Resource Library

The Resource Library serves as a broad resource hub, including over 1000 documents, training materials, wikis, and curated reports to increase readers' awareness, understanding, and proficiency of several topics in market systems development. Users have access to proposals, evaluation materials, and USAID policy updates, as well as training modules and wikis to boost skills and knowledge.

These resources are bolstered by the inclusion of curated USAID reports published on the USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) which serves as a repository of reports from completed or ongoing USAID development projects around the globe. The full USAID Development Clearinghouse website can be accessed here.

Case Study Series: Women-Inclusive Return on Investment (WI-ROI)

These case studies profile select small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have implemented a women-inclusive intervention and can demonstrate financial returns for that investment. The case studies help address a gap in evidence from firms in lower- and middle-income countries on the return on investment (ROI) from women’s inclusion and unpack themes from USAID’s Women Inclusive Return on Investment (WI-ROI) Framework.

The case study series features:

  • By: Erin MarkelSabine GarbarinoYaquta Fatehi
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WEEGE in Trade Facilitation

This section details the ways in which women’s economic empowerment and gender equality is integrated into customs and border agencies' services, operations and personnel management.

5.1. Overview

An activity is generally defined as an “implementing mechanism that carries out an intervention or set of interventions to advance identified development result(s)”.USAID (2017a). Automated Directives System, Chapter 201: Operational Policy for the Program Cycle. Available at ADS 201.3.4.

Unit 5: Integrating WEEGE into Activity Design and Implementation

Unit 5 addresses how to: incorporate WEEGE into activity-level analyses; reflect WEEGE-related findings in the activity design; incorporate requirements to address WEEGE into activity solicitations; and hold implementing partners accountable for demonstrating WEEGE integration during activity implementation.

4.3.1. Sample 1: Integrating WEEGE into a Project-level Gender Analysis

This sample document includes excerpts from a gender analysis. The excerpts illustrate different ways that WEEGE can be included in a project-level gender analysis. The findings are presented in two different formats: organized by ADS 205 domains, and organized by USAID sector. Each sector-specific finding is paired with actionable recommendations that can be used to inform USAID’s work.

4.3. Resources, Samples and Tools

Each unit of the WEEGE Technical Guide includes resources, samples and/or tools. This unit includes one sample. In this Unit, you will find: Sample 1: Integrating WEEGE into a Project-level Gender Analysis

4.2. Applying a WEEGE Lens to Project Design

Project Design Process The project design process offers opportunities to integrate WEEGE considerations in the PDD. During the project design process, USAID Missions define the proposed project’s parameters, present a high-level theory of change, and outline an adaptable plan for implementation, which results in the PDD.

4.1. Overview

The use of projects is optional within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) program cycle. A “project” refers to a group of activities designed and managed in a coordinated way to advance identified result(s) set forth in a country development cooperation strategy (CDCS).

Unit 4: Integrating WEEGE into Project Design and Implementation

Unit 4 addresses how to: integrate WEEGE into the project design process; include WEEGE considerations in various analyses, including the required gender analysis; and incorporate gender analysis findings, including those related to WEEGE, in the project development document.

3.3.4. Tool 2: Integrating WEEGE into the Digital Video Conference

The objective of the digital video conference (DVC) is to clarify the parameters for creating a Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS). The Mission presents a synopsis of its concept note and planned path for developing its CDCS. The relevant Regional Bureau provides a recap for feedback from the Washington operating unit, followed by a review of key issues and follow-up consultations. This tool offers guidance on incorporating WEEGE issues into the DVC presentation.

3.3.5.10. Part X: Dissemination Plan Template

The dissemination plan template is a tool to improve consistency across dissemination plans for gender analyses using a WEEGE lens. When using this template, delete all instructions and change the headings and other text to match your content.

3.3.5.9. Part IX: PowerPoint Template

The PowerPoint template is a tool to improve consistency across presentations for gender analyses using a WEEGE lens. It can be used in the presentation of preliminary gender analysis findings and recommendations. When using this template, delete all instructions and change the headings and other text to match your content.

3.3.5.8. Part VIII: Final Report Template

The gender analysis team should discuss the best way to present the findings and recommendations, based on the level of gender analysis (country, project or activity) and audience. Often at the country level, there is an interest in presenting findings by sector, themes or ADS 205 domains, whereas at the activity level there is an interest in aligning the findings to the Development Objectives or Intermediate Results.

