Outcome MYM_D_1.4

By 2023, more women and girls, including the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, access, contribute to and benefit from relief and recovery efforts and have increased economic security and capacity to withstand the negative socio-economic impact of the crisis.

UN Women Myanmar Country Office (MCO) has significantly contributed to ensuring that more women and girls, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, access, contribute to, and benefit from relief and recovery efforts. Under the WPS project, MCO provided grants to six WROs and WLOs, reaching 86,372 beneficiaries (65 per cent female). Grants were used for relief and recovery projects by partners in IDP camps and host communities in GBV prevention and response and the distribution of COVID-19 health kits. Under the WPHF, the MCO provided institutional support to two organizations and gave grants to 13 WLOs and WROs. Moreover, regular capacity building was provided to WPHF grantees. Grants were used for relief and recovery projects in IDP camps and host communities in GBV prevention and response, cash for food, skills and business development, and distribution of COVID-19 health kits. Additionally, the Women Peace facilitator handbook was launched in March 2022. Under the Government of Canada-funded programme in Rakhine in partnership with FCA, at least 1,406 women have been economically empowered through livelihoods, entrepreneurship training, and market access support. Under the CERF project, 200 women have received cash assistance for their livelihoods, while another 161 women have received vocational, professional, and life skills training. FRC and FCA have completed rapid and mini-market assessments that have guided them in developing their livelihood approaches. In total, 192 women have been trained in vocational skills or received cash for work, and 572 are supported with micro livelihood opportunities. FRC has established a vocational skills training centre and completed the development of its 21st-century life skills package (210 women have been trained by far on life skills). Further, 420 vulnerable women have been supported with unconditional cash. During the reporting period, UN Women MCO also significantly contributed to UN Joint Programming on women and men who have been affected by the compounded crises of the past two years that have threatened the incomes, livelihoods, and stability of the most vulnerable populations in Myanmar. Under the Joint Programme "Accelerating COVID-19 Socio-Economic Recovery in Myanmar through Resilient and Gender Transformative Enterprises" with UNDP and UNCDF, 50 women-led MSMEs improved their business acumen and capacity through their participation in a business accelerator programme. The programme comprises 12 training modules, ten mentoring sessions, and eight networking and expert sessions). Following a needs assessment, six business accelerators enhanced their capacities on gender-smart representation, outreach, and network building, as well as removing gender bias in access to resources. They implemented gender action plans focused on training staff on sexual harassment and gender bias and evaluating existing resources and processes. One business accelerator fully engendered its acceleration programme, integrating gender-smart needs assessment, outreach, and communication; a gender-sensitive M&E framework; and gender-transformative module design, delivery, and coaching. The lessons from this gender-responsive business accelerator programme were summarized in a publication. The publication outlines how business accelerators can enhance their effectiveness by removing a gender bias in access to resources and promoting women's empowerment in their proceedings. See the document UNCDF, 2022. Insights On Lending Opportunities To Women-Led Businesses Myanmar. https://www.uncdf.org/article/7721/lending-to-women-businesses-myanmar Under the same programme and given the deteriorating investment climate, small grants were provided to 14 MSMEs of the 50 participants in the business accelerator between May 2022 and August 2022 (A total of 130,000 USD). Additionally, UN Women MCO has increased the economic security and capacity of over a hundred women to withstand the negative socio-economic impact of the crisis. Through the Pilot "Rapid Relief for Women Entrepreneurs" with ONOW, 161 women entrepreneurs learned foundational skills development, 63 completed the Business and Livelihoods training, and have developed a business growth or launch plan and/or a loan profile. In addition, the programme facilitated peer-to-peer learning and networking and piloted digital referrals to Onward Support Services in nutrition, health, and psychosocial support. The pilot paved a path to effectively reach many women quickly and find digitally facilitated means of interconnecting varying support services available to women (basic services and business skills). The Joint Programming also contributed to an important outcome of learning acquired by the Participating UN Organisations (PUNO) and their partners during the programme. It is critical to hold frequent needs assessments and internal end-of-programme assessments amongst service providers and PUNOs to help the programme remain relevant in the changing context. These needs assessments provided valuable information on the realities and needs of women-led enterprises and filled existing evidence gaps. Future programme designs facing similar challenges should note that there is a severe need for short-term operational financing as many businesses have been substantially impacted in their operations and earnings due to COVID-19 and the military takeover. Business support and acceleration require a holistic approach beyond access to knowledge and business skills, such as business handholding, and addressing the issue of mental support and social cohesion through mentoring and network groups. This is needed in challenging situations such as a pandemic, armed conflicts, and political unrest. There is still more room to support local accelerators and other ecosystem players to serve MSMEs better, but also for gender transformative capacity-building initiatives. For example, there was high demand for accelerator services by women entrepreneurs, with an oversubscription (210 applicants for 50 spaces). This indicates potential for future projects and collaboration. Also, the programme didn't reach the missing middle, as it focused on micro and small enterprises.

By 2023, more women and girls, including the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, access, contribute to and benefit from relief and recovery efforts and have increased economic security and capacity to withstand the negative socio-economic impact of the crisis.

During the reporting period, UN Women Myanmar Country Office (MCO) has significantly contributed to ensuring that more women and girls, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, access, contribute to, and benefit from relief and recovery efforts. In the humanitarian sector, the MCO together with its implementing partners were able to support 4,716 (2557 are women and 2159 are men) during the post-cyclone Mocha emergency response. This included protection services including mental health services, shelter, food and non-food items through cash transfers. Under the WPHF country window, a total of 10 grantees implemented relief and recovery programming. 148,924 people (2,350 girls, 138,539 women, 353 boys, 7095 Men) directly and 1,975,914 people indirectly for relief and recovery activities. During the reporting period, using regular resources, 463 women entrepreneurs were supported with accessing information, goods, resources and/or services on economic empowerment. This was made possible through partnerships with two Myanmar-based organisations focused on female entrepreneurship and small business incubation. Ninety-seven female entrepreneurs running MSMEs benefitted by substantially increasing their leadership skills in business, and understanding of the intersection between business, human rights and gender with average knowledge uptake of 15% based on pre-post assessments. Trainings were used as an opportunity for the entrepreneurs to learn about the eLearning platform established by UNDP, which has specific training modules developed by UN Women for female entrepreneurs. An additional 9 online and in person activities were arranged to raise awareness of the eLearning platform and support female entrepreneurs to access it, including through zoom sessions, viber groups and via Facebook reaching a total of 234 women. Via a partnership with ONOW, UN Women was able to support 132 women entrepreneurs, 32 of whom during this period were supported with one-on-one coaching. In addition, using ONOW’s digital learning platform, 49 business owners completed Constraint Assessments and Action Plans, and 35 formulated Financing Plans using the digital platform. Through engagement with Impact Hub, UN Women implemented a comprehensive business accelerator that supported 50 women-led enterprises in peri-urban Yangon, which included training on business management, marketing, financial management, GBV, and legal awareness. Additionally, three podcasts featuring inspiring women entrepreneurs garnered over 2,500 views by May 10, 2023. Ten businesses received small grants totaling $40,000 (equivalent to 84,000,000 MMK) to support their growth. The initiative also focused on raising awareness of gender-based violence (GBV) and providing access to legal services through one training session, one networking event, and the integration of GBV and legal services into mentoring sessions (27%).