The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) Project Information Document (PID) Appraisal Stage | Date Prepared/Updated: 22-Apr-2019 | Report No: PIDA26571 Mar 27, 2019 Page 1 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) BASIC INFORMATION OPS_TABLE_BASIC_DATA A. Basic Project Data Country Project ID Project Name Parent Project ID (if any) Tajikistan P168052 Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Project Region Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Practice Area (Lead) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA 17-Apr-2019 20-Jun-2019 Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice Financing Instrument Borrower(s) Implementing Agency Investment Project Financing Ministry of Finance National Social Investment Fund of Tajikistan Proposed Development Objective(s) The development objectives of this project are to strengthen participatory local governance, improve the quality of local infrastructure, both in targeted communities, and increase extracurricular or livelihood opportunities for youth. Components Component 1: Inclusive Local Development Initiatives Component 2: Youth Inclusion and Livelihoods Component 3: Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation PROJECT FINANCING DATA (US$, Millions) SUMMARY -NewFin1 Total Project Cost 37.00 Total Financing 37.00 of which IBRD/IDA 37.00 Financing Gap 0.00 DETAILS -NewFinEnh1 World Bank Group Financing International Development Association (IDA) 37.00 Mar 27, 2019 Page 2 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) IDA Grant 37.00 Environmental and Social Risk Classification Substantial Decision The review did authorize the team to appraise and negotiate Other Decision (as needed) B. Introduction and Context Country Context 1. Tajikistan, a transition country with a per-capita gross national income (GNI) oscillating between low and lower middle income, has yet to fulfill its potential for sustainable and inclusive development. The country’s economic outcome reflects: (i) the legacy of the 1992–97 civil war; (ii) a centralized, state-led approach to economic management; (iii) low domestic productivity, with wages at levels that leave most households exposed to (seasonal) poverty (risks); and (iv) a “low level equilibrium� of a remittance-financed, import-reliant, indirect tax-based economic model that has provided little space and support to the private sector. Its economy has remained largely unsophisticated, with limited employment opportunities and a human-capital base that is not yet ready for the challenges of an innovative, export-oriented economy. The main drivers of Tajikistan’s economy are remittance inflows (fluctuating between one-third and one-half of GDP), cotton and aluminum exports, official development assistance (ODA) inflows, and in recent years, substantial levels of public investment. Structural economic challenges include a persistent trade deficit, reliance on remittances, a small and fragile financial sector, and limited internal labor mobility and employment. 2. Tajikistan remains one of the poorest countries in Central Asia, with a large share of its population dependent on remittances and low-productivity sectors. The post-conflict decline in poverty rates has been impressive, albeit at declining rates in recent years. Extreme poverty, measured by the international poverty line of US$1.90 per day, fell markedly - from 54 percent in 1999 to five percent in 2015. According to the GoT’s own calculations, using a national poverty line, poverty declined, over the same time horizon, from 82 to 31 percent and further to 29½ percent in 2017. There is substantial spatial and seasonal variation in poverty - with rural areas remaining typically significant poorer than urban ones1; and poverty and income insecurity significantly higher during winter and spring months. Non-monetary aspects of poverty remain important contributing factors to Tajik’s hardship and lack of opportunity. 1According to the official poverty estimates for 2015, Dushanbe has the lowest poverty rate in Tajikistan (20.4 percent) followed by Sughd (22.3 percent). In other regions, the share of the poor population is much higher—35.8 percent in Khatlon, 37.3 percent in the Districts of Republican Subordination (DRS), and 39.4 percent in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO). Mar 27, 2019 Page 3 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) 3. Risks related to fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) constrain Tajikistan’s development progress. Most cross-national indicators of fragility and conflict categorize Tajikistan’s risk as elevated.2 Risk include the following: (i) Economic risks, including (a) high rates of un(der)employment, (b) the predominance of insecure, low-quality, low- wage jobs in the informal sector, and (c) numerous barriers to private-sector development; (ii) Socio- economic exclusion of youth and women (see para 6 and below; (iii) Regional and cross-border challenges, including (a) the existence of lagging regions, (b) heightened vulnerability in certain regions (reflecting the legacy of conflict and/or the proximity to zones of insecurity), and (c) the exposure to international, high-volume illicit drug-trafficking routes, and (iv) Cross-cutting political and governance challenges, including a centralized system of governance, with limited scope for citizens’ participation, reducing the effectiveness of service delivery and potentially reinforcing inequities in public-resource allocation. Youth radicalization as a phenomenon is gaining ground in parts of Central Asia, including in Tajikistan. Empirical evidence appears to indicate the co-existence of external and domestic drivers of radicalization, including (i) the presence of a large cohort of young men with limited socio-economic opportunities, rudimentary religious knowledge of Hanafi Central Asian Islam, and a lack of critical thinking skills; (ii) an increasing number of Tajik migrants deported and/or banned from (re-)entering Russia, leaving them without livelihood options; and (iii) the vulnerability of young women to radicalization and recruitment through male relatives, prospective spouses, and/or the desire to protect an existing marriage. Against this backdrop, Tajikistan is one of four beneficiary countries under the IDA18 Risk Mitigation Regime (RMR). 4. Natural disasters and climate change also represent a threat to Tajikistan’s economic and social development.3 The country has a variety of geological, climatologic, and topographic features that exacerbate the country’s vulnerability and make it highly susceptible to many natural hazards, including earthquakes, floods, landslides, and avalanches. From 1992 to 2016, natural disasters affected 7 million people in Tajikistan—more than 80 percent of the total population—and caused economic losses worth US$1.8 billion. In response to these risks, the Government of Tajikistan (GoT) is gradually moving from disaster response to risk mitigation and has taken steps to mainstream disaster risk mitigation into development planning including the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015. Sectoral and Institutional Context 5. The sector context for the project emerges from three distinct risks: (i) the socio-economic exclusion of young men and women, which relates to risks of violent extremism; (ii) regional and cross-border challenges that result in heightened fragility risks; and (iii) cross-cutting governance challenges that constrain the implementation of participatory and accountable local governance practices. 6. (i) Socio-economic exclusion of young men and women. Tajikistan has the largest proportion of youth to adults among all post-Soviet republics. Sixty-three percent of the country’s approximate 8.9 million population is under 30; 28.6 percent are between the ages of 15 and 29.4 Youth aged 15–24 face limited economic opportunities; an estimated 29.3 percent are not in employment, education, or training (NEET).5 About 49 percent 2 Tajikistan is one of 56 countries classified as “fragile� or “extremely fragile� in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s States of Fragility 2018 (Paris: OECD Publishing, 2018), https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264302075-en. 3 World Bank, Reducing Multi-Hazard Risks Across Tajikistan: Protecting Communities Through Quality Infrastructure (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2017). 