Outcome HND_D_2.1

The State and Honduran society implement policies, strategies and programs that allow the transition to an adequate and inclusive economic transformation and decent work for women and men.

During the reporting period, the State and key actors within Honduran society demonstrated improved capacity to design, coordinate and operationalise policies, strategies and programmes that support a more inclusive economic transformation and decent work, particularly for women. These changes are reflected in adjustments to governance arrangements, institutional practices and service delivery mechanisms that enable more gender-responsive economic policies and systems. For example, the Government operationalised the Care Cabinet to advance the emerging care policy agenda, and SEDESOL advanced the Draft Bill for the Comprehensive Care System (LSIC) for further institutional review. Governance and enabling policy frameworks During the reporting period, national and territorial governance frameworks increasingly incorporated care as a key condition for women’s economic participation. UN Women contributed to this process by providing technical support to strengthen the legal and institutional foundations of the care system in Honduras. The Care Cabinet—installed in September 2024—created a formal governance space to coordinate policies and actions across institutions. Specialised technical assistance supported the Care Cabinet in reviewing and validating the Draft Bill for the Comprehensive Care System (LSIC), ensuring alignment with international standards and national legal frameworks. By end-2025, SEDESOL had formally presented the draft bill to the Care Cabinet, indicating institutional support ahead of its submission through established legislative procedures. At territorial level, the MeCUIDA Platform in Ocotepeque—launched in October 2025 with 47 actors—strengthened multi-level coordination and began identifying local care gaps to inform a regional care system. Complementing this, the SEDESOL–UNDP georeferencing pilot in Sensenti generated evidence to improve local planning and resource allocation for care services. Institutional capacities of the economic and financial ecosystem During the reporting period, public and private financial actors improved their institutional capacity to integrate gender perspectives into policies, products and decision-making processes. The National Commission of Banks and Insurance (CNBS) strengthened its internal teams using UN Women’s EFI co-lab methodology to support implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (ENIF) 2025–2030. Seventy-seven CNBS staff members strengthened their institutional performance in organisational culture, user segmentation and gender integration in planning. In addition, 52 public and private entities adopted gender intelligence methodologies, sex-disaggregated data and collaborative innovation approaches. Concrete practice changes included aligning projects and training to the ENIF’s gender pillar and using EFI co-creation methods to design solutions for priority segments. Data pilots with four financial institutions and the validation of a core set of indicators for the cooperative sector strengthened the capacity of public institutions and financial actors to generate and use evidence for decision-making. Progress toward a sector-wide information system is aligned with the 2025 National Cooperatives Census led by INE and CONSUCOOP, and with CONSUCOOP’s financial indicator dashboards. Technical reports from the consultancy supporting CONSUCOOP’s gender-gap monitoring will serve as key references for the 40 gender indicators piloted in cooperatives. The strengthening of CNBS’s institutional capacities is directly linked to its leadership in adopting the EFI methodology in support of the ENIF 2025–2030, reinforcing results reported under this outcome. Innovation, services and inclusive economic supply The EFI Innovation Center was consolidated as a permanent mechanism for co-creation and technical assistance, contributing to shifts in how financial institutions identify and respond to women’s needs. This mechanism is operationalised through the “Red Finanzas para Todas” (EFI), a shared tool available to financial entities to improve people-centred, gender-intelligent product and service design. Participatory innovation labs, pre-incubation processes and ecosystem sensitisation supported the development of alternative scoring mechanisms, inclusive digital platforms and financial education plans. As minimum adoption evidence, the CNBS–UNITEC–UN Women diploma generated a portfolio of 26 inclusive financial proposals—three of them recognised for immediate relevance to women’s financial inclusion—now ready for institutional consideration. Territorial, organisational and communication-related change Women’s organisations and networks strengthened their organisational capacity and sustainability. The Trifinio Women’s Network (HOSAGUA) renewed its governance structures and follow-up agreements, and territorial capacities were further evidenced by initiatives such as the opening of a Women’s Technology Center (CETAM) in La Labor, Ocotepeque, and regional campaigns promoting shared care responsibilities, which enhance women’s visibility and participation. In total, 502 rural and community women strengthened capacities for co-management of territorial development. These enhanced capacities translated into more active participation in territorial decision-making spaces and engagement in discussions on gender-responsive economic empowerment policies at municipal and inter-municipal levels. Private sector engagement and regional dialogue The 6th Central American Forum on Financial Inclusion strengthened regional coordination on gender-responsive sustainable finance, with BCIE and UN Women establishing it as a permanent platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange. BCIE’s 2025–2029 Institutional Strategy integrates gender and triple-impact goals, supported by its updated Gender Equity Policy and prior EDGE certification confirming no internal gender pay gap. These advances reflect BCIE’s institutional commitment to equality and its growing role in promoting inclusive financial systems. Through its partnership with UN Women, BCIE contributes to regional efforts to expand financial inclusion and opportunities for women. Two verifiable examples include: At the national level, the installation of the Care Cabinet strengthened coordination of the comprehensive care agenda and supported continued institutional review of the LSIC draft bill. At the financial-ecosystem level, the launch of Honduras’ ENIF 2025–2030, along with CNBS capacity-building using EFI’s co-lab methodology, generated inclusive financial product proposals and positioned gender as a strategic pillar in financial-sector development. Sources Care governance and LSIC : SEDESOL—Care Cabinet installation (Sep 24, 2024) ; AHN—SEDESOL advances LSIC draft (Jul 25, 2025) ; UN Women—Care Cabinet context (2024/2025) . Time use evidence (Trifinio) : UN Women digital library (publication, 2025) ; We Effect full report (2025) . CNBS, ENIF and EFI : AFI—ENIF launch (Jun 6, 2025) ; CNBS news—EFI methodology session (Jan 22, 2026) ; Diploma results—Hondudiario (Jan 23, 2026) . Cooperative sector data systems : INE–CONSUCOOP—1st Cooperatives Census (Sep 23, 2025) ; INE census page ; CONSUCOOP financial indicators . Innovation mechanisms : UN Women—EFI programme page ; Red Finanzas para Todas—announcement . Private sector & regional advocacy : UN Women—VI Central American Forum on Financial Inclusion ; Regional media coverage ; CNBS participation ; WEPs guidance .

