The UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) will be celebrated this week around the world, on December 3. This year’s theme, “Achieving 17 Goals for the Future We Want,” focuses on the role that the sustainable development goals play in “building a more inclusive and equitable world for people with disabilities.” For the…
Overheard at a recent workshop: “Girls who are having sex with their teachers need to be coached to make better choices.” A debate ensued. Do they? Is that really a choice they are making? Or is it the teachers who need to change their behavior, school administration that needs to be part of the solution,…
As we explore economic empowerment during the Global to Local campaign and prepare for Global Entrepreneurship Week, we reflect on what it takes to empower women economically. Today, women across the globe still too often face implicit and explicit barriers to full economic participation. As practitioners working for global development, we do right to pause…
Why is inclusion important for development in the Dominican Republic? Inclusion means broader participation and deeper protections for subgroups and cultures represented in Dominican society, which strengthens their individual and collective participation in democratic processes. When diverse and intercultural perspectives are taken into account, public policies better reflect the protections of modern democratic values. The…
The Feed the Future Uganda Youth Leadership for Agriculture Activity facilitated linkages by influencing the youth employment and workforce development ecosystem. The activity identified private sector actors looking to hire youth and determined the skills gap between private sector demand and youth ability. The facilitation approach to youth workforce development built the right relationships among…
In Nigeria, the Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites (MARKETS II) project addressed constraints in the agricultural value chain to improve rural farmers’ performance, income, and food security. To change how young Nigerians view and engage in the sector, MARKETS II promoted agriculture as “agribusiness,” engaging youth not just in farming, but…
Why is social inclusion important for the development of Somalia? The crime rate in Somalia remains high, and weak government institutions often fail to bring justice. The marginalized populations in our society, such as youth, persons with disabilities, persons living with HIV, internally displaced persons (mostly women and children), and the poor, are often ignored…
USAID’s Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprise in Targeted Sites (MARKETS II) project in Nigeria aims to improve the performance, income, nutrition, and food security of poor Nigerian rural farmers or smallholders in an environmentally friendly manner. Why is social inclusion important for the development of Nigeria? In Nigeria, 68 percent of the population lives…
When I was a Peace Corps volunteer, I worked with female artisans in Morocco and witnessed firsthand the barriers they faced in economic development. Poor education, which prevented many from completing paperwork; low self-confidence or hope for a better future; lack of capital to invest in business licenses, equipment, and training; and a lack of…
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a public health problem with proven costs to the individual and the community on a physical, emotional, and financial level. In addition, GBV is a human rights violation — arguably one of the most frequently perpetrated violations worldwide, with an estimated one in three women experiencing physical or sexual abuse in…
With more than 20,000 species of plants and animals native to the country, the Philippines is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Much of this biodiversity is contained in natural forest areas, but these once-lush forests and their biodiversity are degrading at an alarming rate. Over time, the country has lost approximately…
Is business just for adults? In many countries, the business community’s involvement in education is limited to the secondary or post-secondary levels. Under USAID’s Georgia Primary Education (G-PriEd) program, however, we are trying another approach: engaging local businesses in primary education (Grades 1-6) with the goal of equipping children with basic business skills that will…