4 Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Annual Population Data, January 1, 2018. http://stat.ww.tj/files/cislennost_naselenia_na_1.01.2018.pdf. 5 World Bank, Jobs Diagnostic Tajikistan (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2017). Mar 27, 2019 Page 4 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) of Tajik women aged 15 to 24 are NEET compared with seven percent of the same age cohort of men.6 The country’s NEET population is 88.4 percent female and 11.6 male. About one in six men and one in ten women aged 20–24 are too discouraged to look for work. The highest concentration of NEETs is in Dushanbe at 40.4 percent, followed by DRS at 36.1 percent, and GBAO at 30.4 percent.7 7. Adolescents suffer from specific vulnerabilities. In a recent nationally and regionally representative survey of 5,000 youth, every third adolescent in the 15–19 age group indicated that they were depressed.8 While 97 percent of adolescents indicated they were enrolled in formal education, only two percent were active in extracurricular activities. Rural adolescents indicated that there are high levels of violence in schools, with 47 percent of respondents reporting that teachers use violence to punish students. Twenty-four percent of respondents observed their peers using violence in the streets. Adolescents aged ten to 19 years reported the highest percentage of peer-to-peer violence in GBAO (52 percent). 8. Labor migration of young Tajik men, mostly to Russia, is an important coping strategy in a situation of limited domestic economic opportunities. As many as 1.5 million Tajik citizens, 90 percent of whom are young men, emigrate to find job opportunities abroad.9 Most of these migrants are married with children and support households with an average size of between seven and eight persons.10 Approximately one in three migrants’ wives, over 300,000 young women, find themselves left alone and impoverished, entirely dependent on help from family, relatives, and friends. Seventy percent of abandoned wives have children, and they are left to provide for their households despite their limited access to finance, social protection, education, or opportunities for employment. 9. In recent years, violent extremism has been a growing concern in Tajikistan. Central Asians are featured among foreign fighters in several conflict zones and among perpetrators of terrorist attacks elsewhere.11 Islamic State recruits from Tajikistan range in age from 22–28 years, according to estimates.12 Recent government figures indicate that 1,899 Tajik nationals have been recruited, a considerably higher number than the earlier estimate of 1,100.13 In the past eight years, the GoT has brought back around 3,400 young Tajik nationals who were pursuing their Islamic education abroad due to concerns over their radicalization.14 Global evidence suggests that there are multiple factors that drive radicalization and recruitment into violent extremist groups, including lack of economic mobility, political grievances against the state, perceptions of identity-based discrimination, ideological 6 Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Labor Force Survey (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2016). 7 Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Situation in the Labor Market in the Republic of Tajikistan. (Dushanbe: Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, 2017). 8 Center for Strategic Research under the President of Tajikistan and UNICEF. National Study on Adolescents and Youth: Assessments of Needs and Interests (Dushanbe: UNICEF, 2018). 9 Hofmann, Erin Trouth, “Who Goes to Russia? Understanding Gendered Migration Patterns.� Eurasian Geography and Economics 58 (1): 1−22 (2017). 10 Most migrants have completed general secondary education but are unskilled and not employed in Tajikistan prior to migrating abroad. World Bank, Job Diagnostics Tajikistan, Series 1 (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2017). 11 At least 1,000 Central Asians have joined jihadi groups in Syria and Iraq, with some assuming prominent roles in the Islamic State and the Nusra Front. The perpetrators of the recent terrorist attacks in Istanbul, St. Petersburg, and Stockholm were of Central Asian origin. 12 Dyner, Anna, Arkadiusz Legieć, and Kacper Rękawek, Ready to Go?: ISIS and Its Presumed Expansion into Central Asia (Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, 2015). 13 Government of Tajikistan, State Committee of National Security, presentation to Parliamentary Session on “Prevention of Youth Involvement in Terrorist Organization and Implementation of the Law in the Republic of Tajikistan� (November 7, 2018), http://saidomardum.tj/ma-lisi-ol/peshgirii-albi-avonon-ba-tashkiloti-terrorist-vazifai-omeai-sha-rvand-niz-ast/. 14 https://eurasianet.org/s/tajikistan-former-students-of-islam-return-to-nothing. Mar 27, 2019 Page 5 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) radicalization, and the presence of recruiting networks with family and community links.15 The World Bank has been supporting the Social Inclusion and Youth Development Study with primary research to gain insight into the local-level drivers of radicalization and recruitment into violent extremism with a view toward contributing to the design of prevention measures in the Tajikistan context. 10. (ii) Regional and cross-border challenges. The Khatlon and GBAO Regions of Tajikistan are especially exposed to fragility-related risks that partly stem from their shared 1,400-kilometer border with Afghanistan. Districts in southern Khatlon share a border with the increasingly volatile Kunduz province in Afghanistan; and GBAO has recently witnessed the reoccurrence of clashes between local nonstate actors and the central government over influence in the region.16 11. Service delivery and human development gaps. Khatlon’s almost 3 million inhabitants (over one-third of the country’s total population) and GBAO’s geographic remoteness and sparseness of its population each present a unique service-delivery challenge. The populations of both regions, as well as that of the DRS, have the lowest levels of access to basic services, with at least three-fourths of their populations lacking a toilet inside the house or access to piped water and sewage.17 The highest prevalence of stunting is observed in DRS (24 percent), followed by Khatlon (22.6 percent) and GBAO (22.4 percent), with the lowest stunting prevalence in Dushanbe (10.5 percent).18 Compared with the rest of the country, GBAO has very low levels of road density and market accessibility.19 12. Natural hazards and climate shocks. GBAO is extremely susceptible to natural hazards, and its geographic isolation leaves the region’s population particularly vulnerable. In Khatlon, the risk of landslides, mudflows, floods, and erosion is particularly high in districts such as Vakhsh, Farkhor, and Kubodien.20 13. (iii) Cross-cutting governance challenges. The administrative territorial units of Tajikistan are provinces (oblast), cities, districts (rayons) and jamoats (equivalent to a township and consisting of multiple villages). Jamoats have the status of local self-governing bodies and are the lowest formal level of government administration. There is no formal village government in the country. Instead, the interests of multiple villages are represented in jamoat councils. The central government appoints provincial governors, their deputies, and district chairs. Provincial governors, and in many cases district chairs, approve the appointments of jamoat heads. Communities elect jamoat heads based on the Law on Local Self-Governance in Townships and Villages. 