From Exclusion to Empowerment: Nang's Journey to Becoming a Respected Community Leader

 **Date:** Tuesday, 27 August 2024  

**Author:** Alexandra Peard  

**Languages:** English | မြန်မာ  

Nang*, a 40-year-old woman from Myanmar’s Shan State, has always been passionate about volunteering in her community, spending her summers teaching local languages to children in her village. Despite her love for this work, Nang longed to play a more significant role in the development and daily management of her village. However, cultural norms around gender and a lack of confidence held her back.

"I faced significant challenges engaging with the village community due to my limited knowledge. And there was a prevailing skepticism towards women leaders that stopped people from accepting my suggestions,” Nang shared.

Nang felt her voice was not welcome in community decision-making. With only a middle-school education and being excluded from local governing bodies because she was a woman, she struggled with insecurity. But when a local organization, supported by UN Women, began empowering women in her village to lead humanitarian efforts, Nang eagerly joined. It wasn’t long before both Nang and her community recognized her true potential.

The participation and leadership of women are crucial in Myanmar's humanitarian response, as they are in crisis-affected countries worldwide. Including women and women’s organizations in humanitarian efforts ensures responses address the needs of all community members, leading to more sustainable peace and recovery. Amid Myanmar’s ongoing and worsening crisis, UN Women collaborates with local women’s rights and women-led organizations, which leverage their unique knowledge and networks to provide lifesaving support to remote, vulnerable, and marginalized populations.

In Nang’s village, UN Women’s local partner organization has been helping communities build resilience against climate and man-made disasters. Initially, Nang assisted in planning meetings and training sessions. As her confidence and leadership skills grew, she began leading efforts to build relationships between donors and village communities and initiating her own resilience-building projects.

A pivotal moment for Nang was participating in the Participatory Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (PVCA) training. This risk analysis process helps communities understand and assess their vulnerabilities and capacities related to climate change and disaster risks. It also identifies the links between different types of risks a community faces and how its members interact.

Empowered by the knowledge and skills she gained through the PVCA process, Nang successfully advocated for support and funding from donors and UN agencies. She launched several vital projects in her village, including securing agricultural tools and seeds, implementing a cash-for-work program, constructing essential drainage systems to prepare for the rainy season, and obtaining grants to build a new road to address transportation challenges during the rainy season.

“Nang now plays a pivotal role in her village. The Village Development Committee elected her as a member, and her suggestions are valued and considered, showcasing the transformative change brought about by the training and other project activities we’ve implemented in her village,” said a representative from UN Women’s local partner, which conducted the PVCA training and other humanitarian capacity-building activities.

Nang has become the main coordinator of humanitarian and development projects in her village, leading discussions with civil society and facilitating inter-ethnic dialogue among diverse women's groups.

"Following the training... I now possess the confidence to actively participate in village activities and fearlessly voice my opinions," Nang reflected. "The empowerment I feel has not only enhanced my capabilities but has broken down barriers, allowing me to contribute meaningfully to the betterment of my community."