The State and Honduran society implement policies, strategies and programs that allow the transition to an adequate and inclusive economic transformation and decent work for women and men.

At the national level, Honduras has two main policies to ensure the economic empowerment of women: 1. The launch of the Honduras Food Security Policy (2023-2043) aims to promote sustainable economic, social, and environmental improvements. It reflects the needs and aspirations of producers across key sectors, incorporating contributions from public, private, and civil society actors. The policy addresses challenges such as biosecurity, climate change, migration, and the substitution of chemical fertilizers, with a focus on enhancing agri-food production. 2. The Third Gender Equality Policy Plan , currently under approval, aims to advance gender equality and empower women and girls in line with the SDGs. This plan targets the root causes of gender inequality and prioritizes eliminating discrimination and violence. UN Women supports financial inclusion through the review of the financial inclusion module in the Permanent Household Survey. In collaboration with the National Banking and Insurance Commission, this module assesses banking inclusion, financial literacy, and personal finance management. The findings will guide policies for improving women's access to financial services. UN Women also supports the Ministry of Social Development in developing the Comprehensive Care System in Honduras , achieving key milestones such as the creation of a Care Cabinet and technical care teams. These efforts involve various stakeholders to promote shared responsibility for care and contribute to the development of a more equitable care system. The agency also supports a collaboratory that promotes innovative initiatives aimed at enhancing financial inclusion and women's financial health. Through technical assistance, UN Women is strengthening the capacity of the National Banking and Insurance Commission (CNBS) , which oversees financial activities related to insurance, pensions, and resource management and investment. UN Women has signed a memorandum of understanding with the CNBS to collaborate on developing training processes on gender gaps in women's participation in financial institutions, their access to and use of financial services, and other relevant topics. Support will also be provided for the development of methodologies and training techniques, both formal and informal, on gender and masculinities. Efforts will focus on promoting gender equality within financial institutions and mainstreaming gender perspectives into the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (ENIF) 2024-2028 , as well as conducting analysis and data tabulation based on the financial inclusion data gathered and the Gender Gaps Report for the financial system. Well-being, Social Protection, and Care Systems As part of the MELYT program , UN Women has supported the Ministry of Social Development in achieving three key milestones: The establishment of the High-Level Cabinet for the Creation of the Comprehensive Care System in Honduras, as a governance space for the development of the Care System within the Social Cabinet of the Government of the Republic, involving 12 institutions. The installation of the technical team for the Care Cabinet. The creation of the technical care table. These spaces foster dialogue and exchange between institutional actors and civil society organizations, promoting interinstitutional collaboration to advance several key initiatives, including the drafting of a bill for the Comprehensive Care System, the development of an inclusive care policy, a government communication campaign on caregiving to raise public awareness, and a high-level forum on care. Additionally, a mapping exercise was conducted to identify all initiatives and programs funded by international cooperation. A meeting was held to discuss the lines of work and coordinate efforts to promote shared responsibility for care, align actions, and contribute to the development of a more equitable and sustainable care system in Honduras. Participating organizations include: UN Women, We Effect, CARE, Justicia Alimentaria, Oxfam, the Embassies of Canada and Germany, Spanish Cooperation, the IDB, PNUD, UNICEF, UNOPS, OHCHR, UNHCR, the OAS, SOCODEVI, and the Office of the Resident Coordinator. Collaboratory for Promoting Innovative Initiatives An important strategy for fostering economic transformation and promoting decent work for both women and men is the establishment of a collaboratory aimed at promoting innovative initiatives to accelerate inclusion and promote women's financial health. This collaboratory brings together financial and non-financial service providers to address key issues such as increasing financial education, reducing loan requirements, especially for rural women, and overcoming barriers like lack of information, poverty, and limited access to technology

The State and Honduran society implement policies, strategies and programs that allow the transition to an adequate and inclusive economic transformation and decent work for women and men.

