Assignment Name: Local Economic Assessment and Baseline in Selected Districts for the ‘Women’s Empowerment for Inclusive Growth (WING)’ Program

Country: Bangladesh

Client Name: UN WOMEN

The Women’s Empowerment for Inclusive Growth (WING) Program was a joint initiative by UN Women, UNDP, and UNCDF, aimed at addressing the structural barriers to economic empowerment and gender equality in Bangladesh. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2017-2021), the program supported the Government of Bangladesh’s efforts to address gender disparities as outlined in the National Perspective Plan 2011, Vision 2021, and other national policies. This program targeted women and youth in rural and semi-urban areas, with a focus on enhancing their economic participation through access to financial services, entrepreneurship opportunities, and local economic development strategies. The program also sought to foster inclusive growth, ensure gender-responsive economic development, and promote social inclusion through activities focused on women-led enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the missing middle of enterprises, which are too large for microfinance but too small for formal credit.

The WING program built on the results of the Inclusive and Equitable Local Development (IELD) program and aimed to scale up successful interventions by increasing investments in women’s SMEs, supporting local government institutions (LGIs), and promoting gender-responsive business development. The overall goal was to unlock domestic capital and expand women’s economic space through better access to resources, financial support, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

For the effective implementation of the program, a Local Economic Assessment (LEA) and a baseline survey were conducted in five districts of Bangladesh: Kurigram, Jashore, Thakurgaon, Manikganj, and Cox’s Bazar. The aim of the study was to understand the local economic structures, identify opportunities for women’s economic empowerment, and assess the current state of women-led enterprises and gender-responsive policies. This assessment was crucial for setting benchmarks and measuring progress in the WING program.

Specific objectives of the study included:

• To understand local economic structure with the role, contribution and benefits of women
• To assess development opportunities, needs, and local assets and the potential opportunities of women to benefit from local level planning
• To assess the current state of implementation and enforcement of policies supportive to women’s economic empowerment at the local and national level
• To assess the current state of women’s participation in local economic development activities
• To assess the condition of women-led enterprises and women-oriented enterprises in unlocking and accessing larger volume of domestic capital to expand their economic space

The LEA and the baseline study conducted by DM WATCH established benchmarks for the effective project implementation of the WING Programme, as well as formed the basis for monitoring the progress in achieving the intended outcomes and results of the project.

DM WATCH team conducted the Local Economic Assessment (LEA) and Baseline Survey for the WING Program across the five selected districts. The services provided included the following:

Planning and Consultation:

• Collaborated with UN Women, UNCDF, and local stakeholders to finalize the study framework, methodology, and objectives.
• Reviewed existing secondary data and documents to understand the socio-economic landscape of the target districts, including gender-responsive policies and economic structures.

Development of Data Collection Tools:

• Developed a comprehensive survey questionnaire for the baseline study, focusing on women’s participation in local economic activities, barriers to women entrepreneurship, and gender-responsive policies.
• Created qualitative data collection tools, including focus group discussion (FGD) guides and key informant interview (KII) checklist and interview protocols, to collect insights from women entrepreneurs, local government bodies, and financial institutions.

Data Collection and Fieldwork:

• Conducted field visits to five districts (Kurigram, Jashore, Thakurgaon, Manikganj, and Cox’s Bazar), interviewing women entrepreneurs, local government representatives, and key stakeholders.
• Administered household surveys and enterprise assessments, reaching a total of 226 respondents across all districts, including women-led SMEs and women-oriented businesses.
• Conducted eight (8) institutional surveys at the Upazila level.
• Facilitated 19 focus group discussions (FGDs) with women entrepreneurs and youth to understand barriers to business expansion and access to finance.
• Conducted 48 key informant interviews (KIIs) with the local and national level stakeholders.

Data Management and Analysis:

• Implemented a mixed-methods approach combining both quantitative analysis (e.g., regression analysis, scoring of key economic drivers) and qualitative analysis (e.g., SWOT and PESTELE frameworks) to assess the local economy from a gender perspective.
• Conducted multi-sectoral analysis (MSA) to evaluate economic opportunities, business conditions, and women’s participation in the local economy, focusing on cost of doing business, human resources, social capital, and governance.

Development of Reports and Outputs:

• Compiled the Local Economic Assessment (LEA) report, providing an in-depth analysis of the local economic structure and the role of women in economic activities.
• Developed a baseline report that assessed the current state of policies, women’s participation in economic decision-making, and barriers faced by women-led enterprises.

Dissemination and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Designed and presented findings in inDesign-designed slide decks for the dissemination workshop, engaging stakeholders from local government, NGOs, and financial institutions.
• Organized a dissemination workshop with key stakeholders to share the findings from the LEA and baseline study, facilitating discussions on policy recommendations and next steps for the WING Program.

These efforts provided essential insights into the current state of women’s economic empowerment and economic conditions in the selected districts, establishing key benchmarks for the WING Program. The assessment’s findings and recommendations will guide future program interventions to empower women, increase economic opportunities, and ensure gender-responsive economic development in the target districts.