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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A two by two grid with icons of a woman, a handshake, a turning gear, and two people with money.

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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.

3.1. Overview

Strategic planning is an essential part of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) program cycle, culminating in a country development cooperation strategy (CDCS) or a regional development cooperation strategy (RDCS).For the sake of brevity, Unit 3 refers primarily to CDCSs, though the guidance provided herein is applicable to the RDCS creation process as well.

Unit 3: Integrating WEEGE into a Country Development Cooperation Strategy

Unit 3 addresses how to: include WEEGE considerations into analyses, including the required gender analysis; integrate WEEGE into Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) consultations and parameter setting; and incorporate gender analysis findings, including those related to WEEGE, into the CDCS development hypothesis, results framework and, as relevant, throughout the final CDCS document.

2.3.8. Tool 1: WEEGE Principles Checklist

The WEEGE Principles offer guidance on how USAID and its partners can advance WEEGE within development programming. The principles were developed in consultation with internal and external stakeholders, and they point to promising practices that are informed by real-life development and business experience.

2.3.7. Resource 7: Private Sector Engagement

Introduction The private sector is a vital stakeholder in achieving global WEEGE goals. With access to networks of financial, physical, and social capital, the private sector creates and shapes opportunities for women across all industries and sectors. The private sector creates nine out of ten jobs in the developing world, and it also provides an important pathway to self-reliance and sustainability.

2.3.6. Resource 6: Markets

Introduction Gender inequality and the process of empowerment are dynamic and complex, as are the market systems in which women work. Global markets—both labor and trade—are intricate institutions shaped by social norms, discriminatory forces, and power inequalities.

2.3.5. Resource 5: Cross-Cutting Legal, Regulatory and Policy Reform

Introduction Discriminatory legal, regulatory, and policy barriers serve as major impediments to WEEGE. Providing women with equal economic opportunities requires an integrated and equitable set of laws and policies, as well as the active commitment across all sectors to establish gender-responsive working conditions, policies, and practices.

2.3.4. Resource 4: Human Capital

Introduction Human capital is a central driver of sustainable growth and poverty reduction. Building women’s human capital and capabilities so they can enjoy higher returns for their work is central to women’s economic empowerment and gender equality. By improving their skills, health, knowledge, and resilience—their human capital—women can be more productive, flexible, and innovative.

2.3.3. Resource 3: Finance

Introduction Increasing access to and use of quality financial products and services is essential to inclusive economic growth and women’s economic empowerment. Research shows that when people participate in the financial system, they are better able to manage risk, start or invest in a business, and fund large expenditures.

2.3.2. Resource 2: Decent Work and Income

Introduction Decent workThe International Labor Organization (ILO) describes decent work as work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives, and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.