14. Typically, mahallas, customary organizations of community self-governance, are situated within villages. In most cases, communities select mahalla council members and mahalla leaders to help them govern the community. District administrations are primarily responsible for delivering most of the country’s public 15 The literature on violent extremism also underlines the motivations deriving from a sense of common purpose and social belonging, weak religious literacy, and lack of critical thinking skills, although only a minority of young men and women are vulnerable to recruitment into violent extremist groups. World Bank and United Nations, Pathways for Peace (2018). 16International Crisis Group. “Rivals for Authority in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan,� Crisis Group Europe and Central Asia Briefing 87, March 14 (International Crisis Group, 2018). 17 World Bank, Glass Half Full: Poverty Diagnostic of Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Conditions in Tajikistan (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2017). 18 Lavado, Rouselle, William Seitz, and Alessia Thiebaud. Childhood Stunting in Tajikistan: Quantifying the Association with WASH, Food Security, Health, and Care Practices (Washington, DC, World Bank, 2017). 19 World Bank calculations based on OpenStreetMap data. 20 United Nations, Atlas of Tajikistan (forthcoming). Mar 27, 2019 Page 6 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) services, including education, health, culture, sports, local road construction and maintenance, and transportation, but they face a range of challenges in fulfilling this function, partly due to limited public resources. The country has established a legal framework that mandates jamoat administrations support local development. In its amended form, the legal framework21 assigns jamoats a broad range of responsibilities, including supporting communities in addressing local socio-economic needs; strengthening local self-governance and accountability by delegating budget authority to jamoat councils; and introducing direct elections for jamoat councilors.22 In accordance with Article 67 of the tax code, jamoat employees in rural areas can assist tax authorities in the collection of real estate property taxes, a common practice in GBAO. Jamoats are also able to retain nontax revenues and a percentage of local property taxes. 15. An important source of resilience in communities in Tajikistan is the strength of local institutions, including mahallas. Mahallas are regulated by rules based on practices that are deeply rooted in Central Asian customs. While historically informal in nature, recent legislation allows mahalla committees to register as social organizations; open bank accounts; organize work for the maintenance and improvement of public spaces; issue certificates of residence; organize community events; certify residency; and work directly with international, nongovernmental, and government organizations. According to Article 7 of the Law on Local Self-Governance in Townships and Villages, jamoats can cooperate with mahalla committees to fulfill their responsibilities and can delegate some of its authorities to them on contractual basis. A 2013 household survey23 found that mahalla leaders have the highest level of citizen accountability of any public organization in Tajikistan. 16. The institutionalization of community and civil society participation in local development planning in Tajikistan is nascent. Community-driven development (CDD) has not been embraced on a national scale, and demand-side mechanisms to hold subnational administrations accountable for local service delivery are undeveloped. Together, jamoat councils and mahalla committees constitute an institutional basis through which, with appropriate adjustments to allow for greater participation of women and youth, transparent, inclusive development investments could be supported at the local level. The high level of youth unemployment and inactivity in Tajikistan means that it is particularly important to ensure that young men and women participate in and benefit from community initiatives. 17. To address identified fragility risks, the proposed Project will ensure a fair and transparent allocation of resources and empower communities to participate in decision making and provide oversight of local infrastructure investments. These elements will strengthen the inclusiveness, fairness, and accountability of local government institutions. By laying the foundations for supporting the development of life skills and livelihood opportunities for youth, the proposed Project will help prevent interpersonal violence and strengthen the resilience of individuals with respect to the risks of radicalization and recruitment into violent extremist groups. C. Proposed Development Objective(s) 21 Law on the Bodies of Self-Governance of Townships and Villages, No. 549, 2009, as amended. 22 In the projects seven target districts in GBAO and Khatlon (Vanj, Ishkoshim, and Shugnan in GBAO and Kulyob, Panj, Hamadoni, and Farkhor in Khatlon), on average, there are seven jamoats in a district and 60 villages. The average population size of districts in Khatlon and GBAO is 123,638 and 34,305, respectively. United Nations Development Program data of jamoat-level basic indicators for Republic of Tajikistan: http://untj.org/jambi-project/index.php/46-welcome/110-jambi-info (Dushanbe, Tajikistan: United Nations Development Program, 2019). 23 United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Tajikistan Local Governance Project Impact Evaluation Baseline Report (Washington, DC: USAID, 2013). Mar 27, 2019 Page 7 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) Development Objective(s) (From PAD) 18. The development objectives are to strengthen participatory local governance, improve the quality of local infrastructure, both in targeted communities, and increase extracurricular or livelihood opportunities for youth. PDO Level Indicators i. Percentage of sampled male and female community respondents who report that the project investments in basic rural infrastructure met their needs. ii. Percentage of beneficiaries (male/female) who have participated in planning, decision-making, or monitoring subprojects. iii. Percentage of youth beneficiaries (male/female) who utilize skills gained through the extracurricular activities. iv. Percentage of youth beneficiaries (male/female) who continue their livelihood activities one year after receiving livelihood tools and equipment. 19. In achieving these results, the Project will contribute to the RSP’s higher-level objective of mitigating fragility risks and strengthening resilience—defined as the capacity of a person or community to resist, withstand, or recover from economic, environmental, or familial shocks and stressors, including conflict and violence. The Project will strengthen resilience at the individual, community, and local government levels in GBAO and Khatlon. It will specifically target: Vanj, Ishkoshim, and Shugnan in GBAO; and Kulyob, Panj, Hamadoni, and Farkhor in Khatlon. At the individual level, proposed interventions include the provision of psychosocial support; soft skills, including critical thinking and peacebuilding skills; and support for youth self-employment and livelihood groups. At the community level, proposed interventions include the provision of locally-identified infrastructure using participatory planning and oversight processes. At the local government level, interventions include strengthening the capacity of jamoat administrations and community-level institutions, including mahalla committees, to engage with citizens and to deliver services efficiently, fairly, and in response to the needs of the community. D. Project Description 20. Component 1: Inclusive Local Development Initiatives (US$22.5 million IDA). This component will provide subgrants to jamoats to finance local-level, climate-resilient, socio-economic infrastructure (see paragraphs 31–32) that addresses priorities identified through a participatory village needs assessment and decision-making process as defined in subcomponent 1b and detailed in the forthcoming project operations manual (POM).24 It will strengthen the capacity of jamoat administrations and community-level institutions, including mahalla committees, to engage with citizens and deliver services efficiently, fairly, and in a way that responds to the needs of citizens, including youth and women. It will build the capacity of community and local government institutions to: (i) identify, plan for, and take actions needed to mitigate the risks that natural disasters pose to local development investments; and (ii) operate and maintain local infrastructure assets, which will then ensure the sustainability of investments. Component 1 will also provide resources to refurbish youth facilities operated by the Ministry of Education. An overview of its subcomponents follows. 