A more gender aware CAS: Tunisia FY0508 CAS

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A more gender aware CAS Tunisia FY05-08 CAS

• Cecile Fruman
• September 21, 2005

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Country Context

• One of most progressive MENA countries in terms
  of gender equality.
  
• Personal Status Code, which laid the foundations
  for a new organization of the family, based on
  legal equality of men and women was adopted in
  1956.
• Substantial improvements in social indicators and
  participation of women. MDG 3 (eliminate gender
  disparity in primary and secondary education)
  close to being achieved.

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Progress from 1970 to 2000
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Yet, many issues remain

• Female labor force participation rate (40)
  remains below expectations for a country with
  Tunisias income level (2,600 GNI per capita).
  
• Infrastructure that would support womens
  participation in the public sphere is
  insufficient (child care, etc).
  
• Traditional gender paradigms remain strong.

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CAS Process

• Realization during CAS consultations that things
  are not as rosy as they seem.
  
• Initially, client was defensive in acknowledging
  constraints. Over time became more receptive to
  adopting a gender aware approach.
  
• CD hugely supportive.
• Good support in gender regional PREM group.
• CAS TTL a woman.

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CAS Characteristics

• Vision
• Understands the countrys own approach to gender
  issues.
  
• Links gender issues to the MDGs.
• Diagnosis
• Strong analytical work but some important
  knowledge gaps.
  
• Addresses gender across sectors and CAS strategic
  objectives.

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CAS Characteristics (2)

• Program
• Identifies gender-responsive actions ICA, rural
  sector-wide review with attention to gender
  issues, etc.
  
• Proposes outreach activities to civil society,
  with emphasis on womens organizations.
  
• Results
• Addresses gender issues in the results matrix
  although not as many gender specific indicators
  as desirable.

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Whats different with RBCAS

• Forces team to think about beneficiaries, and
  therefore different groups such as women
  
• Underlying question when thinking about outcomes
  is what will change? For whom? Who will benefit
  or, possibly, lose?
  
• Pushes the thinking on
• Cross-sectoral approaches and gender as an
  integral part of these
  
• Gender aware indicators (what gets measured gets
  managed)
  

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Constraints

• Selectivity requires trade-offs
• In the expected outcomes and performance
  indicators
  
• In the types of activities that can be
  implemented
  
• Space Constraint
• Short and to the point CAS vs all-encompassing
• Implementation
• Difficult to sustain momentum generated during
  CAS process everyone reverts back to old
  habits.
  
• Client not receptive to gender specific work
  politically charged.
  

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Message of Hope

• Increased gender awareness in the Bank and among
  clients ? generally greater receptiveness to
  addressing gender in CAS.
  
• Drive for results is an opportunity.
• Find the champions and work with them.
• Keep the pressure up during implementation.