Gender Mainstreaming Case Study

Sri Lanka—North East Coastal Community Development Project and Tsunami-Affected Areas Rebuilding Project

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• Publisher: Asian Development Bank
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9789292571436
• eBook ISBN: 9789292571443
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Gender Studies
• Index: Social Sciences

Two projects in Sri Lanka employed participatory approaches, bringing key stakeholders together and facilitating women's involvement---the North East Coastal Community Development Project which was aimed to improve sustainable livelihood and natural resource management in poor coastal communities, and Component B of the Tsunami-Affected Areas Rebuilding Project, which was designed to provide an emergency response to urgent post-tsunami reconstruction challenges. This case study looks at the gender dimensions of two projects that focus on the community development component that advocated community participation, social inclusion, and gender equality in community infrastructure development and livelihood restoration processes in targeted communities.

Sri Lanka: North East Coastal Community Development Project and Tsunami-Affected Areas Rebuilding Project

Summary

DEVELOPMENT AIMS AND IMPACTS

(i)	This case study covers two related projects funded by the Asian Development Bank: the North East Coastal Community Development Project (NECCDP), which aimed to improve sustainable livelihood and natural resource management in poor coastal communities, and Component B of the Tsunami-Affected Areas Rebuilding Project (TAARP), which was designed to provide an emergency response to urgent post-tsunami reconstruction challenges.
(ii)	These projects involved communities in the northeast region of Sri Lanka and were implemented in areas severely affected by the conflict and further devastated by the 2004 tsunami.^1 The NECCDP focused particularly on women’s economic development, whereas the TAARP focused on restoring basic social infrastructure, community and public services, and livelihood in the coastal communities of the tsunami-affected north (Jaffna, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu) and east (Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Amparai).
(iii)	In both NECCDP and TAARP, women’s rural development societies (WRDSs) were revived, established, and strengthened. These organizations provided women with a collective forum and a mechanism to voice their concerns and priorities. Capacity building strengthened these organizations and enabled them to support participatory processes. The WRDSs were active in ensuring that women’s voices were heard and that their priorities influenced community infrastructure development.
(iv)	Microcredit and training enabled women to establish or to expand economic activities. Providing small grants to the WRDSs to set up revolving loan funds (RLFs) enabled a range of women to access microcredit and engage in home/village based livelihood activities and also strengthened these organizations.
(v)	Training by community-based organizations (CBOs) supported women’s ability to speak in public gatherings, increased their confidence to participate in community decision making, and strengthened their roles in intrahousehold matters.

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT TOOLS

(i)	NECCDP and TAARP employed participatory approaches. This process brought key stakeholders together and facilitated women’s involvement. The visibility of women’s priorities and voices was increased.
(ii)	Both projects had gender action plans (GAPs). These plans highlighted the importance of comprehensive gender analysis, concrete targets for women’s participation, and ongoing monitoring of this participation.

Main Aims and Components

This case study looks at the gender dimensions of two projects supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Sri Lanka: the North East Coastal Community Development Project (NECCDP) and Component B of the Tsunami-Affected Areas Rebuilding Project (TAARP). Given the scope and scale of operations of both projects, this study focuses on the community development component that largely advocated community participation, social inclusion, and gender equality in community infrastructure development and livelihood restoration processes in the targeted communities.

North East Coastal Community Development Project

The NECCDP aimed to reduce poverty and meet basic needs in coastal communities in the Amparai, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee districts of the Eastern Province, with particular focus on women and emphasis on improving sustainable livelihood and sound management of natural resources. The project originally targeted 396 grama niladhari (village officer) divisions (GNDs), a subunit of the divisional secretariat, with 225 most vulnerable GNDs for initial intervention. Following the 2004 tsunami, the TAARP, funded by a grant from ADB, covered tsunami-affected GNDs, including 70 of the original vulnerable GNDs to be assisted by the NECCDP. This reduced the initial NECCDP target of 225 GNDs to 130 GNDs. See Box 1 for basic facts on the NECCDP.

Box 1: North East Coastal Community Development Project: Basic Facts

Loan number:	2027
Loan approval:	November 2003
Closing date:	January 2012
Executing agency:	Ministry of Economic Development
Overall project cost (actual):	$31.44 million
Financing:	ADB loan: $19.77 million
	Borrower: $10.98 million
	Government of the Netherlands: $0.52 million
	Beneficiaries: $0.17 million
Gender classification:	Gender Equity Theme (GEN)

ADB = Asian Development Bank.

Source: ADB. 2012. Completion Report: Sri Lanka: North East Coastal Community Development Project. Manila.

The NECCDP had five components:

(i)	Sustainable livelihood improvement, giving equal access to women and men, including
	(a)	provision of livelihood and enterprise development services (LEDS) to identify market opportunities in farming and nonfarm activities, develop livelihood clusters, and provide entrepreneurship and skills training;
	(b)	a microfinance system to support these livelihood activities; and
	(c)	the c...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Boxes
• Abbreviations
• Sri Lanka: North East Coastal Community Development Project and Tsunami-Affected Areas Rebuilding Project
• Back Cover