1. GEF Approaches 1 2 3 Stakeholder Gender Equality & Environmental &
Engagement
Gender Equality &
Women’s Empowerment
Environmental &
Social Safeguards

2. Stakeholder Engagement1.
Stakeholder Engagement

3. GEF ‘s Approach to Stakeholder Engagement
GEF’s operational policies “shall provide for full disclosure of all non-confidential information, and consultation with, and participation as appropriate of, major groups and local communities, throughout the project cycle.”
(Paragraph 5 of GEF Instrument)

4. GEF’s Evolving approach to Stakeholder Engagement
1994
Provide for full disclosure of all non-confidential information, and consultation with, and participation as appropriate
1996
Policy on public involvement: effective public involvement “is critical to the success of GEF-financed projects”, and improves project performance and impact.
2014
Guidelines: Practical steps to implement the principles of the 1996 Policy
2017
Policy on stakeholder engagement: minimum requirements for agencies to engage stakeholders and clear responsibilities for GEF Secretariat
Since its beginnings in the early 1990’s, the GEF has recognized that effective and meaningful stakeholder engagement is essential to its work and fundamental to the success of its efforts to help protect the global environment.
The Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured GEF (1994) states in paragraph 5 that with respect to GEF-financed projects, GEF’s operational policies “shall provide for full disclosure of all non-confidential information, and consultation with, and participation as appropriate of, major groups and local communities, throughout the project cycle.” In 1996, the GEF Council approved the Policy on Public Involvement in GEF Projects (1996). The principles stipulated are: Effective public involvement should enhance the social, environmental, and financial sustainability of projects and programs.
Responsibility for assuring public involvement rests within the country, normally with the government and project executing agency or agencies, with the support of the GEF Partner Agencies. Public involvement activities should be designed and implemented in a flexible manner, adapting and responding to recipient countries’ national and local conditions and to project requirements.
To be effective, public involvement activities should be broad-based and sustainable. GEF Partner Agencies will include in project budgets, as needed, the necessary financial and technical assistance to recipient governments and project executing agencies to ensure effective public involvement.
Public involvement activities will be carried out in a transparent and open manner. All GEF-financed projects and programs should have full documentation of public involvement
Updated Policy: introduces a set of minimum requirements for Agencies’ policies, procedures and capabilities related to stakeholder engagement

5. Stakeholder Engagement
Process for an Updated Policy on Stakeholder Engagement
1996
Policy on Public Involvement
(Public Involvement is crucial to success of GEF Projects)
2014
CSO Network review of policy
GEF Guidelines
Working Group on Public Involvement
Review draft policy and Consultations
2017
Internal and External Consultations – Website (public)
Nov 2017
Policy on
Stakeholder Engagement
GEF Instrument
(Full disclosure, consultation and participation)
The purpose of the Updated Policy was to reinforce and enhance stakeholder engagement in GEF’s work and operations, and to reflect the evolution of other GEF policies, principles and practices regarding stakeholder engagement, including among many GEF Agencies

6. Updated Policy on Stakeholder Engagement
Objective
Promote the inclusive and meaningful participation of Stakeholders in GEF’s governance and operations in support of the GEF’s mandate to protect the global environment.

7. Core Principles GEF’s Policy on Stakeholder Engagement
Constructive, responsive, accountable and transparent
Fair, balanced, and inclusive participation
It applies to all GEF-financed activities
Sustained commitment and action, including allocation of resources
Supported by appropriate documentation and easy and timely access to information

8. Overview of Policy Requirements
Project and Program Cycle Requirements
PIF & PFD
CEO Endorsement
Reporting
Description of any consultations conducted during project development*
Information on how Stakeholders will be engaged and means of engagement throughout the project cycle
* (preparation of the PIF)
Provide Stakeholder Engagement Plans * or equivalent documentation
Include information in PIRs, MTRs, TEs on progress, challenges and outcomes of the implementation of stakeholder engagement
* Stakeholder Engagement Plan
Stakeholders who have been and will be engaged
means of engagement
dissemination of information
roles and responsibilities
resource requirements
timing of engagement

9. Secretariat-led Activities
Overview of GEF Secretariat’s Responsibilities
Review & Monitoring
Report annually to the Council on stakeholder engagement across GEF-financed activities
Assess whether adequate measures have been proposed to ensure effective stakeholder engagement
Update and maintain project and program templates
Secretariat-led Activities
The Policy sets out the core principles and mandatory requirements for stakeholder engagement in GEF governance and operations.
Engage with stakeholders in a transparent and inclusive manner aimed at fair representation
Provide for appropriate stakeholder engagement in the development of GEF policies, guidelines and strategy

10. Guidelines for the Implementation of the Policy
Guidelines provide guidance and information on how to implement the Policy, including best practices and useful tools that can be used to conduct meaningful stakeholder engagement throughout the GEF program and project cycles.

