In the BARMM region, stakeholders continue to work towards promoting the representation and inclusion of diverse women’s groups in various aspects of community life, including social, civil, political, and economic spheres. OxfamPilipinas’ Gender Justice Portfolio transforms social structures and norms towards building a more just, gender-equal, and inclusive society in the BARMM Region. Oxfam Pilipinas and program partners’ gender justice work focus on advancing transformative women’s leadership and facilitating women’s economic empowerment (WEE), particularly by supporting women’s groups in conflict-affected areas in the country to claim their economic rights and address all forms of economic discrimination and other barriers to their full participation in development. 

The Asia Foundation (TAF) and its Accelerate Women’s Entrepreneurship for Peace and Prosperity in Mindanao (ACCELERATE) support women entrepreneurs from the marginalized sector in Mindanao (particularly in Maguindanao, Basilan, and Sulu) by capacitating them through skills training, coaching, and mentoring and providing them with access to capital and markets. 

Oxfam and TAF believe that brokering linkages and partnerships with fellow local actors can help sustain and improve interventions on women’s economic empowerment by promoting learning and networking among women’s rights and livelihood groups, other CSOs, government agencies, private sector groups, and social enterprises in communities. Oxfam and TAF recognize the valuable opportunity to work with BARMM WEE stakeholders to create spaces for local learning and use knowledge sharing as a strategy to improve WEE programming and strengthen policy advocacy through evidence-based influencing.

The Learning Exchange aims to identify and share practices in women’s economic empowerment, highlight available support for developing these practices, and contribute to shaping policy agendas and influencing change.