Toward Transformative Gender Education Programming

This brief was prepared by a team with the University of Auckland, which was contracted to undertake a landscape analysis of USAID’s efforts to promote gender equality in and through education. The USAID Gender and Education Working Group provided support and participation in the development of the brief. The key findings of the landscape analysis inform the substance of this brief and its recommendations.

The landscape analysis sought to explore the following three questions:

1. What does the existing evidence base say about gender inequalities in education and gender-transformative and gender-inclusive approaches in and through education?
2. What are the characteristics of recent USAID programming efforts to advance gender equality in and through education, and have the characteristics shifted over time?
3. What opportunities does USAID programming have to advance gender equality in and through education, and where and how can USAID programming do better?

The landscape analysis was carried out through an extensive review of existing research, literature, and data on the nature of gender inequalities in education today; key informant interviews and focus groups with stakeholders within USAID and partners (totaling 42 individuals); and a secondary analysis of the gender equality/equity education programming included in the 2019 and 2020 Performance Plan and Report narrative data analyses.