24For subcomponents 1a and 1b and component 3, SERSP’s POM will be identical to the CASA-1000’s CSP’s POM and subgrants operations manual. Mar 27, 2019 Page 8 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) 21. Subcomponent 1a: Subgrants for Local Development Initiatives (US$17.4 million IDA). Provide support for the selected subprojects to improve local living conditions, including: (i) the rehabilitation of village-level water supply and sanitation systems; (ii) the rehabilitation of on-farm irrigation systems; (iii) the rehabilitation of schools and local health clinics; (iv) the expansion or construction of kindergartens on existing premises; and (v) the rehabilitation of tertiary roads through the provision of subgrants to selected beneficiaries within the project area and technical assistance (TA) for the technical design associated with the respective subprojects. 22. Based on a village-level participatory needs assessment, the results of which will be prioritized and incorporated into a jamoat-level development plan, this subcomponent will support investments in basic and climate change resilient infrastructure and services for targeted rural districts. Where possible, local development initiatives will leverage the opportunities created by the complementary investments in electricity access made under the RSP’s rural electrification program and in water and sanitation services made under the World Bank- financed Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSSP).25 23. Subgrant allocation. Subgrants will only be allocated at the jamoat level. The jamoat grant distribution formula for each of the two cycles of CDD investment will be based on two criteria: (i) jamoat population size; and (ii) the cost of infrastructure and service delivery.26 The distribution formula will ensure that allocated resources suffice to allow for impactful investments. Within jamoats, there will be a process for villages to apply for single- village subgrants or for larger projects that benefit multiple villages—such as intervillage roads—in partnership with other villages. There will be one or two cycles of subgrants in project years one, two, and three for each participating jamoat with investments in socio-economic infrastructure, facilities, and services. In year four, residual funds will be invested in the youth-led activities identified in the jamoat development plans. 24. Scope of investments. Investments could be financed for single villages or, when possible, a cluster of closely located villages.27 Village subprojects will be selected from an open menu of small-scale social and economic infrastructure and facilities projects. Investments will focus on the domains for which jamoat administrations are responsible. Where possible, the Project will finance energy-efficiency measures to strengthen community resilience in the face of seasonal energy shortages. The Project will not finance productive infrastructure projects such as small-scale storage or processing facilities for horticultural products as these will be financed under REDP. Contractors will be encouraged to employ local youth for the infrastructure subprojects. The Environmental and Social Management Framework and the POM, including the subgrants operations manual (SGM), will include a list of ineligible investments. 25. Operations, maintenance, and sustainability. Component 1 will be designed and implemented with measures to ensure that subgrant-financed investments deliver sustainable benefits to communities and local governments. Subproject designs and implementation arrangements will build on existing local institutions, such as water users associations (WUAs) for on-farm irrigation, and implementation approaches, such as those supported through RWSSP for rural water supply and sanitation. Subprojects will apply appropriate, climate change and natural hazards-resilient technical designs. Communities and jamoat administrations will receive capacity-building support to prepare appropriately designed and funded operations and maintenance (O&M) plans as a precondition for subproject approval. These plans will clearly describe: (i) the activities and measures 25 World Bank. “Tajikistan—Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project,� Project Appraisal Document (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2019). 26 When possible, 2018 data from the Tajikistan Statistical Office Census will be used. 27 For example, the project could finance water supply systems for individual villages or a cluster of villages located close to one another with construction of multi-village systems, where one water source will be developed to supply multiple villages. Mar 27, 2019 Page 9 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) envisaged for the subproject’s O&M; (ii) the roles and responsibilities for carrying out each measure; (iii) the frequency of the activities; and (iv) the proposed mechanism for covering O&M costs. 26. Selection of subprojects and implementation. Prior to the funding of subprojects, each village will provide evidence that the community mobilization process and decisions regarding the subprojects have been earnestly undertaken; that the proposed subprojects contribute to poverty reduction; and that the youth and gender equity goals have been included in the jamoat development plans. Proposed subprojects, including O&M plans, should be technically viable according to a checklist, ensure donor coordination and alignment, and demonstrate their sustainability. The SGM will detail the selection criteria, including weighting toward the needs of youth and women. 27. Subcomponent 1b: Community and Youth Mobilization, Social Accountability, and Local Governance Capacity Building (US$2.8 million IDA). Provide support to training and facilitating partners (TFPs) for the activities in the following areas: • Subgrants Implementation Cycle including, but not limited to: (i) community youth mobilization, (ii) participatory needs assessment, (iii) participatory planning and prioritization/selection of village investments, (iv) participatory management, (v) oversight and monitoring and participatory operations and maintenance; • Social accountability and transparency, including (i) social audits to ensure that decisions under the Project are inclusive and poverty-focused; (ii) semiannual community scorecards for feedback on Project implementation; and • Capacity Building for Improved Local Governance Practices: including, but not limited to: (i) provision of training of local stakeholders on the principles and practices of local governance; (b) provision of goods, technical assistance, and training, including village exchanges and other learning events for villages, jamoats, jamoat councilors and administrators, Jamoat Project Commissions and mahalla committee leaders on, inter alia, community engagement: participatory planning, project management, and oversight; and managing local finances. 