Banyan Global managed the USAID Women’s Economic Empowerment Community of Practice (USAID WEE CoP) under the Gender Integration Technical Assistance (GITA) II task order. The USAID WEE CoP was established in 2020 to accelerate the pace of change in advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment by sharing what is effective and what does not work. Over nearly five years, the USAID WEE CoP  convened  members to identify and share proven, promising and potential models for advancing economic growth through gender equality.

Launched by the USAID Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub (GenDev Hub), and managed by Banyan Global, the USAID WEE CoP brought together diverse members, including USAID staff and USAID implementing partners; private sector actors; existing networks and associations; bilateral donors, multilaterals, foundations, and the wider international development community interested in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The USAID WEE CoP had more than  2,200 members, including staff from nearly 150 activities in over 60 countries. Collectively, these activities aimed to increase gender equality in business operations and supply chains as well as in public institutions; strengthen the care economy; promote trade facilitation; spur investment; address climate change; support entrepreneurship and enterprise growth through access to markets, finance, and networks; influence legal, financial, and digital systems; reduce discriminatory governmental laws and regulations; improve employer policies and practices (such as closing the gender pay gap and advancing women into leadership and management); shift social norms by engaging men; and prevent, mitigate, and respond to gender-based violence in the workplace, household, and wider society.

While the USAID WEE CoP is no longer active, a summary of key resources developed by the CoP can be accessed here.