Launch of USAID’s Updated Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy

Today, Administrator Samantha Power launched USAID’s updated Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy. Building on its predecessors, the 2023 Gender Policy provides the vision for USAID’s work to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment around the world – establishing our strategic objectives and guiding principles, and driving investments across our operations and programs in order to achieve these aims. 

USAID reaffirms that gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment are fundamental for the realization of human rights and key to effective and sustainable development outcomes. For societies to thrive, women and girls, men and boys, and gender-diverse individuals must have the agency, social support, and structures to make their own choices and live free from violence and abuse. They must have equal rights and opportunities, as well as equal and safe access to and control over resources. Achieving gender equality in society will improve the overall quality of life for all people throughout their lives.

The Gender Policy identifies four strategic objectives that USAID will advance through investments across all sectors in which it works: (1) reduce gender disparities; (2) strive to eliminate gender-based violence and mitigate its harmful effects; (3) increase women’s and girls’ agency; and (4) advance structural changes that address the root causes of gender inequality and promote equitable gender norms.

The Gender Policy outlines steps USAID will take to strengthen its systems, tools, and resources, including expanding its gender technical expertise; consistently identifying and addressing gender inequalities across strategies and activities; demonstrating how it is investing in gender equality; and tracking gender equality results.

Deliberate action is required to advance gender equality: USAID is committed to being a leading investor, partner, and advocate to achieve this goal across societies.

Read the 2023 USAID Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy here.