28. This subcomponent aims to build national and local institutional capacity for empowering and mobilizing communities so they can genuinely engage in decision making around the utilization of subcomponent 1a-financed subgrants; community members will be encouraged to be continuously engaged throughout the cycle. The National Social Investment Fund of Tajikistan (NSIFT), the project’s implementing agency, will competitively procure one or more TFPs to conduct the activities in each region (see section 3: Implementation Arrangements). The design of the project cycle is based on the principles and approach laid out in the community support project (CSP) of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), which NSIFT is implementing as well. Community members will be engaged in all stages of the subproject implementation cycle, with a particular emphasis on empowering women and youth.28 Subcomponent 1b will cover the cost of community meetings; community- and jamoat-level training workshops; village exchanges and other learning events; and capacity building for communities and jamoats carrying out the community mobilization and social accountability steps, including social audits and semiannual community scorecard activities. (See annex 2 for a detailed description of this subcomponent.) 28The POM will provide detailed, step-by-step guidelines for this mobilization and engagement process, including methodology, target audience, location, timing, and gender targets. Mar 27, 2019 Page 10 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) 29. Subcomponent 1c: Refurbishment of Youth Facilities (US$2.4 million IDA). Provide support for rehabilitation of and equipment for existing spaces for youth-inclusive services and livelihood activities. 30. This subcomponent will support the rehabilitation of and equipment for existing spaces, which will enable them to deliver local-level, youth-inclusive services and livelihood activities. NSIFT will directly procure the goods and works, including the refurbishment of youth facilities, and it will use local laborers and goods—furniture and equipment—whenever possible. Where appropriate, the youth facilities supported by this subcomponent will be rehabilitated with energy efficient equipment to reduce energy consumption. There will be a maximum cost ceiling of US$100,000 to refurbish each space. The financing is expected to cover up to 25 spaces in Khatlon and GBAO. 31. Prior to project effectiveness, the World Bank, in collaboration with NSIFT, will conduct a feasibility study that will identify the youth spaces to be rehabilitated in Khatlon and GBAO. The results of the feasibility study, including the final selection of youth facilities and the respective costing for their rehabilitation, will be included in the POM. The selection of youth facilities will be based on the following criteria: the size of the youth population in the catchment area of the spaces, cost effectiveness, and sustainability. 32. Among the youth spaces that might be refurbished under this subcomponent are the Centers for Additional Education under the Ministry of Education, the Centers for Adult Education under the Ministry of Labor, suitable spaces identified in collaboration with district governments; and jamoat-level communal spaces. In the first year, the Project is expected to begin implementing activities in facilities that are in good condition and begin procuring rehabilitation contracts. In year two, youth activities will be expanded to multiple refurbished facilities. A precondition for the Project to finance rehabilitation will be for the institution, which owns a given space, to cover the cost of utilities during implementation. The Project will not finance utilities for the youth facilities. After the identification of spaces, NSIFT will assume responsibility for reaching an agreement with the GoT, local jamoat administrations, or other entities on the management, maintenance, and operations agreement during the implementation period and for a few years following project completion. This will ensure a sustainability plan based on an established partnership during and beyond the project’s duration. 33. Component 2: Youth Inclusion and Livelihoods (US$12.6 million IDA). This component will offer two sets of interrelated activities for disadvantaged and inactive young men and women aged 16–30 to increase their overall resilience to risks of exclusion, inactivity, and disaffection. The Project will use the following specific criteria in the seven districts to target beneficiaries for participation in the youth-inclusive services and livelihood activities: low-income, peri-urban, and rural youth who range in age from 15 to 30 and who are underemployed; NEET; returning migrants, especially those with reentry bans; and the heads of female-headed households (see Project Beneficiaries section). The Project will target a minimum of 50 percent female beneficiaries across all activities under component 2. It will finance youth-inclusive services; training (consulting services), and tools and equipment (goods) for livelihood activities (subcomponent 2b) in the seven target districts. The activities under the youth inclusion and livelihood component build on evidence from impact evaluations and lessons from previous operations that the World Bank has successfully supported to foster youth inclusion and microentrepreneurship in Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and other countries (see section: Lessons Learned). 34. Outreach. At the beginning of the Project, implementing partners (IPs) contracted by the implementing agency will provide outreach and information to communities and local governments on the objectives and content of the youth-inclusive services and livelihood activities. They will also help identify and invite eligible Mar 27, 2019 Page 11 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) youth and women to apply as participants. The IPs will conduct this outreach with the assistance of mahalla committees, jamoat administrations and commissions, parent-teacher associations, student councils, and a cadre of volunteers from organizations such as the Youth Committee and the Red Cross, among others. The IPs and TFPs will aim to jointly deliver the outreach and communication activities of components 1 and 2 in overlapping jamoats and villages. IPs can then ensure that beneficiaries are properly registered. 35. Subcomponent 2a: Youth-Inclusive Services (US$3.6 million IDA). Provide Training to selected youth on extracurricular activities, including the development of (i) soft skills—teamwork, communication, critical thinking, decision making, confidence building, peacebuilding, and problem solving; (ii) psychosocial support; (iii) gender- based violence prevention training; and (iv) digital literacy skills—online training curriculum using freely available software. 36. This subcomponent will finance a training package to give targeted youth (up to age 30) access to extracurricular activities that encourage a shift in mindset that will increase their resilience to the risks of disaffection and violence. These activities increase the time that the youth spend in interactive activities and helps them gain new soft and digital literacy skills to complement their formal education. 37. Subcomponent 2b: Youth Livelihoods (US$9.0 million IDA). Provide technical assistance, Training and goods, including in-kind tools and equipment, for livelihood activities, regarding, but not limited to (i) detailed market analyses, (ii) basic accounting, (iii) preparation of business plans, (iv) entrepreneurial mindset and post- creation support for livelihood groups, including coaching and mentoring. 38. By financing tailored livelihood support services, this subcomponent aims to increase basic livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged young women and men who would not qualify for more capital-intensive entrepreneurship support. IPs will be responsible for delivering these services in each respective region. Items financed will include in-kind tools and equipment for youth to start basic economic activities but not matching grants for entrepreneurship because most young beneficiaries identified as vulnerable, particularly in the Khatlon region, cannot afford to make matching contributions. By providing tools and equipment, the Project will ensure that vulnerable youth receive access to training and actual livelihood opportunities. By ensuring the coverage of excluded youth, this subcomponent complements the private sector development activities supported by REDP, which target entrepreneurs with more capital. 