Annex 5: Analysis of Liberia SEP → Neither the original nor revised SEP includes information about the use of an independent specialist 1. Introduction See section A.1 in the main text for more information about relevant ESF requirements The original and revised Stakeholder Engagement Plans (SEPs) of the Liberia COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (LCERP) are two of 12 SEPs analyzed by BIC with a focus on five main areas: stakeholder identification and marginalized groups; information disclosure and accessibility; consultations and feedback mechanisms; grievance redress mechanisms; and SEP implementation. From conversations with World Bank staff, BIC was informed that the original SEP for LCERP was written by World Bank staff. The updated SEP, however, was prepared by the “Republic of Liberia Ministry of Health’’ and was disclosed about three months after the project took effect.1 Our analysis in the main text of this report of all 11 original SEPs was meant to be a broader analysis of patterns and common themes across the SEPs. Below we have done a deeper assessment of the language in the revised Liberia SEP to see whether the updates were effective in addressing issues identified as patterns across the original analyzed SEPs. While the assessment is not necessarily representative of other SEPs, many of the emergency response project SEPs included similar language, and a closer examination allows for more nuanced analysis of how the revised SEP improved on the original, and what gaps still remain. See “Liberia COVID-19 Emergency Response Project” in Annex 3 for links to the original and revised SEPs, as well as information about the project. 2. Data and Analysis Below are assessments and comparisons of the original and revised LCERP SEPs based on the questionnaire provided in Annex 1. In most cases, the revised SEP expanded on or improved content found in the original, but in some cases, content included in the original SEP was omitted from the revised document without explanation. See the main text for the relevant requirements and guidance that correspond to each section. A. Stakeholder Identification and Marginalized Groups 1. Execution of stakeholder identification 1 See “Effectiveness date”, Chisaka, “ISR - Liberia COVID-19 Project,” 1; Srivastava, “Revised SEP - Liberia COVID-19 Project.” BANK INFORMATION CENTER | MAR 2021 As discussed in the main text, the Bank suggests that Borrowers hire a third party specialist to identify stakeholders for a substantial-risk project like the LCERP. Nevertheless, information about the stakeholder identification process remained the same between the original and revised versions and neither indicate that an independent third party specialist was used nor that the Bank verified the identification of “disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups.” 2. Definitions of the term “vulnerability” and “disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups” → The definition of “vulnerability” did not change from old to revised SEP, but the groups listed as “disadvantaged or vulnerable” did See section A.2 in the main text for more information about relevant ESF requirements The definition of “disadvantaged or vulnerable” in the “Addressing Risks and Impacts on Disadvantaged or Vulnerable Individuals or Groups” provides a comprehensive list of characteristics that can lead groups or individuals to be negatively impacted by Bank-financed projects or limit their access to project benefits.2 The Bank must use this definition to verify that SEPs have identified groups that may be “disadvantaged or vulnerable” in the context of the project.3 Neither the revised nor the original LCERP SEP, however, includes the same definition of “disadvantaged or vulnerable.” Specifically, none of the definitions in either document include sexual orientation, gender identity, or indigenous status as identities or characteristics that may cause vulnerability, despite the fact that the Directive lists them.4 Between the two SEPs, the characteristics listed as those that can lead to “vulnerability” are 2 The characteristics included in the definition of “disadvantaged or vulnerable” in The Directive are: age; gender; ethnicity; religion physical, mental or other disability; social, civic or health status; sexual orientation; gender identity; economic disadvantages; indigenous status; dependence on unique natural resources. See 2 under The Directive in Annex 1: “The Directive,” 1. 3 See 2b under The Directive in Annex 1; “The Directive,” 3. 4 See Chisaka, “SEP - Liberia COVID-19 Project,” 6-8; Srivastava, “Revised SEP - Liberia COVID-19 Project,” 25-27. 42