Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018

To improve programs and activities relating to women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment that are carried out by the United States Agency for International Development, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Because women make up the majority of the world’s poor and gender inequalities prevail in incomes, wages, access to finance, ownership of assets, and control over the allocation of resources, women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment is important to achieve inclusive economic growth at all levels of society. Research shows that when women exert greater influence over household finances, economic outcomes for families improve, and childhood survival rates, food security, and educational attainment increase. Women also tend to place a greater emphasis on household savings which improves families’ financial resiliency. (2) A 2016 report by the McKinsey Global Institute estimated that achieving global gender parity in economic activity could add as much as $28 trillion to annual global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025. (3) Lack of access to financial services that address gender-specific constraints impedes women’s economic inclusion. More than one billion women around the world are currently left out of the formal financial system, which in turn causes many women to rely on informal means of saving and borrowing that are riskier and less reliable. Among other consequences, this hampers the success of women entrepreneurs, including those seeking to run or grow small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The International Finance Corporation has estimated that 70 percent of women-owned SMEs in the formal sector are unserved or underserved in terms of access to credit, amounting to a $285 billion credit gap. (4) Women’s economic empowerment is inextricably linked to a myriad of other women’s human rights that are essential to their ability to thrive as economic actors across the lifecycle. This includes, but is not limited to, living lives free of violence and exploitation, achieving the highest possible standard of health and well-being, enjoying full legal and human rights such as access to registration, identification, and citizenship documents, benefitting from formal and informal education, and equal protection of and access to land and property rights, access to fundamental labor rights, policies to address disproportionate care burdens, and business and management skills and leadership opportunities. (5) Discriminatory legal and regulatory systems and banking practices are hurdles to women’s access to capital and assets, including land, machinery, production facilities, technology, and human resources. Often, these barriers are connected to a woman’s marital status, which can determine whether she is able to inherit land or own property in her name. These constraints contribute to women frequently running smaller businesses, with fewer employees and lower asset values. (6) Savings groups primarily comprised of women are recognized as a vital entry point, especially for poor and very poor women, to formal financial services and there is a high demand for such groups to protect and grow their savings with formal financial institutions. Evidence shows that, once linked to a bank, the average savings per member increases between 40 to 100 percent and the average profit per member doubles. Key to these outcomes is investing in financial literacy, business leadership training, and mentorship. (7) United States support for microenterprise and microfinance development programs, which seek to reduce poverty in low-income countries by giving small loans to small-scale entrepreneurs without collateral, have been a useful mechanism to help families weather economic shocks, but many microcredit borrowers largely remain in poverty. The vast majority of microcredit borrowers are women who would like to move up the economic ladder but are held back by binding constraints that create a missing middle (8) According to the World Bank, SMEs create 4 out of 5 new positions in emerging markets but about half of formal SMEs don’t have access to formal credit. The financing gap is even larger when micro and informal enterprises are taken into account. Overall, approximately 70 percent of all micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in emerging markets lack access to credit. 3. Actions to improve gender policies of the United States Agency for International Development (a) Development cooperation policy It shall be the development cooperation policy of the United States— (1) to reduce gender disparities in access to, control over, and benefit from economic, social, political, and cultural resources, wealth, opportunities, and services; (2) to strive to eliminate gender-based violence and mitigate its harmful effects on individuals and communities through efforts to develop standards and capacity to reduce gender-based violence in the workplace and other places where women conduct work; (3) to support activities that secure private property rights and land tenure for women in developing countries, including legal frameworks to give women equal rights to own, register, use, profit from, and inherit land and property, legal literacy to exercise these rights, and capacity of law enforcement and community leaders to enforce such rights; and (4) to increase the capability of women and girls to realize their rights, determine their life outcomes, assume leadership roles, and influence decision-making in households, communities, and societies. (b) Actions In order to advance the policy described in subsection (a), the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall ensure that— (1) strategies, projects, and activities of the Agency are shaped by a gender analysis and, when applicable, use standard indicators to provide one measure of success of such strategies, projects, and activities; and (2) gender equality and female empowerment is integrated throughout the Agency’s Program Cycle and related processes for purposes of strategic planning, project design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. (c) Gender analysis defined In this section, the term gender analysis (1) means a socio-economic analysis of available or gathered quantitative and qualitative information to identify, understand, and explain gaps between men and women which typically involves examining— (A) differences in the status of women and men and their differential access to and control over assets, resources, opportunities, and services; (B) the influence of gender roles, structural barriers, and norms on the division of time between paid employment, unpaid work (including subsistence production and care for family members), and volunteer activities; (C) the influence of gender roles, structural barriers, and norms on leadership roles and decision making; constraints, opportunities, and entry points for narrowing gender gaps and empowering women; and (D) potential differential impacts of development policies and programs on men and women, including unintended or negative consequences; and (2) includes conclusions and recommendations to enable development policies and programs to narrow gender gaps and improve the lives of women and girls. 