WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by country | Page 428

Standard Project Report 2016
Outcome: Increased equitable access to and utilisation of education
Activity: School feeding
The school feeding programme continued to contribute toward enhancing children’s access to education with the
aim of reducing short-term hunger. At the end of the 2015-16 academic year in February 2016, the programme
reached 180,000 schoolchildren. After a review of the targeted schools, the school feeding programme resumed in
the new academic year (July 2016) committing to reach 200,000 children in the existing coverage areas. In 2016,
WFP supported 3,293 schools catering to 31,800 pre-school and 264,875 primary schoolchildren. Although
significant progress was made in reaching an increasing number of students, only 59 percent of students were
reached compared to the ambitious target, which was set in 2012 despite the situation on the ground and the pace
of progress in collaborating with the Government. In addition, the worsened security and access situation resulted in
the suspension of school feeding in several areas. Nevertheless, an increase in enrolment—by 15 percent for boys
and 16 percent for girls—was recorded. Although this was an improvement from last year’s declining enrolment
rate, this increase might have occurred due to the exclusion from data collection of schools in Sittwe and Maungdaw
Townships of Rakhine State, which usually ranked the lowest in terms of education indicators. This data could not
be collected because of the lack of humanitarian access during the monitoring period. Similarly to the previous year,
the indicator on attendance remained consistently strong for both girls and boys.
WFP continued to build on its cooperation arrangement with the Ministry of Education. WFP supported the
Government in mainstreaming school feeding into national policies and education sector plans, and started to focus
on the development of a transition plan for a government-owned, sustainable national programme. While WFP
continued to develop the capacities of ministries at a central level, additional efforts need to be made in capacity
development at the school, township, state and regional levels, particularly in the new areas to which the
programme was recently expanded. Specific trainings continue to be required on the implementation of the school
feeding programme, logistics, monitoring and evaluation as well as on the reporting process. In 2016, WFP trained
73 government officials (56 female and 17 male) through national level trainings, and 4,846 school staff and school
committee members through township and school level trainings.
Progress Towards Gender Equality
WFP did not only promote food security but also addressed the different gender- and vulnerability-related needs
and priorities of women, girls, boys and men.
In Rakhine, Kachin and Shan, WFP provided relief assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) combined with
nutrition support to pregnant and lactating women and young malnourished children. To ensure safety and security
for the most vulnerable segments of the population, such as households headed by single women, people with
disabilities and the elderly, food distribution points in Sittwe IDP camps were moved so they could be reached within
a 20 minute walk from the shelter. WFP also focused on mitigating the risk of discriminatory practices. In Chin State,
long waiting periods at food distribution points were reduced. The relief post-distribution monitoring (PDM)
conducted in Chin, Kachin, Shan and Rakhine, reported that women were the decision-makers over the use of food
and cash in the majority of households, with the highest proportion reported in Kachin (84 percent) and Shan (76
percent). It was also reported that majority of the households (82 percent) had adequate food consumption in terms
of energy intake, but that dietary diversity was low, with only 58 percent of households having adequate dietary
diversity and most households consuming energy-dense but nutrient-poor foods. However, the highest proportion of
households with inadequate food consumption was found among households headed by women in Chin, Shan and
the northern part of Rakhine. To address inadequate food consumption and gender inequalities, WFP will consider
increasing gender-sensitive nutrition messaging on food consumption and targeting households headed by women.
A balanced representation of women and men was encouraged in local food management committees (FMCs) for
food distribution, particularly in Sittwe, Rakhine State, where the participation of women was very low and required
continuous attention. Food and cash distributions were conducted with the voluntary participation of male and
female beneficiaries recommended by the community who were part of FMCs. The committees assumed different
roles to reach out to the different segments of the population. Depending on their capacity and composition, male
and female FMC members assisted in the distribution process with activities varying from identifying beneficiaries
for assistance and updating the beneficiary lists, informing beneficiaries about the upcoming distributions,
and assisting in the distribution of rations. Increased communication with and sensitisation of FMCs and
communities contributed to the equal participation of women and had an positive effect on their role and influence
over decision-making within FMCs, therefore helping to ensure that the needs of all community members were
considered and addressed.
Progress toward gender equality was made in providing and promoting equal wages in asset creation programmes
as the local labour market generally discriminated against women for doing the same work as men. Compensation
Myanmar, Union of (MM)
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