The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications for projects under two program categories: 1) promoting transitional justice and accountability; and 2) advancing women’s leadership and engagement in community level peacebuilding processes.
Competitive proposals will include clear program strategies that explain the program’s logic, outline the program’s specific activities and objectives, and highlight their link to one of DRL’s two categories outlined below. Applicants are encouraged to design programs to address a clearly articulated category; however, if your proposal addresses multiple categories, please designate a primary category that best reflects the project’s stated objectives and ensure a clear nexus between the two categories addressed.
Categories
Transitional Justice and Accountability
One of DRL’s goals in Yemen is to hold perpetrators of human rights violations (HRVs) and abuses accountable for their actions. The bureau seeks to achieve this goal by supporting civil society to implement transitional justice measures where possible. Successful program design(s) should focus on approaches that strengthen civil society’s capacity to accurately document HRVs, promote the inclusion of civil society and survivors in transitional justice processes, and provide access to comprehensive support services, such as legal and/or psychosocial assistance, for survivors of HRVs. Potential program approaches may also include:
Strengthening the ability of Yemeni civil society organizations to document, verify, and preserve information related to human rights abuses and violations from all sides of the conflict. Program designs should aim to expand documentation collection to include under-documented violations and abuses, such as conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), violations against digital rights and marginalized communities, and/or abuses against migrants. This may include efforts to document violations against women, youth, the “Muhamasheen” community, migrants, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, and/or persons with disabilities.
Creating or facilitating access to coordination mechanisms among entities contributing to documentation efforts to prevent overlap and share verified information, as appropriate.
Supporting informal, community designed and implemented, and trauma-informed transitional justice initiatives and civil society-led advocacy.
Engaging with key stakeholders and decision-makers at the local, national, and international levels to implement reforms to improve accountability mechanisms.
Increasing awareness, understanding, and support for the promotion of transitional justice measures from key stakeholders, such as government authorities and the public in Yemen.
Creating or improving existing Yemeni-led referral networks for survivors and victims’ families to access legal, psychosocial, and other support services.
Advocating on behalf of complainants under universal jurisdiction statutes.
Women’s Leadership
Another DRL goal in Yemen is to support the meaningful inclusion of women in public life, including international and community level peace processes. DRL seeks proposals that will increase the number of women who serve as advocates of human rights and accountability efforts, assume leadership roles in decision-making fora and stabilization efforts, and/or work as negotiators in locally-led resource management efforts. In the absence of centralized control in local energy, infrastructure, transit, housing, and criminal justice disputes, women have often intervened to generate positive change through mediation, de-escalation, and grassroots advocacy efforts. Additionally, women have served as staunch advocates of peace and stabilization initiatives at the local level. Successful program design(s) should build on these efforts, and may include:
Supporting women’s roles in conflict prevention initiatives, including women-led negotiations and local, grassroots advocacy campaigns against HRVs. This could include advocacy efforts against the recruitment of child soldiers, arbitrary detention, and torture; prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse, including CRSV and other forms of gender-based violence; and locally mediated efforts surrounding prisoner exchanges and detainee releases.
Advancing women environmental defenders’ advocacy on local and national priorities related to protecting the environment and increasing equitable access to natural resource management.
Fostering grassroots initiatives to increase the meaningful participation of women in community level peacebuilding processes.
Enabling women’s groups to mainstream gender equality issues into peace and stabilization initiatives to improve the conditions of women’s rights in post-conflict and conflict environments.
Addressing barriers to women’s participation in public life, including engaging men and boys as allies where possible.
Funding Information
Funding Floor: $750,000
Funding Ceiling: $1,250,000
Period of Performance: 24-36 months
Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 6-9 months
Anticipated Number of Awards: 1-2
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Applicants
DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited. Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.
Cost Sharing or Matching
Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking.