11. for further information please contact
Stakeholder Engagement
for further information please contact
Pilar Barrera
Senior Operations Officer, Partnerships
Partnerships Coordinator

12. 2.
Gender Equality and
Women’s Empowerment

13. 43% 37 % 4 % 59 % Gender and the Environment Unequal access to land
Globally, 43% of agricultural laborers are women, but only 20% of land has female ownership
Compared to men, women
are more absent in decision making
have less access to and control over land and natural resources
have less access to markets, financing and credit
Source: FAO, 2015
EQUAL LAND RIGHTS: The law guarantees the same rights to own, use and control land to both women and men.
37 %
4 %
UNEQUAL LAND RIGHTS:
The law does not guarantee the same rights to own, use and control land to women and men, or women have no legal rights to own, use and control land.
LEGAL LAND RIGHTS ARE NOT FOLLOWED IN PRACTICE:
The law guarantees the same rights to own, use and control land to women and men, but there are some customary, traditional or religious practices that discriminate against women.
59 %
Unequal access to land

14. The GEF Gender Partnership
GEF’s Evolving Approach on Gender
Moving from a “do no harm” to a “do good” gender responsive approach
GEF Policy on Gender Mainstreaming
GEF Gender Action
Plan
GEF Policy on Gender Equality
2012
2014
2017
The GEF Gender Partnership
Gender Implementation Strategy
Guidance on addressing gender in GEF Projects and programs
Improvements in project design
Focus on analyses and learning

15. GEF’s Policy on Gender Equality
Responds to the increased attention to gender equality and women’s empowerment by the multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) that the GEF serves
Recognizes that efforts to combat environmental degradation and those to address gender inequality can be mutually supportive
Aims to catalyze projects that have the potential to materialize greater environmental impact through gender-responsive approaches and results
Seeks to ensure equal opportunities for women and men to participate in, contribute to and benefit from GEF-Financed Activities
Outlines clear GEF project and program cycle requirements

16. GEF’s Strategy on Gender Equality
Address gender gaps…
through strategic entry points…
to generate greater
Access to and control of natural resources
Support women’s improved access, use, and control of natural resources
Enhance women’s participation and role in natural resources decision-making processes, with women as agents of change
Target women as specific beneficiaries, and invest in women’s skills and capacity
Global Environment Benefits
Environmental decision-making and leadership
Access to socioeconomic benefits and services

17. Gender-responsive project identification and development
Project Implementation and Monitoring
PIF/PFD Submission
Terminal Evaluations
CEO Endorsement Submission
Mid-term Reviews
Project Implementation Reports
PPG
Carry out an gender analysis
Identify gender-responsive actions
Define gender-sensitive indicators
Gender tagging: indicating expected gender result areas
Collect information on gender issues relevant to the project context
Carry out gender-responsive stakeholder consultations
Report on progress on gender responsive measures
Learning and adaptation
Report on progress on gender responsive measures, indicators, and intermediate results
Learning and adaptation
Evaluate and report on completed activities and results
Capture and share lessons learned and best practices

18. Additional Resources Open online Course on Gender and Environment
Do you want to find out why promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment can help deliver better environmental outcome, and to figure out how you can do it?
The course will give you facts and figures and the knowledge and tools to mainstream gender, and to be an effective change-maker for sustainable development.
It is a “one-stop-shop” for information on gender dimensions linked to biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters, and chemicals and waste.

19. for further information please contact:
Gender Equality
for further information please contact:
Gabriella Richardson Temm
GEF Senior Specialist and Lead on Gender and Social Issues

20. 3. Environmental and Social Safeguards
The term “Environmental and Social Safeguards (or Standards)” is used by development institutions, international treaties and agencies to refer to policies, standards and operational procedures designed to first identify and then try to avoid, mitigate and minimize adverse environmental and social impacts that may arise in the implementation of development projects.
ESS also have a pro-active dimension to try to increase chances that development projects deliver better outcomes for people and the environment.

21. The GEF was established to support
“the protection of the global environment and promote thereby environmentally sound and sustainable economic development” [providing for] “consultation with, and participation [of] major groups and local communities”
(Instrument for the Establishment of the
Restructured Global Environment Facility)
In line with the Instrument, the Policy on Environmental and Social Safeguards aims to:
ensure that GEF projects and programs systematically identify and address any environmental and social risks and potential impacts
In accordance with the purpose of the GEF and relevant provisions of the Instrument, GEF’s E&S Safeguards Policy sets out the GEF’s approach to anticipating, and then avoiding, preventing, minimizing, mitigating, managing, offsetting or compensating any adverse impacts that GEF financed projects and programs may have on people or the environment throughout the project or program cycle - thereby enhancing the environmental and social outcomes of such projects and programs
In addition to this Policy, the GEF’s approach to identifying and addressing relevant Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts is supported by the Policy on Stakeholder Engagement, the Policy on Gender Equality, and the Minimum Fiduciary Standards for GEF Partner Agencies.