39. The implementation sequence of subcomponent 2b. (i) IPs will conduct market analyses to identify possible products and services that livelihood groups could produce, where demand exists, and for which input costs could generate net profits that participating beneficiaries would considered adequate. (ii) IPs will provide tailored outreach and boot-camp training (that is, basic, short-duration training) to facilitate the preselection of eligible young men and women prior to their accessing more structured training. (iii) IPs will deliver livelihood trainings at the youth and jamoat spaces to eligible participants on business proposal development, basic accounting, and soft skills. (iv) Participants who complete the livelihood trainings will be invited to develop business proposals as individuals or as groups. (v) IPs will evaluate the proposals based on criteria described in the POM and will offer tools and equipment to participants with viable proposals.29 They will submit a detailed 29The tools and equipment may include: mechanical repair tools and toolboxes, plumbing tools, electrical tools and equipment; construction tools and materials, welding and metal work tools, shoemaking tools and equipment, work uniforms, personal safety equipment (safety glasses and masks, gloves, hard hats, welding shields, construction boots), sowing and weaving machines, hairdressing tools, equipment and materials, cooking ware for pastries, cosmetology tools and materials, beekeeping equipment, fruits and vegetable Mar 27, 2019 Page 12 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) inventory of the requested tools and equipment, which NSIFT will procure and deliver to them. They will then distribute the tools to the livelihood groups. (vi) In the postcreation period, IPs will provide continued support to the livelihood groups, including entrepreneurial mindset training, mentorship, and coaching. While the completion of subcomponent 2a’s youth-inclusive services training package is not a prerequisite for participation in the livelihood activities, about 30 percent subcomponent 2a beneficiaries are expected to benefit from subcomponent 2b as well. (See figure 2 in annex 2, which visualizes the sequence that beneficiaries will undergo, from their participation in boot camps, to their obtaining tools and equipment, to their receiving postcreation coaching.) 40. Component 3: Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation (US$1.9 million IDA). Provide support for (i) Project management activities, including overall coordination and supervision of Project implementation, Project audits, and financing of Incremental Operating Costs, (ii) Project monitoring and evaluation activities, Project transparency and citizen feedback, and (iii) manage a Beneficiary Feedback Mechanism (BFM), including a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). 41. Provide support to (i) develop communication materials, including the production of audiovisuals and informational materials on Project stages and activities; (ii) organize and conduct knowledge-sharing meetings about lessons learned and good practices across the Project Areas, as well as two cross-regional and/or national forums, such as exhibits, conferences, and youth dialogues. 42. The component will finance a project management team that includes experts in CDD, youth inclusion and livelihoods, citizen engagement, social accountability, civil engineering, project management, communications, procurement, financial management (FM), and M&E. This team will prepare annual workplans and budgets and oversee the design and implementation of the POM, including terms of reference for all staff and consultants and training manuals. Some project functions will be shared with CASA-1000’s CSP; component 3 will be designed to ensure synergies and efficiencies with the CASA-1000’s CSP-financed project management support. 43. Component 3 will support the implementation capacity of NSIFT and regional governor’s offices with respect to their strategic planning, donor coordination, results monitoring, and reporting functions. It will ensure regular coordination with national stakeholders, including the RMR national steering committee. 44. Additional resources will be provided under this component as needed to expand the NSIFT’s BFM, which was developed under CASA-1000’s CSP to address grievances, comments, and other feedback regarding the Project. Its design will include a safeguard-related GRM that will specify the systems and requirements for grievance redress, including uptake, sorting and processing, acknowledgement and follow-up, verification and action, and ultimately M&E. Testing options will be included for broader beneficiary feedback (e.g., through web- based platforms). Through CASA-1000’s CSP, NSIFT has established a unit tasked with this role, which reports to the executive director of NSIFT. The design and implementation of the BFM will gradually be adjusted over the life of the Project such that, by year three, it is a part of NSIFT central services. drying and packaging, and basic equipment for small goat cheese production. Where possible and applicable, computers may be provided for youth proposing to establish information technology service and repair businesses. Mar 27, 2019 Page 13 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) 45. Communication. Component 3 will finance communication materials, including the production of audiovisuals and informational materials on the Project’s stages and activities. They will be tailored to various audiences, including jamoat administrations; district and provincial governments; and beneficiaries, with separate materials for young men and women. The component will finance the production of audiovisuals that reflect the experiences and success stories of beneficiaries and knowledge-sharing events. It will finance knowledge-sharing meetings about lessons learned and good practices across districts and regions during year three as well as two cross-regional and/or national forums, such as exhibits, conferences, and youth dialogues during year three or four. 46. M&E. Component 3 will support M&E activities to track, document, and communicate the progress and results of the Project. An M&E team within NSIFT will be responsible for overall compilation of this information. Component 3 will provide financing for NSIFT to prepare and submit to the World Bank quarterly and semiannual unaudited interim financial reports. The component will also finance a management and information system (MIS), which NSIFT will establish and utilize for project monitoring, automatic generation of project reports, project transparency (subproject information will be publicized on maps), and citizen feedback. Feedback and grievances received through the BFM will be included in the semiannual reporting. 47. Results measurements will be primarily focused on the outcomes defined in the results framework and the set of output indicators defined in the POM. Component 3 will finance baseline, midline, and endline project monitoring surveys to assess the results indicators of the project development objectives. NSIFT will be responsible for producing a completion report that draws on MIS data and surveys prior to Project completion. . . Legal Operational Policies Triggered? Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 Yes Projects in Disputed Areas OP 7.60 No Summary of Assessment of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The environmental and social risks are rated 'moderate' and 'substantial respectively. This renders overall risk 'Substantial'. On the social front, the project is expected to result in positive impacts for communities and, in particular, youth in the fragile and conflict-ridden regions. A variety of risks are evident, some are external and others internal to the project. Key social risks relate to 'exclusion' which may happen due to geographical setting, socio economic setting, gender differentials. A quick and rapid Social Assessment conducted during preparation has enabled not only in informing the project design but also in identifying the factors that aid/ constrain 'inclusion. Accordingly, mitigatory measures, in terms of institutional and implementation arrangements, have been drawn. Efficacy of these measures depend upon the performance of NGOs who will be enlisted to provide social intermediation services. The NGO deployment, however, will happen only during the implementation. On securing lands, while project would make use of the existing buildings or unused public lands, as a backup measure, a RPF has been developed. This framework guides the project in acquiring lands (if need be) during the implementation by detailing how RPF will be transformed into Resettlement Action Plans. The environmental risk was initially rated Substantial based on the large number of activities to be financed in remote and fragile areas where local capacity for Mar 27, 2019 Page 14 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) mitigating environmental risks is low. As the preparation advanced, it is rated Moderate as the physical works envisaged under both components 1 and 2 are of small to medium scale and the associated environmental impacts are expected to be temporary, predictable, and easily mitigable. Overall, towards addressing the risks, the following instruments have been developed: (i) ESMF; (ii) Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP); (iii) Social Management Plan. Note: To view the Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, please refer to the Appraisal Stage ESRS Document. . E. Implementation Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 56. Implementing agency. In January 2019, the GoT confirmed the appointment of NSIFT as the implementing agency for the Project. NSIFT has a track record of implementing small-scale local-level projects and has a mandate to work with communities over the long term on a broad range of social investments, including poverty reduction and livelihood programs in SERSP Project areas. Launched in 1997 by order of the government and established in 2002, NSIFT has functioned for 20 years as an implementing agency for local-level development projects funded by donors.30 NSIFT is the designated implementing agency for CASA-1000’s CSP, which shares similar design features with SERSP regarding community and local-level approaches; it has an organizational charter; and it has permanent staff at its Dushanbe central office and at two local offices in Khatlon (Kushoniyon and Kulob). NSIFT is supported by the GoT in terms of its premises and utilities and is directly under its control. 57. NSIFT Project Management Team. Within three months after the Effective Date and thereafter NSIFT will establish and maintain throughout the implementation of the Project, a Project management team with adequate staff and resources. The Project management team should include, inter alia, a Project coordinator, a procurement specialist, an FM specialist, a head engineer, environmental and social safeguard specialists, youth inclusion and livelihood specialists, CDD specialists, and social accountability specialists. 58. NSIFT will manage all aspects of safeguards, procurement, and supervision; perform all fiduciary tasks and necessary coordination of institutional support with oblasts and districts; and conduct consolidated reporting and project management tasks as outlined in the POM. NSIFT will be responsible for M&E; the beneficiary feedback mechanism, including the GRM; and project-related communications and outreach. NSIFT will open its own designated account and will finance all taxes, except value-added tax and customs duties. 59. SERSP’s Project team will draw on its staff and capabilities, and the Project will contribute to an agreed-on set of central administrative costs. Staffing capacity for CDD, youth development, and MIS will be critical to ensuring that NSIFT can implement and oversee a successful implementation of SERSP investments. NSIFT will appoint qualified expert staff to meet the World Bank’s requirements for environmental and social safeguards. A schedule of staffing and consulting appointments has been agreed on, and terms of reference will be included in the POM. 30From 1997 to 2006, NSIFT implemented the Poverty Alleviation Projects (P044202 and P082977), financed by the World Bank; both were satisfactorily implemented in fiduciary and technical terms. NSIFT currently implements Community Funds for the Promotion of Basic Education and Rehabilitation of Community Infrastructure program, financed by the German Development Bank (KfW). Mar 27, 2019 Page 15 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) Figure 3. Implementation Structure 60. National level. The GoT will establish a national-level steering committee to oversee the three projects comprising the Tajikistan RSP within three (3) months of Project effectiveness. The steering committee will serve as the highest level consultative and decision-making body responsible for strategic guidance, coordination, implementation support, and interlinkages between the individual projects which form part of the World Bank’s RSP and the relevant GoT’s strategic policy priorities and reforms. The steering committee would assist both the GoT, the WBG, and other stakeholders to effectively implement the IDA18 RMR and achieve the envisaged results. The GoT’s decentralization framework and local governance reforms encompass strengthening the capacity of jamoats and mahallas, increasing their responsibilities and resources, and improving service delivery and private sector development at the local level. The steering committee will meet regularly to review progress under the RMR program. The steering committee will establish working groups to allow for more focused technical discussions on each individual RMR project, as needed. 61. Regional level. NSIFT staff based in Bokhtar (the regional capital of Khatlon) in Kushoniyon district and Khorog (the regional capital of GBAO) in Shugnon district will coordinate and regularly report to the regional governors on Project implementation plans, progress, results, and challenges. 62. District level. District administrations have a role in the O&M of subgrant-financed investments and youth facilities. Thus, NSIFT staff (or TFP staff) will ensure that content of jamoat development plans are aligned with and do not duplicate district development plans. O&M plans included in subproject design will lay out the responsibilities of the relevant district-level authorities regarding the O&M of infrastructure investments. Mar 27, 2019 Page 16 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) 63. Local self-governing bodies. Jamoats will play a key role in the Project, working with the communities, NSIFT, TFPs, and district authorities in local development planning and subproject implementation, including community procurement. For subcomponents 1a and 1b, the jamoats—legal entities established under the 2009 Law on Self Governance in a Town or Township (article 3, clause 2)—will establish JPCs (as article 10 provides) to implement the subprojects located in the territory administered by the jamoat. Each JPC will consist of five to nine voluntary members representing the target villages in the jamoat. Strict membership criteria will apply to ensure the engagement of village project committee (VPC) representatives (see annex 2), an equal number of men and women, and youth, as well as the necessary financial and technical specialists and NGO representatives. Through its chairperson, the jamoat will be required to delegate the following responsibilities to the JPC: (i) support and represent the target communities in the subproject implementation process and contribute to the identification of potential beneficiaries for subcomponents 2a and 2b as defined in the POM; (ii) endorse subproject(s) for funding during each cycle and the refurbishment of spaces under subcomponent 2a, ensuring alignment with the jamoat development plan; (iii) inform NSIFT of target communities subproject selections; (iv) develop subproject proposal(s), including safeguard-related requirements; (v) coordinate with NSIFT on the technical designs of the selected subprojects and offer advice regarding the refurbishment of spaces for youth and women; (vi) carry out procurement functions or request that NSIFT do so on their behalf as defined in the SGM; (vii) oversee contract execution; (viii) propose and implement O&M plans and resolve issues related to ownership and functionality; and (ix) coordinate with relevant stakeholders—line departments, utilities, NGOs, and districts. The JPC will also prepare documentation for signing by the jamoat chairperson as defined in the SGM. Terms of reference for the commission will be included in the POM, and all members will sign a code of conduct. 