The Project is being prepared under the World Bank’s new ESF which came into effect on October 1, 2018, replacing the Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies.
On October 11-12, 2019 MLSPP, as part of the preparation of the ESMF and social assessment, the consultant team conducted meetings with focus groups in two project districts (Binagadi, Baku city and Khachmaz). Primary data collection included focus group discussions and interviews in Baku and rural regions. Selected respondents included: beneficiaries of existing self-employment program, current applicants of the AzSEP, local authorities (in particular local SES centers), regional social workers/case officers. Minutes of the meetings with focus groups are presented in Annex 13.
Upon approval of the draft ESMF by the World Bank, the document was posted on the MSLPP website on December 20, 2019 (www.sosial.gov.az/). The public consultation meetings on the draft ESMF were conducted on January, 2020. The detailed meetings of the public consultaitons on the draft ESMF are presented in Annex 14. The finalized Azerbaijani and English versions are also posted on the web site of the MSLPP. The ESMF will be used by respective government agencies and other Project stakeholders during the Project implementation.
