The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 07/22/2022 | Report No: ESRSC02918 Jul 22, 2022 Page 1 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Bangladesh SOUTH ASIA P178077 Project Name Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Education Investment Project 10/4/2022 12/19/2022 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) People's Republic of Ministry of Youth and Sports Bangladesh Proposed Development Objective The project development objective is to reduce the share of NEET youth, especially for women, in selected rural areas Public Disclosure through increasing access to employable skills and enhancing their employability. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 400.00 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 will contribute to reducing the share of NEET youth population in selected rural areas and help Bangladesh to establish a women-centric holistic system for addressing NEET youth challenges in accessing skills development, education and labor market opportunities for wage and self-employment. First, the project will create and facilitate access to relevant skills development as well as continuing or second-chance education for the eligible rural NEET youth, especially women, through establishing village- and union-based mobile and need-based training centers and facilitating access to alternative education services. The skills development facilities will be women- centric in terms of their convenient locations, safe and inclusive infrastructure and learning environment, flexible course timings, free choice of trades, and gender of instructors. Second, the beneficiaries will receive trainings in Jul 22, 2022 Page 2 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) enterprise development and SEB skill development, as well as support in access to seed financing, linkages with employers and the labor market, and employment , and . Third, the project will create an enabling environment for economic engagement of youth by helping to (i) ease the social barriers through engagement of the communities in identifying and selecting beneficiaries, facilities, relevant trades and management of the training centers, awareness- raising campaigns and providing psychosocial supports; and (ii) enhance institutional capacity of state and non-state actors. The latter will result in informed planning, design, management and delivery of youth development programs. Both easing social norms and enhanced institutional capacity will contribute to sustainability of the interventions beyond the project life. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The proposed project aims to promote economic inclusion and resilience of the youths who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) in rural Bangladesh. The project interventions across the country will help establish a system of converting the NEET youth to a productive workforce in various economic sectors with special emphasis on rural youths. Selection and targeting the underserved NEET youths will focus on less educated rural youth, especially women, hard-to-reach, underserved and crises affected regions such as the hill districts, haor/chars, crises effected Cox’s Bazar. Focused approaches will include vulnerable populations such as persons with disabilities, transgenders, and tea-garden communities. The project will undertake awareness raising programs, capacity enhancement of the stakeholder agencies, and innovative training programs, literacy and education support to youths on jobs and trades and early school dropped out adolescents and youths through distance learning and non-formal means of schooling. Public Disclosure The Project will include three components: Component 1: Enhance access to relevant skills development and education and employment opportunities; Component 2: Promote Awareness and Support for Rural NEET Youths (easing barriers); and Component 3: Enhance institutional capacity, management and monitoring. The project will operate to design and deliver skill training and literacy support through available study centers, training centers and mobile training centers in temporary rented in venues at village and union levels. Small scale civil works for renovations of existing training centers, classrooms and offices will be financed. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The Ministry of Youths and Sports (MoYS) will be implementing the project partnering with other relevant ministries and NGOs in coordination with the Department of Youth Development (DYD), Directorate of Sports, National Sports Council, Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) and the local government authorities at the Union, Upazila and Districts. The MoYS and its implementation partners have no prior experience of implementing World Bank financed projects; therefore, they are new to the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) requirements and procedures. A detailed assessment of the capacity of the implementing and partner agencies will be carried out during preparation. Project design will include capacity risk assessments and development of related risks mitigation. Institutional capacity of the implementing agencies will need to be strengthened for implementation and coordination of other partnering ministries and non-governmental organizations. