Deadline: 24-Jul-23
The Department of State’s Office of Global Criminal Justice (GCJ) is accepting applications to address challenges that are common to domestic atrocity crime transitional justice processes and contribute to a holistic transitional justice strategy.
GCJ seeks to strengthen accountability mechanisms to investigate those responsible for serious international crimes committed during both armed conflict and times of peace (killings, arbitrary detentions, torture, missing persons) and to encourage the highest standards in investigations conducted by prosecutors and their offices, while also ensuring that the conduct of criminal cases related to such crimes meet internationally accepted legal standards.
The Gambia: The regime of former president Yahya Jammeh was characterized by widespread oppression and human rights violations. The Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) found that abuses during Jammeh’s regime resulted in the death of more than 240 people and issued more than 200 recommendations for investigations and prosecutions, almost all of which the Government has accepted.
One of the United States’ policy priorities in The Gambia is to support genuine transitional justice processes and accountability in connection with the crimes committed during the Jammeh regime. As institutions intended to hold those responsible for abuses are finalized, they will need continued resources and capacity building to make accountability in The Gambia a reality. At the same time, representing transitional justice principles and practices more broadly, including memorialization and victim outreach, would support lasting peace and greater faith among communities that these crimes are being appropriately acknowledged and addressed. GCJ seeks proposals aimed at meeting one or more of the following objectives:
- Support implementation of TRRC recommendations, including support for/or development of additional transitional justice mechanisms geared toward accountability.
- Expand the capabilities of relevant personnel to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate complex system crimes, including where those most responsible may be senior officials who directed and orchestrated policies.
- Facilitate outreach, including from transitional justice mechanisms to victims and affected communities and create procedures that ensure outreach is maintained and consistent.
- Consolidate and refine potential evidence of abuses, including preparation of emblematic cases for prosecution including helping identify those most responsible.
Programming activities may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following areas:
- Train, educate, and guide relevant individuals, including investigators and prosecutors, in creating case files and evidence management systems.
- Improve capabilities to conduct forensics analysis.
- Where appropriate or needed, support codification of, and collaboration between, transitional justice institutions, such as through legislation, operational policies, and agreements between mechanisms.
- Work with formal, government, and/or local institutions on memorialization projects, including physical objects or spaces to commemorate and acknowledge atrocities and educate the public.
Liberia: There has been no implementation of the recommendations of the 2009 Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) despite the strong need and consistent demands of the public. Criminal law capacity remains low, particularly to investigate these types of serious crimes and to protect witnesses. The political will is lacking to draft and pass the necessary legislation to facilitate such trials. Civil society remains weak, and nongovernmental organizations have indicated that they would like assistance in advocating for genuine and fair criminal processes for those most responsible for abuses during Liberia’s consecutive civil wars.
Despite the existence of sites of significance from the civil war throughout Monrovia and the country—such as the Lutheran Church, which was the location of a major massacre—the lack of any formal acknowledgement or educational materials devoted to these events means that a new generation of Liberians is in danger of forgetting the atrocities committed without the society ever fully addressing them. Increased visibility and memorialization will acknowledge the suffering of survivors and undercut entrenched impunity. GCJ seeks proposals aimed at meeting one or more of the following objectives:
- Support implementation of TRC recommendations.
- Assist with consolidating existing evidence collections, and creating new documentation processes, for historical crimes and identifying and preparing representative test cases that could be forwarded to competent jurisdictions for possible prosecution.
- Expand the capabilities of relevant personnel to inform and educate on past atrocities, investigate, conduct witness outreach, build cases and develop prosecutorial strategies, and adjudicate complex system crimes, including where those most responsible may be senior officials who directed and orchestrated policies.
- Help ensure the personal safety of those operating inside Liberia on transitional justice initiatives, including civil society actors and witnesses participating in extraterritorial legal proceedings (civil and criminal).
- Establish sites of memorialization for historical crimes.
Programming activities may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following areas:
- Identify stakeholders in government, civil society, victims’ groups, and advocacy communities who could work together to advance justice and accountability, and provide support, technical assistance, and facilitation for them to advocate jointly and effectively for justice.
- Assist such groups or appropriate authorities in identifying and preparing emblematic cases and support and expertise to begin building case files or prosecutorial strategies for those most responsible for abuses.
- Work with local institutions on memorialization projects, including physical objects or spaces to commemorate and acknowledge atrocities and to educate the public, especially young people.
- Assist with the development and implementation of victim and witness outreach strategies.
- Assist with protection and safety of individuals operating inside Liberia, such as through provision of supplies, security training, or visible international partnership.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Floor: $1,000,000
- Total Funding Ceiling: $2,500,000
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1-2
- Period of Performance: 24-36 months
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 3-4 months
Priority Regions: The Gambia, Liberia
Eligibility Criteria
- GCJ welcomes applications from U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations with or without 501(c) (3) status of the U.S. tax code; foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO); Public International Organizations; Foreign Public Organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.
- 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.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