4. Development assistance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (a) Findings and policy Section 251 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2211 (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) by striking microenterprise micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (B) by striking and in the development , in the development (C) by adding at the end before the period the following: , and in the economic empowerment of the poor, especially women (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) by striking microenterprise micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (B) by adding at the end before the period the following: , particularly those enterprises owned, managed, and controlled by women (3) in paragraph (3), by striking microenterprises micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (4) in paragraph (4), by striking microenterprise micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (5) in paragraph (5)— (A) by striking should continue should continue and be expanded (B) by striking microenterprise and microfinance development assistance development assistance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (6) in paragraph (6)— (A) by striking have been successful have had some success (B) by striking microenterprise programs development assistance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (C) by striking , such as countries in Latin America (b) Authorization; implementation; targeted assistance Section 252 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2211a (1) In subsection (a)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— (i) by striking credit, savings, and other services credit, including the use of innovative credit scoring models, savings, financial technology, financial literacy, insurance, property rights, and other services (ii) by striking microfinance and microenterprise clients micro, small and medium-sized enterprise clients (B) in paragraph (1), by striking microfinance and microenterprise clients micro, small and medium-sized enterprise clients, particularly those clients owned, managed, and controlled by women (C) in paragraph (2)— (i) by striking microenterprises micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (ii) by inserting acquire United States goods and services, United States markets, (D) in paragraph (3)— (i) by striking microfinance and microenterprise institutions financial intermediaries (ii) by striking microfinance and microenterprise clients micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (iii) by striking and (E) in paragraph (4)— (i) by striking microfinance and microenterprise clients and institutions micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, financial intermediaries, and capital markets (ii) by striking the poor and very poor. the poor and very poor, especially women; (F) by adding at the end the following: (5) assistance for the purpose of promoting the economic empowerment of women, including through increased access to financial resources and improving property rights, inheritance rights, and other legal protections; and (6) assistance for the purpose of scaling up evidence-based graduation approaches, which include targeting the very poor and households in ultra-poverty, consumption support, promotion of savings, skills training, and asset transfers. . (2) In subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1) to read as follows: (1) In general There is authorized to be established within the Agency an office to support the Agency’s efforts to broaden and deepen local financial markets, expand access to appropriate financial products and services, and support the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The Office shall be headed by a Director who shall possess technical expertise and ability to offer leadership in the field of financial sector development. ; (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) in subparagraph (B)— (I) by striking Use of central funding mechanisms In order to ensure Use of central funding mechanisms (II) by striking the office shall and other practitioners the office shall provide coordination and support for field-implemented programs, including through targeted core support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and local financial markets (III) by striking clause (ii); (ii) in subparagraph (C)— (I) by inserting , particularly by protecting the use and funding of local organizations in countries in which the Agency invests, and sustainability (II) by inserting , especially women the poor and very poor (C) by striking paragraph (3). (3) In subsection (c)— (A) by striking all microenterprise resources all micro, small and medium-sized enterprise resources (B) by striking clients who are very poor. activities that reach the very poor, and 50 percent of all small and medium-sized enterprise resources shall be targeted to activities that reach enterprises owned, managed, and controlled by women. (c) Monitoring system Section 253(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2211b(b) (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting , including goals on a gender disaggregated basis, such as improvements in employment, access to financial services, enterprise development, earnings and control over income, and property and land rights, performance goals (2) in paragraph (2), by striking include performance indicators the achievement incorporate Agency planning and reporting processes and indicators to measure or assess the achievement (3) by striking paragraph (4). (d) Poverty measurement methods Section 254 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2211c 254. Poverty measurement methods The Administrator of the Agency, in consultation with financial intermediaries and other appropriate organizations, should have in place at least one method for implementing partners to use to assess poverty levels of their current incoming or prospective clients. . (e) Additional authorities Section 255 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2211d (1) by striking assistance for microenterprise development assistance development assistance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (2) by striking and, to the extent applicable (f) Microenterprise development credits Section 256 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2212 (1) in the section heading, by striking microenterprise development credits development credits for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (2) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking micro- and small enterprises micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (B) in paragraph (2), by striking microenterprises micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (3) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting and other financial services credit (4) by striking microenterprise households micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and households (5) by striking microfinance institutions financial intermediaries (g) United States Microfinance Loan Facility Section 257 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2213 (1) in the section heading, by striking united states microfinance loan facility united states micro, small and medium-sized enterprise loan facility (2) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking United States Microfinance Loan Facility United States Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Loan Facility (B) by striking United States-supported microfinance institutions United States-supported financial intermediaries (3) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking United States-supported microfinance institutions United States-supported financial intermediaries (B) in paragraph (2), by striking microfinance institutions (h) Contents of report Subsection (b) of section 258 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2214 (b) Contents To the extent practicable, the report should contain the following: (1) Information about assistance provided under section 252, including— (A) the amount of each grant or other form of assistance; (B) the name and type of each intermediary and implementing partner organization receiving assistance; (C) the name of each country receiving assistance; and (D) the methodology used to ensure compliance with the targeted assistance requirements in subsection (c) of such section. (2) The percentage of assistance provided under section 252 disaggregated by income level, including for the very poor, and gender. (3) The estimated number of individuals that received assistance provided under section 252 disaggregated by income level, including for the very poor, and gender, and by type of assistance, including loans, training, and business development services. (4) The results of the monitoring system required under section 253. (5) Information about any method in place to assess poverty levels under section 254. . (i) Definitions Section 259 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2214a (1) in paragraph (3), by striking Committee on International Relations Committee on Foreign Affairs (2) in paragraph (4), by striking microenterprises micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (3) in paragraph (6)— (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking microenterprise institution micro, small and medium-sized enterprise institution (B) in subparagraph (F), by striking microfinance institution financial intermediary (4) in paragraph (7) to read as follows: (7) Micro, small and medium-sized enterprise institution The term micro, small and medium-sized enterprise institution ; (5) in paragraph (8) to read as follows: (8) Financial intermediary The term financial intermediary ; (6) by striking paragraph (9); (7) by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (14) as paragraphs (9) through (13), respectively; (8) in paragraph (9) (as redesignated), by striking of microenterprise development (9) in paragraph (10) to read as follows: (10) Practitioner institution The term practitioner institution ; (10) in paragraph (12) (as redesignated)— (A) in the heading, by striking united states-supported microfinance institution united states-supported financial intermediary (B) by striking United States-supported microfinance institution United States-supported financial intermediary (11) in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (13) (as redesignated) to read as follows: (B) living below the International Poverty Line, as defined by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association (collectively referred to as the World Bank . (j) Technical and conforming amendments Title VI of chapter 2 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended as follows: (1) In the title heading, by striking MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FOR MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM–SIZED ENTERPRISES (2) In the heading for subtitle C, by striking United States Microfinance Loan Facility United States Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Microfinance Loan Facility 5. Report and briefing by United States Agency for International Development (a) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall provide a briefing and submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on the implementation of this Act and the amendments made by this Act, including actions to improve the gender policies of the United States Agency for International Development pursuant to section 3. (b) Public availability The report required under paragraph (1) shall be posted and made available on a text-based, searchable, and publicly-available internet website. 6. Report by Comptroller General of the United States (a) In general Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on development assistance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises administered by the United States Agency for International Development. (b) Matters to be included The report required under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the following: (1) What is known about the impact of such development assistance on the economies of developing countries. (2) The extent to which such development assistance is targeting women and the very poor, including what is known about how such development assistance benefits women. (3) The extent to which the United States Agency for International Development has developed a methodology used to ensure compliance with the targeted assistance requirement in section 252(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended by section 4 of this Act, and the quality of such methodology. (4) The monitoring system required in section 253(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended by section 4 of this Act, including the quality of such monitoring system. June 8, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018 This bill requires the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to ensure that gender equality and female empowerment considerations are integrated into its strategies, projects, and activities. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to expand USAID microenterprise assistance authorities to include programs for small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly those that serve and are owned and managed by women. The bill revises requirements for the measurement of poverty levels by implementing partners. It also authorizes the establishment of a USAID office to support efforts to broaden local financial markets and support the development of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on USAID assistance for such enterprises.