CFPs: Promoting Human Rights and Accountability in North Korea

Deadline: 10-Jan-2025

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) is seeking proposals from organizations interested in implementing programs to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea).

Categories

• Fostering Accountability for Serious Human Rights Abuses and Transnational Repression:
  • The long-term goal under this category is that North Koreans have improved human rights, including fundamental freedoms, and the DPRK government is held accountable for egregious human rights violations, including transnational repression. 
  • Projects under this category must support at least one of the following objectives: the North Korean human rights community collectively and collaboratively implements survivor-centered judicial and non-judicial accountability actions; governments and multilateral institutions take concrete steps and actions to push for accountability in the DPRK; and governments and multilateral institutions increasingly incorporate human rights abuses and crimes against humanity within broader DPRK policy development and diplomatic engagements.
• Advancing the Human Rights of Vulnerable Populations: 
  • The long-term goal of programs under this category is that vulnerable populations of North Koreans, including women, children, and persons with disabilities, within and outside the DPRK have increased access to rights and services enshrined under domestic and international law. 
  • Projects under this category must support at least one of the following objectives: the North Korean human rights community collectively and collaboratively advocates for human rights improvements for vulnerable populations, and, governments and multilateral institutions take concerted actions to influence the DPRK government to implement accepted Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations and to meet international human rights standards, including its obligations under ratified human rights treaties.

Funding Information

• Award Ceiling: $1,000,000
• Award Floor: $100,000

Project Activities

• Fostering Accountability for Serious Human Rights Abuses and Transnational Repression:
  • Project activities may include: 
    • Sustaining international attention and commitment to promoting human rights in the DPRK through advocacy and/or awareness-raising with governments and multilateral institutions. Competitive applications will leverage opportunities to engage nontraditional governments and/or further the implementation of recommendations of the UN Commission of Inquiry report or the mandated 2025 follow-on report.
    • Leveraging documentation and research to hold perpetrators accountable for gross human rights abuses committed within and/or outside the DPRK. Efforts could include exploring avenues for criminal justice to hold perpetrators accountable, supporting redress for victims and survivors through civil liability suits in domestic courts, and/or recommending sanctions of individuals or institutions. 
    • Supporting survivor-driven and trauma-informed approaches to accountability. Proposed activities may include empowering North Korean defectors and escapees to engage and implement judicial and non-judicial accountability measures such as, but not limited to, truth-telling, memorialization, and reparations, and/or strengthening defector and escapee awareness and understanding of various accountability mechanisms, transitional justice, and/or international standards for human rights.
    • Strengthening collaboration among civil society and the North Korean defector and escapee community to advance efforts to address human rights abuses in the DPRK. 
    • Elevating and integrating human rights within broader government and multilateral efforts to address the threats the DPRK poses to global peace and security.
• Advancing the Human Rights of Vulnerable Populations: 
  • Project activities may include: 
    • Documenting cases of human rights violations against women, children, and/or persons with disabilities to raise international awareness, contribute to civil society shadow reporting on implementation of international conventions and treaties and/or foster accountability. Applicants should demonstrate meaningful inclusion of women, children and parents, and/or persons with disabilities as key partners for activity design and implementation. 
    • Advocating to governments and multilateral institutions to take actions that encourage the DPRK to safeguard the rights of vulnerable populations through improved implementation of ratified UN Conventions, amendments to domestic laws in line with the international human rights treaties to which it is a party, and/or the consideration of ratification of other international human rights treaties. 
    • Capacitating and empowering defector and escapee women and persons with disabilities to constructively engage in advocacy and accountability efforts that advance the human rights of vulnerable populations of North Koreans.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply: 
  • Foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO); 
  • U.S.-based non-profit organizations/NGOs with or without 501(c)(3) status; 
  • Public International Organizations; 
  • Private, public, or state institutions of higher education; 
  • For-profit organizations or businesses.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.