China - Rural Migrant Skills Development and Employment Project

Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET APPRAISAL STAGE I. Basic Information Date prepared/updated: 03/18/2008 Report No.: AC3266 1. Basic Project Data Country: China Project ID: P085376 Project Name: Rural Migrant Skills Development and Employment Project Task Team Leader: Xiaoqing Yu Estimated Appraisal Date: November 26, 2007 Estimated Board Date: June 24, 2008 Managing Unit: EASHD Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Other social services (40%);Vocational training (40%);Adult literacy/non-formal education (20%) Theme: Improving labor markets (P);Other human development (S);Access to urban services and housing (S);Access to law and justice (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 50.00 IDA Amount (US$m.): 0.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: Borrower 33.00 33.00 Environmental Category: C - Not Required Simplified Processing Simple [] Repeater [] Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) or OP 8.00 (Rapid Response to Crises and Emergencies) Yes [ ] No [ ] 2. Project Objectives The project development objective is to support the transition of rural workers to urban areas to access better employment opportunities that improve their incomes and working conditions. This objective will be achieved by: (i) improving the access of rural workers to skills development opportunities, (ii) reducing the cost of their job search through access to enhanced employment services, and (iii) removing the worst excesses of their transition through strengthened worker protections. 3. Project Description The project will support four main components to be implemented at the national level by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MOLSS) and in three provinces/autonomous region: Anhui, Ningxia, and Shandong. Component 1: Skills Development will (a) enhance capacity of the project provinces to deliver training to potential migrants; (b) improve the quality, relevance, and flexibility of Page 2 the training offered, consistent with migrant and market needs in receiving areas; and (c) improve functioning of the training market. Component 2: Employment Services will (a) improve the provision of labor market information and employment services for rural migrants and (b) improve policies and institutions for employment service provision. Component 3: Worker Protection aims to (a) improve the employment condition of migrants, (b) increase awareness of worker right and support legal services for migrants. Component 4: Policy Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Project Management will (a) support a policy-oriented research program and the sharing of information and knowledge concerning rural-to-urban migration; (b) help improve the monitoring of government programs in skills development, employment services, and worker protection and conduct impact evaluations of selected policy interventions; and (c) support project management and build capacity in general management and planning. 4. Project Location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis The project will work with the ministry of labor and social security and three provinces/autonomous region. Since the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is one of the project provinces, a Social Assessment (SA) was conducted to assess the treatment of ethnic minorities as a potential safeguards issue to confirm whether any specific features of this project might indicate that the policy should be triggered. IN some project localities, government counterpart funds will be used to finance some civil works within training institutions. That is relevant for considerations from the environment perspective. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Ms Chongwu Sun (EASCS) Mr Daniel R. Gibson (EASCS) Mr Chaogang Wang (EASCS) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X Pest Management (OP 4.09) X Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) X Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X Page 3 II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: Environment and IP safeguards issues were considered when assessing the potential impact of the project. (1) Regarding environment, some civil works were proposed to be included in selected localities and be financed by counterpart funds. They would involve building new or renovating existing classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and dormitory etc.. The project plans of the government specify that the civil works will take place on existing sites, do not involve any new land acquisition, relocation of people, or disposal of hazardous chemicals and wastes. The potential impacts are mostly construction related and standard construction practices, including provision of water supply and sanitation services in schools/dormitories will be carried out. It will not affect critical forest areas or related critical natural habitats. These civil works financed by counterpart funds will follow Chinese regulation and requirement on environmental protection and management. (2) Regarding indigious people, in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Hui communities will be involved in the project. As reported in the Social Assessment, the Hui have a clear ethnic identification, generally associated with their Muslim beliefs and practices. However, the social assessment found that otherwise the Hui lifestyle