64. At the community level, mahalla committees (or other relevant community-based organizations), will establish VPCs in target villages and areas to mobilize communities, support community capacity building, and lead the selection and implementation of subproject activities. The membership of the VPC will include mahalla committee members along with additional elected/nominated community members to ensure equal representation of women on the committee. Where possible, 50 percent of the members should be under the age of 30. Committees are expected to vary in size from eight to 20 members, given the significant variation in the populations of target communities. The requirements for the establishment of VPCs and the process for participatory nomination of members will be included in the POM, and their role in subproject implementation will be included in the SGM. The gender section further explains the representation of women in VPCs. 65. To strengthen NSIFT capacity to understand and carry out genuine CDD, one or more experienced TFPs will support the implementation of component 1. The selected partner will have a track record of implementing the CDD methodology (outlined in subcomponent 1b), be familiar with global best practices to this approach, have experience in social accountability (outlined in subcomponent 1b), be able to attract experienced credible consultants that can support capacity building for local governance (outlined in subcomponent 1b), and have proven experience working on CDD in FCV areas. To build local capacity and ensure context-specific knowledge, the TFPs will also have experience working in the target areas and will preferably involve local NGOs that are already established and functioning there. NGOs are expected to form a consortium to meet these criteria. The TFPs will design and carry out the development of all capacity-building, facilitation, and TA activities for three sets of activities; support NSIFT staff; and mobilize at least 49 community development advisors. They will be recruited through an open and competitive procurement process as early as possible in the Project cycle. The final determination will be made immediately after effectiveness as described in the Project Procurement Strategy for Development (PPSD). The chosen TFPs will work closely with NSIFT, with coordination and accountability mechanisms established at the regional and national levels and described in the POM. The POM will include the terms of reference for the TFPs. Mar 27, 2019 Page 17 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) 66. IPs will support the implementation of Component 2 and will be responsible for outreach and communication, curricula adaptation, training of trainers, and quality control of the actual delivery of these activities to beneficiaries in up to 20 locations within selected districts of Khatlon and GBAO. With a view toward ensuring that youth from particularly isolated areas can access the activities, IPs will deploy trainers who will travel to remote areas with kits containing learning materials. IPs are encouraged to subcontract with local NGOs and community-based organizations that are well known in their respective districts and communities to ensure effective outreach and selection of beneficiaries for the youth-inclusive services offered under the Project. The IPs will also be responsible for providing capacity building to staff of local CAEs, teachers, and counsellors who may continue to provide these services beyond the life of the Project. IPs will offer training about violence prevention, including GBV, to secondary school teachers, parents, and the staff of local public facilities—such as the CAEs and youth facilities (physical facilities with dedicated space for extracurricular activities and youth training). The IPs will roll out the youth-inclusive services incrementally, with an initial menu of soft and digital skills offered in selected CAEs that require limited rehabilitation works. Selected CAEs will be located in the district’s urban centers, where, according to stakeholder consultations, the largest portion of youth reside. Further, while the IPs will be responsible for delivering the services to a target of 10,000 beneficiaries over the course of the Project, in its first year, the target is only 10 percent—or 1,000 beneficiaries. In the Project’s fourth year, the target will increase to 40 percent. 67. With regard to the implementation of social and environmental standards, NSIFT will: (i) support the JPC with information and capacity building, including the environmental criteria and procedures for conducting the environmental and social impact assessments; (ii) conduct environmental and social screening and evaluation of subproject eligibility from a safeguards perspective; (iii) communicate and coordinate with authorities competent in conducting an environmental assessment, such as the Committee on Environmental Protection; (iv) ensure proper implementation of the environmental management plan and checklist requirements as well as social due diligence tasks during the realization of the subprojects; (v) address complaints and feedback from project stakeholders and the public, including grievances regarding the environmental and social impacts of subprojects; (vi) supervise—independently or jointly with the state ecological inspectorate—environmental protection and mitigation measures stipulated in the environmental management plans; (vii) monitor environmental impacts as part of overall monitoring of the subproject implementation; and (viii) report on environmental and social impacts that originate during subproject implementation and analyze the efficiency of mitigation measures applied to minimize any negative consequences. NSIFT and the JPCs, along with subproject implementors and beneficiaries, are responsible for the implementation of the safeguard-related activities. 68. The POM explains in detail the technical aspects of each component, FM and procurement procedures, and the monitoring arrangements and reporting requirements for each indicator, mitigating the risk of delays or unintended decisions during implementation. All training manuals will form part of the operations manual. A SGM that defines the required subgrant implementation processes under subcomponent 1a will be an integral part of the POM. The submission of a POM in form and substance acceptable to the Bank is a condition of Project effectiveness. . CONTACT POINT World Bank Mar 27, 2019 Page 18 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) Robert Wrobel Senior Social Development Specialist Gloria La Cava Sr Social Scientist Borrower/Client/Recipient Ministry of Finance Implementing Agencies National Social Investment Fund of Tajikistan Sherali Murodalievich Siddikov Executive Director spap@nsift.tojikiston.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects APPROVAL Robert Wrobel Task Team Leader(s): Gloria La Cava Approved By Environmental and Social Standards Advisor: Practice Manager/Manager: Country Director: Sascha Djumena 24-Apr-2019 Mar 27, 2019 Page 19 of 20 The World Bank Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Program (P168052) Mar 27, 2019 Page 20 of 20