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INTRODUCTION

Oxfam believes that resilient development is only possible when gender-based inequalities are transformed and women and men can fully enjoy their rights. Gender transformation calls for a redistribution of power and a commitment to tackling the many forms of inequality that are on the rise.

Oxfam is committed to adopting feminist thinking and principles throughout its work, including organizational structures and approaches to programmes, advocacy, knowledge and communications.

Limited research has focused specifically on the connection between gender transformation and resilient development, and a knowledge gap exists on how to contribute to gender transformation by achieving systemic changes and addressing the root causes of gender inequality in resilience and climate programming.

This study aims to bridge that gap by making an in-depth review of the interlinkages between gender transformation and resilient development in Bangladesh and Myanmar. This research took a feminist and participatory research approach, and the report outlines the outcomes of learning journeys carried out in both countries. It looks specifically at progress made and challenges in relation to gender transformation, and shares the learning and recommendations that arose. The research took place between January 2019 and March 2020.

The research looked at three main questions:

1. What are we doing that is working/not working within resilience programmes to achieve gendertransformative change?

2. Which strategies have led to gender transformation? How did they strengthen the resilience capacities (adaptive, absorptive, transformative)? What were the enabling factors/barriers?

3. How can we make resilience programmes more gender transformative? Which strategies can be used to increase and scale up gender transformation? What interventions can be implemented to overcome the barriers?