Given that 2022 was considered a bridge stage for a second phase of the Women's Local Economy and Territory Program (MELYT), priority was given to continuing relationships with strategic allies in order to: improve access and use of tools, business, financial services and digital; support the construction of an environment of well-being, social protection, decent work and strengthened care systems to take advantage of economic opportunities and organizations and networks of women strengthened and organizationally expanded to promote the economic empowerment of women. During this year the new government took over and began to open spaces to approach issues long demanded by Women civil society organizations. With SEMUJER (Secretary for Women's Affairs): the Gender Policy of the Agri-Food Sector is being addressed with the Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG ) under the joint decision of both Ministers, which is expected to end in 2023. The other joint line is working with the private sector to develop their investments with a gender focus, promoting the WEPs principles achieving the subscription of 4 companies. In addition to the foregoing UN Women with SEMUJER and Secretary of Social Development (SEDESOL ) and Ciudad Mujer joined efforts to put together a Central American Colloquium: "The care society in rural areas: horizon for a sustainable recovery with gender equality", from October 26 to 28, 2022. This event was organized in preparation for the XV Regional Women Conference (CRM) ECLAC/ UN Women. This event was led by UN Women with WeEffect our strategic ally on Women's Economic Empowerment with a joint venture of 5 International Development Organizations more. Around the Colloquium, together with WeEffect and Diakonia Sweden, a parallel event was organized at the XV CRM; Care and rurality in Central American contexts. Within this process, SEMUJER Minister Doris Garcia, with prior preparation supported by UN Women, was able to position herself very well before the conference and became part of the conference secretariat. With Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI)it was possible to take the first steps to launch the new trinational Inclusive Financial Ecosystem (EFI) regional program. This initiative has opened a great interest that makes explicit the coherence with the need in the subject. We have been able to begin to respond to strategic stakeholders, such as Inter-American Investment Corporation of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB Invest) as well as national Financial Institutions, private and public banks as well as saving and loan cooperatives, associations and the National Cooperative Women Council. A new agreement has already been signed with the new government to support the economic empowerment of women in conjunction with the Business Development Centers for Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Companies (CDEMIPYMEs) of Lempa and Occidente with technical assistance for gender-sensitive business development. The proposal is to accompany the strengthening of the organizational structures of the social economy sector (Associative Companies, Savings and Credit Banks and Cooperatives) of women and/or ensuring the inclusive participation of women entrepreneurs or businesswomen in a clear link with chains of value. In addition, discussions have been held with the Presidential Delegate of Ciudad Mujer to accompany the Economic Autonomy Module through an agreement with National Entrepreneurship and Small Business Service (SENPRENDE).

The State and Honduran society implement policies, strategies and programs that allow the transition to an adequate and inclusive economic transformation and decent work for women and men.

Approaches to government institutions has been made, such as the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE) to achieve data collection through financial inclusion and time use surveys in the trifinio region; joint work with Secretaría de Estado en el Despacho de Desarrollo Social (SEDESOL) and Secretaria de Asuntos de la Mujer (SEMUJER) to achieve the installation of a the national care board, installation of the care regional platform and the launch of the care certificate with CLACSO, WE EFFECT, UNICEF, with Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Coperation funds, as part of the construction of the comprehensive care system; With Servicio Nacional de Emprendimiento y Pequeños Negocios (SENPRENDE), joint actions have been identified regarding women owners of businesses, companies or productive units and their access to tools to strengthen business, financial and digital capabilities. Aiming towards this goal, exchanges of experiences have also been carried out with business service providers (4 hondurans) at the regional level to know and apply the best practices of services and technological platforms with gender focus. Another determining result is the participation of financial institutions that are part of the country's large financial ecosystem, such as banks, cooperatives, microfinance companies, fintech, regulatory entities and associations, have joined the initiative the Inclusive Financial Ecosystem (IFE) program funded by the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg which aims to close financial gender gap and introduce innovative financial products and services with a gender focus. As knowledge products, it is expected to achieve publication in the first half of 2024, the analysis of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) MELYT guarantee fund, to learn its best practice of financial impact measurement with gender focus. During this period, two organizations subscribed the WEPS principles, making a total of 9 companies in the country. The WEPS have been promoted jointly country and regional level, through a latinamerican webinars cycle of WEPS experiences.