Review and Update of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies Phase 3 Feedback Summary Date: October 27, 2015 Location (City, Country): Beijing, China Audience (Government, Implementing agencies, Multi-stakeholder, etc.): Central government and institutions Overview: The consultations in China took place with the central government in Beijing and with representatives of provincial Project Implementation Units (PIU) in Kunming, and covered policy and strategic issues as well as practical issues of project implementation. The consultations benefited from significant preparation by Chinese counterparts, which ensured that most of the topics on the list of outstanding issues were discussed. The Bank team also met with the Assistant Minister of Finance and the Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, who provided the strategic perspective of senior government representatives. Chinese counterparts expressed their support for the safeguards review process, and their commitment to achieving a good outcome. ESF Issue Items Feedback Vision Human Rights Approach to human rights in The Bank is suggested to seek common ground. And the Human rights: the ESF language on human rights in Vision statement should be general. ESP/ Non-discrimination Explicit listing of specific Non-discrimination: There are groups mentioned in the ESF that many ESS1 and vulnerable vulnerable groups by find controversial, which the laws of many Borrower countries do not groups type/name (age, gender, recognize as legal, such as SOGIE or religious groups (cult). Also, since ethnicity, religion, physical, information on mental and physical disability or health status should be mental or other disability, treated as private and confidential, it is unclear how the Borrower and social, civic or health status, Bank staff could implement the requirement of non-discrimination in this sexual orientation, gender regard. identity, economic disadvantages or indigenous status, and/or dependence on unique natural resources) Specific aspects of the principle in complex social and political contexts, including where recognition of certain groups
Review and Update of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies Phase 3 Feedback Summary Date: October 27, 2015 Location (City, Country): Beijing, China Audience (Government, Implementing agencies, Multi-stakeholder, etc.): Central government and institutions Overview: The consultations in China took place with the central government in Beijing and with representatives of provincial Project Implementation Units (PIU) in Kunming, and covered policy and strategic issues as well as practical issues of project implementation. The consultations benefited from significant preparation by Chinese counterparts, which ensured that most of the topics on the list of outstanding issues were discussed. The Bank team also met with the Assistant Minister of Finance and the Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, who provided the strategic perspective of senior government representatives. Chinese counterparts expressed their support for the safeguards review process, and their commitment to achieving a good outcome. ESF Issue Items Feedback Vision Human Rights Approach to human rights in the ESF Human rights: The Bank is suggested to seek common ground. And the language on human rights in Vision statement should be general. ESP/ ESS1 Non-discrimination and vulnerable groups Explicit listing of specific vulnerable groups by type/name (age, gender, ethnicity, religion, physical, mental or other disability, social, civic or health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic disadvantages or indigenous status, and/or dependence on unique natural resources) Specific aspects of the principle in complex social and political contexts, including where recognition of certain groups Non-discrimination: There are groups mentioned in the ESF that many find controversial, which the laws of many Borrower countries do not recognize as legal, such as SOGIE or religious groups (cult). Also, since information on mental and physical disability or health status should be treated as private and confidential, it is unclear how the Borrower and Bank staff could implement the requirement of non-discrimination in this regard.
final_feedback_summary_for_phase_3_consultation_with_chinese_central_government_and_institutions_in_beijing_october_27.docx