The World Bank Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability (P172630) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 10/10/2019 | Report No: ESRSC00874 Oct 10, 2019 Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability (P172630) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Cambodia EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC P172630 Project Name Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date «PRACTICEAREA» Investment Project 10/21/2019 11/14/2019 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Proposed Development Objective(s) To improve the performance of public service providers through the development and institutionalization of national and sub-national government systems with improved transparency, strengthened citizen engagement and responsive Public Disclosure action. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 5.95 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The proposed project would support citizens and civil society organizations to carry out the second phase of the Implementation Plans for the Social Accountability Framework (ISAF), from 2019 - 2023. As with ISAF Phase I, an annual cycle of social accountability activities will be clustered into five program components: (1) Transparency and access to information, (2) Citizen monitoring (3) Implementation of Joint Accountability Action Plans (JAAPs) (4) Training and capacity development, and (5) National and Subnational Coordination and Support. As the main coordinator and supporter of supply-side ISAF activities, the NCDDS will be the main implementing agency for the proposed project, providing support at a national level and downward through the levels of subnational government. Oct 10, 2019 Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability (P172630) D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Project location(s) and salient characteristics relevant to the ES assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The Project is nationwide in scope and builds on the lessons learnt from the successful implementation of the 3-year Implementation Plan for the Social Accountability Framework (ISAF), 2015-2018. The activities will take place in rural and urban areas. The project aims to ensure that commune councils receive feedback from all citizens on development priorities and how economic and social development is undertaken in their communities. The commune councils are expected to ensure that those feedback mechanisms are in place for all groups (women, men, youth, children, people with disabilities, ethnic minority groups, indigenous peoples and any vulnerable or marginalized groups) to be able to actively participate in decision-making that affects the economic and social development of their communities. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The implementing non-governmental organisation (NGO) has not yet been identified. There are several NGOs with previous experience in the implementation of these activities from Phase I and selection criteria and process will ensure that they have the required capacity for the proposed activities. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Low Environmental Risk Rating Low The project risk is low. There are no activities planned that have a physical footprint and / or environmental Public Disclosure dimensions and implications resulting from technical assistance or policy development. The project will focus on improving public service delivery to citizens, and not invest in physical infrastructure facilities or developing policies/regulations that may cause, from its implementation, adverse impacts to environment and/or ecosystems. Social Risk Rating Low The social risk is classified as low. The project will have no adverse impacts on people. Preliminary findings, from ongoing monitoring and evaluation of ISAF I, indicate some principal benefits: • Enhanced transparency of key public services; • Increased awareness of citizen rights and service standards; • Strengthened citizen voice; • Improved relations and trust between citizens, public officials and service providers; • Strengthened capacity for local level social accountability; and • Concrete improvements in local public service delivery B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: The project’s aim is to build a sustainable mechanism for feedback on the quality of government services. The project will refine and improve ISAF tools and methodologies, achieve full national coverage of communes, establish sustainable support networks for active citizenship, integrate social accountability practices into existing systems, and Oct 10, 2019 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability (P172630) expand ISAF into new service delivery and urban areas. It will support the establishment of permanent systems to ensure that demand-side of social accountability activities can be sustained in the long term. After five years, by 2023, it is expected the project will conclude with both evidence of significant service delivery improvements and a sustainable implementation approach. It is informed by the ISAF Phase II Implementation Plan which was prepared in late 2018 in consultation with a range of government and civil society stakeholders, outlining the key dimensions of a new five year phase of ISAF, from 2019 to 2023. The plan was produced based on an assessment of Phase I strengths, weaknesses, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned. The methodology for preparing the plan included: a desk review (of ISAF Phase I project documents, progress reports and assessments) as well as interviews, consultations and focus groups discussions with key informants and stakeholders. No adverse social and environmental risks and impacts are anticipated as a result of the project, and as the project is one of engagement for social accountability a number of benefits are expected. These benefits relate to improved performance of public service providers through improved transparency, strengthened citizen engagement and responsive action. Hence no specific environmental or social instruments are required / will be produced for this project. Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: There are no areas where the Borrower’s E&S Framework will be considered. Public Disclosure ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure The nature of the project is to ensure meaningful engagement of all groups, in particular participation from any marginalised and vulnerable groups, towards greater social accountability. The project, and social accountability process, builds in a feedback mechanism that will also function as a grievance mechanism for the project. As the project is one of engagement, to address inclusion, and its aim is to build a sustainable mechanism for feedback on the quality of government services, a standalone stakeholder engagement plan with grievance procedure will not be needed. Any engagement requirements, to ensure that participation is inclusive and adopts approaches to address physical distance, language and other possible barriers, will be captured in the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP). B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions The project will involve direct, contracted, and community workers. The workers will undertake field work, for which procedures will need to be in place to ensure their health and safety while travelling working remotely. The procedures should be captured through putting in place Labour Management Procedures (LMP) for the project. No labour related adverse risks and impacts are anticipated. If there are gaps in the provisions for workers and national and World Bank requirements, under this standard, these will be addressed as part of LMP and which will include a Worker Grievance Procedure. Oct 10, 2019 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability (P172630) ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The project will not involve the use of scare resources nor would it deplete natural ecosystem. ESS4 Community Health and Safety No adverse community health and safety impacts are anticipated as a result of project activities. As a result of the project there is potential that health service deliveries will be better targeted, ensuring better health outcomes for all groups. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The activities for this project will not require the acquisition or conversion of any land nor will the activities restrict access to resources. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources The project aims at improving service delivery of public sector through citizen engagements. It will not involve civil works to be taken place in environmental sensitive areas. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities Public Disclosure The nature of the project is to ensure meaningful engagement of all groups, including participation from ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples, towards greater social accountability. The activities will not adversely impact any communities. There is potential for the communities to benefit, from the better targeting of services for economic and social development, as a result of this project which takes into account the needs of all group including ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples. Any specific requirements on engagements to ensure accessibility and inclusion, including approaches to address physical distance, language and other possible barriers, will be captured in the ESCP. ESS8 Cultural Heritage The activities from the project are not expected to result in any adverse risks and impacts to tangible or intangible cultural heritage or access to those. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries The project in not expected to make use of a financial intermediary C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No Oct 10, 2019 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability (P172630) III. WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DUE DILIGENCE A. Is a common approach being considered? No Financing Partners No other financing partners. B. Proposed Measures, Actions and Timing (Borrower’s commitments) Actions to be completed prior to Bank Board Approval: Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) Possible issues to be addressed in the Borrower Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): The ESCP will capture - requirements for Labour Management Procedures (LMP) for direct, contracted and community workers, including where appropriate Worker Grievance Procedure; - engagement requirements to ensure approaches address the needs of beneficiaries and any barriers to inclusion; and - provision for immediate information to, and review by the Bank in case of any unanticipated environmental and social risks or impacts occurring, and that Bank and Borrower would then jointly determine the required course of Public Disclosure actions. C. Timing Tentative target date for preparing the Appraisal Stage ESRS 21-Oct-2019 IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Erik Caldwell Johnson Title: Senior Social Development Specialist Telephone No: 5721+1314 / Email: ejohnson1@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Implementing Agency(ies) V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Oct 10, 2019 Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Engaging Citizens to Improve Service Delivery Through Social Accountability (P172630) The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Erik Caldwell Johnson Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Christophe Crepin Recommended on 10-Oct-2019 at 08:40:33 EDT Safeguards Advisor ESSA Ekaterina Romanova (SAESSA) Cleared on 10-Oct-2019 at 14:03:38 EDT Public Disclosure Oct 10, 2019 Page 7 of 7