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). However, where a project approach is used, the Automated Directives System (ADS) section 201.3.3 and the ADS 201 additional help document apply. The project design process is a continuation of the activities and analysis that begin with the creation of the CDCS (refer to Figure 1). The design process ends with USAID’s approval of a project—a set of interventions executed over an established timeline and budget to achieve a development objective and one or more intermediate results (IRs), as defined in the CDCS results framework. Project design focuses on operationalizing and executing the strategies developed through this process.

Figure 1. Integrating WEEGE into USAID’s Program Cycle
Integrating WEEGE into USAID’s Program Cycle is a circle. The innermost ring is ADS 205 Gender Analysis. The next ring is WEEGE Integration with icons for Markets, Assets, Human Capital, Decent Work and Income, and Finance.” The next ring highlights “Project Design and Implementation”. The outermost ring shows the 3 goals that come from integrating WEEGE: “All Individuals Fully Participate in and Benefit from their Communities and Countries,” “Societies Grow and Prosper,” and “Peace and Prosperity.”

 

During the project design and implementation stage, a USAID Mission has an opportunity to further delve into the barriers and opportunities to advance women’s economic empowerment and gender equality (WEEGE) and to develop concrete programmatic interventions.

This unit will address how to:

Key Messages
  • The Unit 3, Toolbox: Integrating WEEGE into a Gender Analysis is a practical guide for USAID staff and practitioners when conducting the project gender analysis, as required by ADS 201.
  • The PDD should explicitly incorporate WEEGE into the project’s purpose; description; management and implementation plan; and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) plan.
  • The PDD should link to USAID initiatives, which highlight the importance of addressing gaps in economic participation and opportunities.
  • Partnerships with civil society and the private sector (including women’s organizations, businesses, networks and associations) are necessary to make progress on WEEGE.