Overview of Inclusive Development
What is Inclusive Development?
Inclusive development means all people should be able to contribute to and benefit from USAID’s development programming. Unfortunately, many people are denied access to services or are marginalized from participating in development because of their identity.
It is worth noting that individuals may be denied access or marginalized because of many intersecting aspects of identity. These intersectionalities include:
• Caste
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Indigenous, migrant, or citizenship status
• Sexual identity
• Persons with disabilities (noting that developmentary, sensory, physical, psychosocial, and other disabilities may face different forms of discrimination)
• Religion
• Political opinions
• Socioeconomic status
• Marital status
• Age (youth and the elderly)
• And many others...
These identities and the resulting denial of services tend to be hyper-visible in DRG programming, because often exclusion can be enacted through the closing of political spaces, denial of rights and freedoms, lack of legal protection, or lack of access to government services.
On the basis of these intersecting identities, individuals or groups may be denied access to legal protection or social and economic participation and programs (i.e., police protection, political participation, access to healthcare, education, employment), whether in practice or in principle, for historical, cultural, political, and/or other contextual reasons. These groups often suffer from discrimination in the application of laws and policy and/or access to resources, services, and social protection, and may be subject to persecution, harassment, and/or violence. They may also be described as “underrepresented,” “at-risk,” or “vulnerable.”
Youth are especially vulnerable to marginalization when they possess other intersecting identity traits on this list: for example, LGBTQI youth with severe hearing loss; or youth from a low caste and marginalized religion.
Analyzing and understanding the discrimination and exclusion an individual can experience based on their identities is an important step to addressing the barriers that prevent some people from participating in and benefitting from development programming. Further, including marginalized people and groups in the development process offers an opportunity for development programs to absorb local knowledge, including ways of sustainably developing local resources or agricultural land. Inclusion ensures that activities effectively target the groups most in need of assistance.
Inclusion efforts can meet two objectives: a) marginalized stakeholders benefit from USAID’s development programming, and b) marginalized stakeholders are engaged throughout the Program Cycle. In order to meet these objectives, it is critical to conduct an inclusive youth assessment before designing programming, and ideally at the CDCS phase.
Key Principles of Inclusive Development
There are two key principles when working with marginalized groups: “do no harm” and “do nothing about them without them.” When making efforts to support inclusion of marginalized groups, staff should 1) take measures to ensure that its efforts do not put any individual or marginalized group at increased risk of harm, and 2) consult with marginalized groups to understand their needs and priorities.
Taking this understanding of Inclusive Development, how do we get beyond “tokenism” for incorporating youth into DRG programming?
Explore the toolkit:
What is Positive Youth Development?
What is Inclusive Development?
Models for Integrating Youth
Cross-cutting Considerations
- Civic Participation
- Youth Organizations
- Youth Leadership
- Example Program Types and Theories of Change
Entry Points for Youth Integration into the Program Cycle
Country/Regional Strategic Planning
Project Design and Implementation
Activity Design and Implementation
Monitoring and Evaluation
Guide to Youth in Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Programs
1. Civil Society
2. Human Rights Protection and Promotion
3. Rule of Law and the Justice Sector
4. Legislative Strengthening
5. Local Governance and Devolution
6. Political Party Development
7. Electoral Processes
8. Anti-Corruption and Accountability
9. Reconciliation, Peacebuilding, and Transitional Justice
10. Media, Information, and Communication Technologies (ICTs)