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate Jul 22, 2022 Page 3 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) Environmental Risk Rating Moderate Overall environmental risks of the proposed project have been rated as Moderate. The activities will include minor civil works including renovation of existing training centers and office buildings. Thus, the environmental impacts will be worksite related construction waste generation and air emissions, and therefore these will be minor, localized and reversible. The risks will be mitigated through an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), which will be detailed in the Operations Manual, incorporated in the Institutional Development Plan, and monitored throughout implementation. Environmental risks will be revisited at the appraisal stage considering final project/sub- projects design, geographic locations and implementation arrangements. Social Risk Rating Moderate The social risks of the proposed project have been rated as Moderate. The proposed project will avoid any new construction, thus avoiding involuntary displacement of people, but may undertake minor civil works for renovation of existing training centers, study centers, classrooms and offices, which could entail worksite related occupational health & safety issues and Life & Fire Safety risks for building occupants during construction and operation. The project will target the NEET youths, majority of whom are women and girls rural areas in the 15-29 age group; wide range of training activities, and the approach of outreaching the vulnerable groups like persons with disabilities, transgender, tea-garden communities and ethnic minorities to enhance their employability and entrepreneurial skills and enabling gender-friendly environment. Labor influx at works sites will be low and so will be the associated risks of gender-based violence (GBV). Social risk of elite capture and exclusion is also relevant as many of the households of the NEET youths will be poor and also from vulnerable and socially excluded groups including ethnic minorities. The risks of GBV may include sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and sexual harassments (SH) at project sites (works sites, study centers & training centers) and beneficiary areas. Again, the implementing agency and partner organizations Public Disclosure are new to the requirements of ESF in identification, design and implementation of projects with finance from the World Bank. The project will mitigate the risks through development and implementation of ESF instruments. 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: This standard is relevant to the proposed project to clarify the process and responsibilities in identifying and managing the environmental and social risks and impacts associated with proposed activities. The project entails the development and provision of innovative training programs, literacy and education support on jobs and trades to youths and school dropped out adolescents and youths through distance learning and non-formal means of schooling. It will support entrepreneurial skills training in collaboration with the local and national employers through shared-financing schemes for apprenticeship and internship programs for the project beneficiaries. Training programs will be conducted through training centers available with the DYD and rented in venues for Mobile Training Centers (MTCs) for the hard-to-reach and underserved NEET youths, particularly females from the rural areas. No new construction but small scale civil works will be carried out for renovation and refurbishment of existing training centers and setting up new training centers on rented in premises. The project is expected to endure by creating a conducive environment for the NEET youth by promoting social marketing through community engagement, awareness raising campaigns, group activities, promoting sports and cultural events, and support increased resilience Jul 22, 2022 Page 4 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) through soft-skills and building coping techniques. The project will support capacity enhancement of the central and local level agencies to coordinate skill development activities, research and policy planning, design of innovative interventions, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. The anticipated environmental risks and impacts of the project are related to the small-scale renovation works within existing footprints, targeting beneficiaries and management of project activities. The risks and impacts include, possible occupational and community health and safety (OHS) issues, Life & Fire Safety (L&FS) for building occupants, noise, vibration, dust and construction waste generation and management. The nature of the works and exact locations of the activities for renovation works, stakeholders, and beneficiaries targeted for project support will be determined during implementation. Environmental and social risks and impacts of the activities to be undertaken are expected to be manageable and will be known at the implementation level. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) will therefore be developed by appraisal. The ESMF for the project will be reviewed and cleared by the Bank and disclosed in country and at the WB external website before appraisal. The ESMF will have principles and guidelines based on which sub-projects at the implementation level will be screened and the level of due diligence required. The ESMF will include specific requirements to be considered for identification of investment schemes. In accordance with the ESMF, environmental and social screening will be conducted for all the sites/activities and ESMPs will be produced. The ESMF will also include the required training and awareness procedures to be provided to the communities on the proper management to mitigate and deal with the risks of COVID-19 infection. Environment and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) will be developed before appraisal that will contain material measures, actions (including timeline and responsibilities) to be taken to address various ES Public Disclosure issues including capacity development and training. ESMF requirements will be detailed in the Operations Manual, incorporated in the Institutional Development Plan, and monitored throughout the implementation. Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: Borrower's framework is not being considered. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Consultations and disclosure of information with stakeholders will be at the core for planning and implementation of the project. The key stakeholders include officials at the Ministry of Youths and Sports, Directorate of Sports, National Sports Council, BKSP (Bangladesh Sports Learning Institution) and the local government authorities at the Union, Upazila and Districts. The project will provide innovation funds (competitively) to national and international organizations, social/youth clubs, self-help groups, universities, research organizations and registered youth organizations. The project preparation process will be all-inclusive engaging with communities and stakeholders of all groups and vulnerabilities including experts and advocacy organizations. The engagement and feedback mechanisms and their implementation will be worked out and vetted with the communities and stakeholders through disclosure and consultation process during preparation. MoYS, in the project preparation process, will identify specific and relevant stakeholders and prepare a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) illustrating methods, channels and timing of engagement, feedback and grievance redress mechanism synchronized with the Government's Central GRS to raise concerns about the Project. The GRS will set up mechanisms to be responsive to SEA/SH cases. A draft SEP agreed with the Bank will be disclosed before appraisal. Jul 22, 2022 Page 5 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) 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 This standard is relevant as the project involves small scale civil works for rehabilitation and improvement of training centers, study centers, classrooms and offices. The overall OHS risks for the workers are likely to be low only small number of direct and contracted workers will be involved with the MoYS, DYD, Directorate of Sports, National Sports Council, BKSP and the local government authorities. Labor influx considering individual works sites is likely to be low, however gender mix in project workers and the target group beneficiaries may expose the women and girls to GBV and SEA/SH risks. However, MoYS will prepare Labor Management Procedures (LMP) for guiding the project management unit coordinating all the implementing partners and collaborators. The consultants and contractors to be engaged by the PMU will develop and agree with the PMU, Labor Management Plans (including Codes of Conduct) proportionate to potential risks and impacts at works sites and beneficiary areas prior to mobilization. This plan will also include the assessment and required mitigation measures to ensure health and safety of the workers that may be exposed to health risks. Issues such as child labor, forced labor, gender and GBV/SEA/SH issues, OHS will be addressed in the bidding and contract documents. A worker-specific Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), responsive to SEA/SH, will be developed as part of the LMP for the workers to report any issues relating workplace safety and other concerns. OHS protections measures will also include COVID-19 prevention protocols. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Public Disclosure This standard is relevant as project activities during renovations may generate construction waste, dust, noise and air emissions related to exhaust from vehicles and machinery. Given the small-scale size of civil works, these impacts are expected to be limited and localized, and manageable with mitigation measures. The project will incorporate resource efficient design considerations in renovation activities and use of environment-friendly building materials (such as non-fire bricks). The ESMF will provide checklists to assess and manage these impacts as per national laws and in compliance with this ESS and good international industry practices. ESS4 Community Health and Safety This standard is relevant as the project involves civil works in settlement areas in urban and rural areas with resultant movement of workers to and from the works sites. During renovation, minor civil works and few vehicles movement in populated areas could expose communities to lower degree of health and safety risks, however, a separate vehicle movement safety procedure is unlikely to be necessary. Given the size of civil works, labor influx at works sites will likely be low. Adequate engineering, health and safety measures will be adopted to avoid any issue on community health and safety. The project ESMF will cover applicable local Life and Fire Safety (L&FS) regulations and good international practices, and guidance on how to assess and mitigate such risks in the existing training centers, study centers, classrooms and offices to be renovated / enhanced, including evacuation drills and emergency preparedness and response. It will also require contractors to install a safety system around the construction sites and a Community Health & Safety Plan, including procedures on incident investigation and reporting, recording and reporting of non-conformances, emergency preparedness and community awareness raising activities. However, given the project implementation approach and gender mix of target group beneficiaries, the project may induce moderate risks of GBV/SEA/SH at project sites and beneficiary areas. Potential risks to the communities at and Jul 22, 2022 Page 6 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) around the project sites may be induced due to weak implementation of contingency plans at the local level, workers codes of conduct (CoC), poor public awareness, and lack of information. Policy and procedures to address such issues will be included in the ESMF. The PMU will prepare SEA/SH action plan to combat risks of SEA and SH with prevention and mitigation measures following the WBG EHS guidelines and SEA/SH guidance note. