Sweden provides financial support for UNDP’s work in Myanmar

18 June 2016
Sweden provides financial support for UNDP’s work in Myanmar
UNDP Country Director Toily Kurbanov with Ann Stodberg, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden's Section office in Yangon. Photo: UNDP Myanmar

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has received an additional 30 million Swedish krona (approximately US$3.6 M) from the Government of Sweden to support the agency’s work in Myanmar in the areas of democratic governance, local development and environmental sustainability, according to a press release June 17.
This follows an initial contribution of 30 M Swedish krona received in 2014.
UNDP Country Director, Toily Kurbanov said that he was encouraged by the support provided by the Government of Sweden.
“With the initial tranche of funding from Sweden, UNDP has helped improve local governance in Myanmar, with a particular focus on strengthening women’s participation. Our partnership with Sweden has enabled UNDP to strengthen democratic institutions such as the Parliaments, and support justice actors to better engage with the people. With this new tranche of funding from Sweden, UNDP will be better able to support Myanmar’s ongoing transition.”
Ann Stodberg, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden´s Section office in Yangon, stated that “Sweden is proud to continue its support to the important work being carried out by UNDP and its partners. We are convinced that the key areas for the UNDP interventions at local as well as at the national level require long-term commitments, such as the one the Swedish Government has made before and is renewing now. We hope to see results in terms of empowerment of both women and men in terms of rights and responsibilities, improved community resilience in the face of external challenges and strengthened government institutions that can respond well to the needs of vulnerable populations”.
Swedish support has been instrumental in the establishment of Rule of Law Centres around the country, which promote improved awareness of human rights and social justice amongst community leaders and legal professionals, and enhanced community engagement on justice issues.
Earlier this year, the Director General of the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida),Ms Charlotte Petri Gornitzka met with local level women Village Tract/Ward Administrators and members of the Myanmar Rural Women’s network, May Daw Kabar during a visit to the Myanmar. Enhancing women’s leadership and rights are a key area within the UNDP program.