To utilize Bangladesh’s current demographic window, Bangladesh must harness its youth potentials to achieve the long-term development. The increased ratio of young women and men who have access to economic opportunities and sustainable income sources will help us to achieve our targeted goals. Access to flexible finances for young women and men especially those with limited indemnity to venture into self-employment or social entrepreneurship plays a crucial role if we want to reap this opportunity. The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) hold the most promise for creating jobs in both rural and urban areas. But the Covid-19 pandemic has hurt this sector as much it has affected our daily lives, specially the women entrepreneurs and workers. This policy brief is an attempt to explore the situation, challenge, and way forward on youth and women responsive strategy for MSMEs.

As part of ongoing policy advocacy campaign for ensuring decent work in informal sector, a national policy and a guideline