam CPS and Gender  CPS process launched in fall of 2010  2 gender initiatives informed the CPS:  Vietnam Country Gender Assessment, conducted by the Bank in collaboration with other development partners and Government  Country Gender Action Plan – the Bank’s internal assessment of how it could address gender issues more effectively in the CPS program  In addition, gender issues came up in various rounds of internal and external consultations

Vietnam Country Gender Assessment 2011  Overview of Gender Issues  Gender, Poverty and Well-Being  Gender and Employment  Gender and Political Participation  Conclusions & Policy Recommendations

Vietnam Country Gender Action Plan (CGAP)  Developed in spring of 2011  Informed by “Gender Inventory Report” and consultations with team, GoV, Dev Partners  Overview of gender issues  Current gender related efforts in Vietnam: GoV and DPs  World Bank and Gender: goals, current activities, planned actions, resources  Results Matrix

Vietnam CPS Framework  3 Pillars:  Competitiveness  Sustainability  Opportunities  3 Cross-cutting themes:  Governance  Resilience  Gender  Gender “Coverage” in the CPS:  Section on gender in ‘Poverty and Inequality’ diagnostics  Description of how gender will be a cross-cutting theme  Box with example of gender mainstreaming in project  Annex on gender issues  Gender milestones included in CPS Results Framework

What CPS says on Gender The Bank’s support to gender in the CPS has four key elements: I. To support Government in improving the implementation of the Law on Gender Equality and the National Strategy on Gender Equality, in part by building gender awareness and capacity within relevant ministries; II. To support the development of a national gender data system by building on the recent development of the National Gender Statistical Indicator System; III. To apply a gender lens to identify opportunities to integrate gender more systematically into Bank operations, including by making the systematic collection of data disaggregated by gender a guiding principle; and IV. To help close the knowledge gap through quantitative and qualitative research on gender issues. All of these areas of action are cross-cutting in nature and impact.

Monitoring Progress – example from CPS Matrix

What Worked/Pitfalls  Analytical underpinnings important, but CGAP or similar plan with concrete actions even more important  Consultations with team to get as much ownership as possible – Gender Sector Champions?  Strong support from CD, sector management  Good coordination with DPs – focus on Comp Advantages  Helped that Gender is IDA16 theme  Pitfalls:  Risk of overpromising – how to make CPS living document  Mainstreaming risk – “everywhere is nowhere”