3.3.5.7. Part VII: Interview Good Practice Tip Sheet

Principles of gender equality and female empowerment guide not only the content of USAID gender analyses with a WEEGE lens, but also the ways in which the analyses are conducted. To remain accountable to the individuals engaged in the research, promote a more balanced research relationship and ensure that findings are validated and best reflect the realities of stakeholders, the guidelines and actions in the interview good practice tip sheet are recommended to be carried out before, during and after gender analysis interviews.

3.3.5.6. Part VI: Interview Guide Template

The interview guide template can be used as a guide for the design of key informant interview protocols. Note the importance of disclosure and information sharing up front, and make sure to have the interviewee’s written or oral permission to record the discussion. Finally, respect the privacy of interviewees by following guidance in ADS 508 on protecting participant data.

3.3.5.5. Part V: Inception Report Template

The inception report template is a tool to improve consistency across inception reports for gender analyses using a WEEGE lens. When using this template, delete all instructions and change the headings and other text to match your content.

3.3.5.4. Part IV: WEEGE Literature Review Worksheet

The literature review worksheet can be used alongside Part III: WEEGE Illustrative Questions during the literature review phase of a gender analysis, to identify and prioritize issues related to women’s economic empowerment, and to identify research gaps to focus on during quantitative and qualitative data collection.

3.3.5.3. Part III: WEEGE Illustrative Questions

The questions presented in this tool are illustrative and designed to help consider and prioritize issues related to women’s economic empowerment when designing gender analyses at the country, project or activity levels. The broad range of questions covers the five ADS 205 domains of a gender analysis as well as five cross-cutting categories relevant to WEEGE: markets, finance, decent work and income, assets and human capital.

3.3.5.2. Part II: Integrating WEEGE into a Gender Analysis SOW

The statement of work (SOW) template provides a format along with guidance for USAID/Washington and Missions to prepare an SOW for a gender analysis with a WEEGE lens. It provides instructions on how to prepare each section of the SOW and includes spaces to insert the content. It also includes illustrative examples either directly in the SOW section or references one of the documents below.

3.3.5.1. Part 1: Planning a Gender Analysis with a WEEGE Lens

Integrating a WEEGE lens at the planning stage of a gender analysis involves identifying a focus on WEEGE in its scope and collaborating with the Mission’s gender/inclusiveness advisor or focal point to ensure their understanding and support. To begin the analysis, the USAID Mission should assign a main point of contact (POC) (often, the Mission’s gender/inclusiveness advisor) who will oversee the gender analysis from start to finish and coordinate the research effort with office and team directors.

3.3.5. Toolbox: Integrating WEEGE into a Gender Analysis

The following tools will help USAID’s staff and partners integrate WEEGE at all stages of gender analysis planning, design, and implementation—from outlining roles and responsibilities on gender analysis teams to creating a scope of work (SOW), drafting gender analysis research questions, and putting together a dissemination plan.

3.3.2. Sample 2: Integrating WEEGE into a Results Framework

As outlined in ADS 201, the Results Framework shows the result that USAID, in collaboration with its partners, expects to contribute to or achieve during the strategy period. It is a type of logic model, based on a clear set of development hypotheses that explains the logic and causal relationships between the building blocks needed to achieve a long-term result. The Results Framework includes the goal, Development Objectives (DOs), Intermediate Results (IRs) and sub-IRs.

3.3.1. Sample 1: Integrating WEEGE into a CDCS Gender Analysis

This sample document includes excerpts from a gender analysis. The excerpts present findings and recommendations from the report, illustrating how a WEEGE lens is applied in a crosscutting manner. The findings are presented in two different formats: organized by ADS 205 domains, and organized by USAID sector. Each sector-specific finding is paired with concrete and actionable recommendations that can be used to inform USAID’s work.

3.3. Resources, Samples and Tools

Each unit of the WEEGE Technical Guide includes resources, samples ;and/or tools. Unit 3 includes two samples, one toolbox with ten parts, and two tools.

3.2. Applying a WEEGE Lens to the CDCS

Prior to developing a CDCS, a USAID Mission analyzes the country context and lessons learned; holds initial consultations with local partners, development institutions, and U.S. Government stakeholders; and organizes internal discussions around the current state of programming and future planning. Each of these tasks presents opportunities to consider and integrate WEEGE.