Gender and inclusion assessment, USAID/Nepal

Responses for peace-building in the aftermath of the Maoist insurgency must be sensitive to what motivated a large chunk of Nepal"s populace to seek social, political, and economic change through armed struggle and social mobilization. To support conditions for a durable peace, actions must be taken to ensure that gender and social inclusion are adequately mainstreamed. Without establishing viable mechanisms for ensuring that excluded groups are included in and benefit from Nepal"s recovery, the prospects for peace, poverty reduction, transformational development, and stability will be limited. Drawing on provisions of USAID"s Automated Directives System (ADS) for gender analysis and USAID/Nepal"s Mission Order on Gender, Caste, and Ethnicity, this report offers recommendations for more effectively integrating concerns of gender equity and social inclusion (GESI). It presents an overview of exclusion issues and examines aspects of USAID/Nepal"s portfolio, focusing mainly on programs with new solicitations and on strategies for integrating GESI within the Mission. General cross-sector recommendations include : (1) social inclusion should not be at the expense of gender equity; (2) concentrate on ways to unite groups; (3) tailor activities to the needs of excluded groups; (4) disaggregate based on gender, caste, and ethnicity; (5) increase voice, agency, and influence through coalitions and federations; (6) work with diverse organizations with strong grassroots networks; (7) focusing on poverty alone is not enough; (8) avoid an "inclusion-by-numbers" approach that does not address issues of reintegration and reconciliation; (9) support GESI in community-based groups; and (10) use USAID/Nepal"s Mission Order on Gender, Caste, and Ethnicity. (Author abstract, modified)