The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s 2023 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy and Automated Directives Systems (ADS) 205 recommend that USAID implementing partners (IPs) be required to submit a gender equality action plan (GAP) outlining how gender equality will be integrated into their work plan and monitoring plan based on the results of a gender analysis. This toolkit provides practical strategies and tips to help IPs fulfill this requirement.

Developed under the Gender Integration Technical Assistance (GITA) II task order, the toolkit is designed for IP staff, particularly gender advisors and focal points, staff members, and project leadership responsible for planning, managing, and/or conducting a gender analysis process and developing a GAP. It offers advice for IPs with varying degrees of gender expertise, especially those with limited experience. The toolkit breaks down the gender analysis process into five steps, from planning through to the creation of a GAP with feasible recommendations. To support these steps, it includes 17 annexes with templates and practical tips:

1. Post-Award Gender Analysis Template
2. Post-Award Gender Analysis Formatted as a Report
3. USAID Activity-Level Gender Equality Plan Guidance for Implementing Partners
4. Gender and Inclusive Development Analyses
5. Gender Analysis Domains and Customized Questions
6. Providing Feedback Throughout the Gender Analysis and Gender Equality Action Plan Development Process
7. Discussion Guide for Effective Collaboration between AOR/COR and IP
8. Consultant Selection Considerations
9. Consultant Terms of Reference
10. Sample Kick-Off Gender Analysis Planning Session Agenda and Tips
11. Gender Analysis SOW Template
12. Desk Review Sources
13. Gender Analysis Matrix Template
14. Primary Data Collection and Ethics
15. Resources
16. Gender-Specific Risk Identification and Mitigation
17. Validation Workshop