Investing in Women in Development (IWID)
Fellows Program of
the Institute of International Education
Started in 1999
Program objectives:
- To promote full and equal participation of women in developing countries' economic and social transformation.
- To assist USAID in reflecting gender considerations in the Agency's work by contributing to the advancement of USAID's policies and organizational capacity to address critical gender issues.
- To continue the expansion of a cadre of international field-experienced professionals committed to enhancing women in development (WID) activities; consequently, to increase the number of people with gender expertise working in the field of international development.
Program Description:
The principal purpose of the IWID Fellows Program is to provide Missions, USAID/W units, and USAID implementing partners with experienced, mid-level professionals who, in addition to gender analytical skills, offer technical expertise and assistance in the following areas of concern to USAID: economic growth and agricultural development, information technologies, environment, democracy and governance, gender, monitoring and evaluation, disability and gender related efforts, and education and training.
In September 1999, a "Leader with Associates (LWA) Cooperative Agreement" was awarded to the Institute of International Education (IIE) to support its Investing in Women in Development (IWID) Fellows Program.
In 2005, this Agreement was renewed through 2009.
Each IWID fellowship is unique. Deployment of IWID fellows thus far has seen placements in 21 worldwide locations including USAID Missions in Armenia, Moscow, Nepal, Bangladesh and the Regional Bureaus and Offices in USAID/W. IWID fellows provide their expertise to address and incorporate gender within USAID projects and activities on a variety of crosscutting issues.
IWID fellows have conducted Mission gender analysis and assessments, trained new USAID staff to incorporate gender issues in program development, enhance capacity for women to participate in local microfinance, business and government sectors, and have incorporated gender concerns into water management, information technology, education, HIV and health related projects. For complete descriptions of IWID fellowships please visit http://www.iwid.org.
Selection Procedure:
IWID recruits U.S. citizens who are mid-level professionals holding a graduate degree or higher. The Program conducts special recruitments on request to fill specific positions in USAID Missions and Washington Offices and with implementing partners. General desired qualifications include previous relevant international/USAID work experience and proficiency in a foreign language. This is a demand driven program; applications will only be accepted for specific positions under recruitment. Placements can be made in an overseas USAID mission, at USAID/Washington or with USAID implementing partners.
Applicants to the IWID program are screened for eligibility and then forwarded to a National Screening Panel for evaluation, where a final list of qualified candidates are recommended for the position. The requesting Mission/Bureau or implementing partner makes the final candidate selection to fill the fellowship. All selected fellows undergo a security clearance process, and are deployed to their assignments only after the proper visas are secured and a secret security clearance is granted.
Before deployment, fellows are given intensive training and orientation in Washington, DC that includes gender-training analysis, IWID program policies, USAID policy and guidelines governing fellows' activities, and briefings tailored to their specific position goals.
For current available IWID fellowships please visit http://www.iwid.org/about_news.html.
Length of Fellowship:
The length of IWID fellowships is one year, with a second year option contingent upon concurrence of the sponsor, the fellow and IIE. The program has had a 92% extension rate.
Investing in Women in Development (IWID) Fellows Program of the Institute of International Education (IIE) (1999-2009)
Address:
1400 K Street, N.W., Suite 650
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: (202) 898-0600
Fax: (202) 326-7698
Contact Person(s):
Kelly Reid, Program Officer, (202) 326-7710; kreid@iie.org.
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