DEC Express—March 2014

The March 2014 issue of DEC Express highlights over 75 documents across various sectors. The documents are categorized into sectors such as Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance; Agriculture and Food Security; Economic Growth and Trade; Environment and Global Climate Change; Education; Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment; Global Health; USAID Planning and Management; and Working in Crises and Conflict. In the Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance sector, the USAID support for Kenya's 2013 elections is assessed through a rapid assessment review. The Afghanistan rule of law stabilization program is also evaluated through an informal component assessment. Additionally, a mapping of civil society organizations in Uganda is conducted through a phase one study report. The Agriculture and Food Security sector features several documents, including a study on women's empowerment in agriculture and its role in food security in Bangladesh. The women's empowerment in agriculture index is also presented, along with results from the 2011-2012 Bangladesh integrated household survey. Other documents in this sector focus on regional trade policies and their impact on agricultural products. In the Economic Growth and Trade sector, documents focus on ending extreme poverty in fragile contexts and the impact of USAID-funded programs on poverty reduction in Kenya. The performance evaluation of the USAID/Vietnam support for trade acceleration project is also presented, along with an assessment of women's access to microcredit for poverty reduction in rural Burkina Faso. The Environment and Global Climate Change sector features documents on climate change adaptation plans, biodiversity assessments, and tropical forest assessments. The USAID climate change adaptation plan for 2014 is presented, along with a report on building climate change awareness and resilience in the Ancash and Piura watersheds of northern Peru. In the Education sector, documents focus on textbooks and learning materials programs, as well as capacity building for psychosocial services in communities. The final performance report of the Capacity Building for Psychosocial Services to OVC in Communities project is presented, along with a report on comprehensive and compassionate care for orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya. The Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment sector features documents on women's empowerment in agriculture, economic empowerment strategies for Afghan women, and the women's empowerment in agriculture index. The U.S. global health initiative is also presented, focusing on women, girls, and gender equity. In the Global Health sector, documents focus on the PEPFAR annual report, capacity building for psychosocial services, and comprehensive and compassionate care for orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya. The final evaluation of the kabeho mwana expanded impact child survival program is also presented, along with a report on the USAID/South Africa PEPFAR treatment program. The USAID Planning and Management sector features documents on resilience in the Sahel enhanced, the review of the southern regional agricultural development program, and the Sahel joint planning cell strategic plan. The health services in Afghanistan are also assessed, along with the commercialization efforts of the Afghanistan national power utility. In the Working in Crises and Conflict sector, documents focus on the Central America regional security initiative, the South Sudan USAID-BEST analysis, and the international food assistance improved targeting project. The conflict assessment framework is also presented, along with a toolkit for urban resilience in situations of chronic violence.