USAID COVID-19 Inequalities and Unintended Outcomes Assessment Report

This assessment identifies inequalities and unintended outcomes—both positive and negative—of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programming that was supported by COVID-19 funds. The assessment paid particular attention to unintended outcomes for underrepresented and marginalized groups. The assessment’s findings inform recommendations for how USAID might adapt its programming when responding to future crises, such as a pandemic, to advance gender equality and inclusive development.

This assessment addressed the following lines of inquiry:

• Did USAID’s programming to address COVID-19 include gender and inclusive development considerations?
• Where has the Agency’s response to COVID-19 yielded unintended outcomes (both positive and negative)? What was the path/link between the Agency’s COVID-19 interventions and the unintended outcomes?
• With the benefit of experience and hindsight, what can/should be done moving forward to design and implement similar future programs that are intentionally and proactively inclusive?