The Return on Investment of Social Inclusion: An Evidence Gap Analysis from Developing Countries

  • Partner: USAID
  • Publication Type: Brief
  • Date: August 16, 2021

This brief analyzes the existing literature from developing countries on how firms invest in social inclusion and measure its return on investment. It then analyzes existing evidence gaps and makes recommendations on how firms and USAID partners working in private sector engagement and market systems development can improve their investments and fill evidence gaps.

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How the Private Sector Measures Social Inclusion and its Return on Investment: A Framework to Inform Future Research

  • Partner: USAID
  • Publication Type: Brief
  • Date: May 25, 2021

This brief documents how different private sector actors understand and measure social inclusion and its return on investment (ROI) as an initial step to frame further research on the business case for social inclusion in developing countries. This brief was produced as part of MSA’s work with the Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) Activity, a set of learning initiatives around social inclusion.

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Women’s Empowerment Collectives are Critical to Reaching Scale

  • Partner: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The SEEP Network
  • Publication Type: Blog
  • Date: February 23, 2021

Women’s collectives are often thought of as a critical source of social solidarity and resilience at the grassroots level. But what if women’s collectives could be leveraged to target and help unlock the economic empowerment of rural women at scale? This blog post explores the potential transformative role women’s collectives can play in expediting women’s economic and social empowerment globally, and how the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is targeting these groups to address structural barriers to gender equality.

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Leveraging the Enabling Environment to Achieve Scale in Women’s Economic Empowerment: An Interview with USAID’s Wade Channell

  • Partner: USAID
  • Publication Type: Blog
  • Date: February 19, 2021

The Feed the Future Advancing Women’s Empowerment (AWE) program team spoke with Wade Channell, senior economic growth advisor for gender with USAID about how we can leverage the enabling environment to achieve scale in women’s empowerment.

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What Does It Take to Achieve Scale in Women’s Empowerment Activities?

  • Partner: USAID
  • Publication Type: Blog
  • Date: February 18, 2021

Insights and examples of approaches to scaling women’s empowerment from the Feed the Future Advancing Women’s Empowerment (AWE) program team, particualrly relating to gains in agricultural productivity, resilient and sustainable livelihoods and nutrition.

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Rethinking the Future of Women’s Empowerment: Gender-Based Violence & COVID-19

  • Partner: FHI 360
  • Publication Type: Blog
  • Date: December 1, 2020

We explore the current state of gender-based violence in Egypt to conclude our two-part blog series — co-produced by FHI 360 and MarketShare Associates — on Rethinking the Future of Women’s Empowerment in response to the global pandemic.

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Social Norms and Persona Design: Background Note

  • Partner: CGAP
  • Publication Type: Background Note
  • Date: November 2020

This background note provides guidance for implementers and designers to apply a social norms lens onto a persona tool. It is to be used to develop a more nuanced understanding of women and the social norms that impact their ability to interact with financial services.

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Rethinking the Future of Women’s Empowerment: Economic Engagement & COVID-19

  • Partner: FHI 360
  • Publication Type: Blog
  • Date: October 20, 2020

We kick off the first of a two-part blog series – co-produced by FHI 360 and MarketShare Associates – on Rethinking the Future of Women’s Empowerment in response to the global pandemic with exploring COVID-19’s impact on women’s economic engagement in Egypt.

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Gendered Social Norms in Financial Inclusion: A Diagnostic Study from Southeastern Turkey

  • Partner: CGAP, MetLife Foundation
  • Publication Type: Report
  • Date: July 2020

The influence of gendered social norms has not been systematically analyzed or widely incorporated into financial inclusion programming. This diagnostic aims to identify social norms that affect how women access, use, and benefit from financial services. The goal is to guide practitioners toward a better understanding of the underlying dynamics. By identifying actionable insights, practitioners can design interventions that target the root causes of consumer behaviors that limit the potential benefits of financial inclusion interventions for women.

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Resources for a Gendered Approach to Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning During COVID-19

  • Partner: USAID
  • Publication Type: Blog
  • Date: May 21, 2020

Tools and resources for a gendered approach to monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) during the COVID-19 pandemic compiled by the Feed the Future Advancing Women’s Empowerment (AWE) program team.

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