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement This standards is not relevant at this stage. The project will avoid land acquisition and involuntary displacement of people. MoYS will be using the existing training centers of DYD, Union based training centers, existing study centers and organize mobile training centers in rented in premises at selected locations. No green field site will be taken and no new construction will be allowed under the project. Only small scale renovation and refurbishment works will be allowed to ready the designated study centers, class rooms and training centers within existing footprints only. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources This standard is not relevant. The proposed project is expected to be implemented nationwide in urban and rural areas; however, works will be implemented within existing footprints and/or premises. Thus, impacts on biodiversity and living natural resources are not expected. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities Public Disclosure This standard is relevant to the project. The project will cover ethnic minority populations in the plain and hill tract areas, some of whom are characterized as indigenous peoples as per this standard. None of these peoples will be adversely affected rather benefitted from the project interventions. The project will design and implement focused approaches in selection and targeting NEET youths from the underserved communities including the ethnic minority populations recognized nationally as tribes, minor races, ethnic sects and communities. The project will develop a Social Inclusion and Management Framework (SIMF) to guide selection and targeting of disadvantaged and vulnerable communities including the ethnic minorities. ESS8 Cultural Heritage The project will avoid activities and locations near culturally sensitive areas. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries This standard is not relevant to the project. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No Jul 22, 2022 Page 7 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) III. WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DUE DILIGENCE A. Is a common approach being considered? No Financing Partners There will be no financing partners on this project. B. Proposed Measures, Actions and Timing (Borrower’s commitments) Actions to be completed prior to Bank Board Approval: • Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) with E&S capacity assessment of the implementing agencies/partners. (Prior to appraisal) • Stakeholders Engagement Plan (SEP) (Prior to appraisal) • Environment and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) (Prior to appraisal) • Labor Management Procedures (LMP) (Prior to appraisal) • Social Inclusion and Management Framework (SIMF) (Prior to appraisal) Possible issues to be addressed in the Borrower Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): • ESMP based on screening of sub-projects (after sites have been identified). • Update the SEP and the LMP as necessary. Public Disclosure • Recruit specialists (especially Environment and Social Specialists, Gender and GBV specialist), within 45 days of project approval by the Government. • Preparation of SEA/SH Risks Management Plan within three months of signing the project. • Capacity building measures including training of PMU staff on E&S issues, citizen engagement and risks management including grievance response protocol. • Monitoring and evaluation plan with reporting requirements. • The type and timing of the ES instruments preparation. • Specific timeline and responsibility assignment against each commitment C. Timing Tentative target date for preparing the Appraisal Stage ESRS 15-Aug-2022 IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Syed Rashed Al-Zayed Title: Senior Economist Telephone No: 5764+4335 Email: salzayed@worldbank.org Contact: Mokhlesur Rahman Title: Senior Operations Officer Jul 22, 2022 Page 8 of 9 The World Bank Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET Youth (P178077) Telephone No: 5764+4351 Email: mrahman2@worldbank.org Contact: Sabah Moyeen Title: Senior Social Development Specialist Telephone No: 5764+4313 Email: smoyeen@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Borrower: People's Republic of Bangladesh Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Ministry of Youth and Sports V. 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 VI. APPROVAL Public Disclosure Task Team Leader(s): Syed Rashed Al-Zayed, Mokhlesur Rahman, Sabah Moyeen Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Christophe Crepin Recommended on 17-Jul-2022 at 16:04:18 GMT-04:00 Safeguards Advisor ESSA Pablo Cardinale (SAESSA) Cleared on 22-Jul-2022 at 09:44:40 GMT-04:00 Jul 22, 2022 Page 9 of 9