Office of Women in Development

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Democracy and Governance Economic Growth and Agricultural Development Environment Human Capacity Development Population, Health and Nutrition Women in Development Summary Tables Program Development and Strategic Planning Development Credit Program Glossary Abbreviations and Acronyms Last updated: 59     Both women and men in developing countries have important contributions to make to lasting development progress. However, women and girls still bear the burden of social, economic and political inequities. Development efficiency and U.S. values of fairness demand that both women and men have opportunities to participate in and benefit from USAID programs. Global Bureau's Office of Women in Development (The Office) promotes implementation of those values across the Agency in a way that bolsters developmental impacts. The Office's activities cut across all areas of USAID's work. Four priorities are emphasized: Reducing gender-based constraints to economic growth; Mobilizing local constituencies in selected developing countries to improve girls' education; Increasing protection of women's legal rights; and Increasing integration of gender considerations in USAID's programs. In FY 2002, the Global Bureau has requested $11 million for these activities. Full-text description Full-text description The Office reinforces equality between men and women and USAID's effectiveness by: Providing missions and offices with assistance in understanding the differential impacts that their programs may have on men and women in developing countries and the unique contributions that men and women make to development; Working with non-governmental organizations in developing countries to increase opportunities for women; and Taking a leadership role within USAID and the U.S. Government on emerging issues that particularly affect women in developing countries, such as trafficking in persons, and women and information/ communication technology. Recent program successes supported by the Office include: USAID's West Africa regional program gained a better understanding of how to leverage the contribution to economic growth of women's cross-border trade activities; The Committee for Rural Girls' education, a Moroccan association of urban professionals, has trained 117 local non-governmental organizations to speak out on girls' education issues at the national level; In partnership with USAID/El Salvador and G/WID, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in El Salvador, produced a strategic plan for natural resources management with a gender perspective; The Asia Foundation Women's Economic and Legal Rights Program, through the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), organized legal awareness programs in slum areas in Dhaka for 350 women workers; and The Russian NGO FEMINA used G/WID support to produce "Business School for Women" an educational video series that documents the real-life experiences of business women. The video has been broadcast regionally and is being used by over 40 women's NGOs in Russia. Activity Data Sheets 941-001 Gender-Based Constraints to Economic Growth Policies and Programs Increasingly Addressed 941-002 Broad-Based, Informed Constituencies Mobilized to Improve Girls' Education in Emphasis Countries 941-003 Women's Legal Rights Increasingly Protected 941-004 Greater Reflection of Gender Considerations in the Agency's Work

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