22. evolution of the policy
Accreditation pilot
ESS policy approved
Assessment of Agencies
Accreditation pilot completed
IEO review of ESS policy and IP engagement
GEFSEC plan to review and update the E&S policy approved
Updated policy approved by Council
by June 2019: guidelines
by Nov 2019: assessment of Agencies
2010
2011
2015
2017
2018
Approach paper
Stocktaking/gap assessment
Consultations on draft policy
Agencies in compliance with GEF ESS standards
The Council approved a Provisional Policy on Environmental and Social Safeguard Standards in May 2011, in connection with its decision to pilot an expansion of the GEF Partnership. This policy was introduced with a view to ensuring that all Agencies that implement GEF-financed activities – including any new Agencies accredited as part of the pilot to broaden the Partnership – have robust systems in place to avoid, minimize and mitigate any potentially adverse environmental and social impacts.
In 2017, the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) presented the findings, conclusions and recommendations of its Review of the GEF Policy on Agency Minimum Standards on Environmental and Social Safeguards. The review found that: (a) GEF Safeguards have served as a catalyst among many Agencies to strengthen existing safeguard policies and, in a number of cases, adopt comprehensive safeguard policy frameworks. (b) Unlike some peer institutions, the GEF does not have requirements in place for monitoring and reporting on safeguards implementation. (c) A high-level comparison of the GEF’s policy with more recently adopted frameworks (incl World Bank) suggests that there are several, possible gaps and/or areas that could merit greater emphasis, including: climate and disaster risks; community health, safety and security; disability inclusion, disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals and groups;cultural heritage; and labor and working conditions.
In light of the above findings, IEO recommended that the GEF’s minimum standards on environmental and social safeguards be reviewed to fill critical gaps while avoiding an excessive burden on Agencies. The review further recommended that safeguards monitoring and reporting be improved at the project and portfolio levels, and that capacity development and knowledge sharing be strengthened to enable a more effective dissemination of safeguards related expertise and experience across the GEF Partnership.
Review of the GEF's Engagement with Indigenous Peoples recommended that the GEF update relevant policies and guidelines to reflect best practice standards concerning indigenous peoples. Specifically, it recommended that attention be given to “the right to self- determination and to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) as they pertain to consultations with indigenous peoples concerning GEF projects
The new Policy taked into account the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the IEO reviews, the additional analysis carried out by the Secretariat in collaboration with the multi-stakeholder Working Group, as well as the input provided by stakeholders

23. the GEF’s approach at a glance
agency minimum standards
portfolio monitoring and reporting
projects and programs
the GEF’s approach at a glance
The proposed policy includes
new requirements for the documentation of and reporting on environmental and social risks and impacts, and their management, throughout the GEF project and program cycle. These requirements are intended to enhance the flow of information on safeguards implementation across GEF-financed projects and programs.
Role for the Secretariat to review projects and programs for the availability, clarity and completeness of the information requested at the various stages od the project cycle, and the monitoring of and reporting on safeguards implementation at the portfolio level
Expanded and strengthened standards in line good international practices ( and recommendations of the IEO)
Provisions related to the GEF conflict Resolution Commissioner.
GEF Conflict Resolution Commissioner

24. minimum standards for GEF Agencies
1: Environmental and Social Assessment, Management and Monitoring
2: Accountability, Grievance and Conflict Resolution
3: Biodiversity Conservation and the Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources
4: Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement
5: Indigenous Peoples
6: Cultural Heritage
7: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention
8: Labor and Working Conditions
9: Community Health, Safety and Security
The news policy expands and sharpens the minimum standards in line with good international practice.
New areas addressed in the proposed policy include, labor and working conditions; community health, safety, and security; climate and disaster risks; disability inclusion; disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups; adverse gender-related impacts, including gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse. The proposed policy also strengthens protections for the rights of indigenous peoples.

25. CEO Endorsement/ Approval
E&S safeguards in the project cycle
indicative information on E&S risks and potential impacts; and any measures to address such risks and impacts
PIF/PFD
additional information on E&S risks and impacts, and measures to address these, including any environmental and social assessments carried out, and any Environmental and Social Management Plans or the equivalent
CEO Endorsement/ Approval
information on the implementation of relevant environmental and social management measures at project mid-term, if applicable, and at project completion
post-approval
+ annual reporting by Agencies on cases reported to their accountability, grievance and conflict resolution mechanisms in connection with GEF projects or programs

26. next steps
guidelines for documentation, monitoring and reporting; compliance assessment
assessment of Agency compliance
capture of data and information through GEF Portal
sharing knowledge

27. references Environmental and Social Safeguards
Policy on Environmental and Social Safeguards
documents/EN_GEF.C Rev_.01_ES_Safeguards.pdf
for further information please contact:
Roland Sundstrom
Senior Policy Officer, GEF Secretariat
Environmental and Social Safeguards