Deadline: 30 June 2020
The United States Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support a gender-based violence prevention (GBV) project focused on GBV in Ecuador’s education system.
The $641,975 is attributed to a global U.S. Department of State congressional GBV earmark, and supports the U.S. Department of State and the Administration’s Women Peace and Security (WPS) Policy Outcomes 2 and 3 and the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity(W-GDP) Initiative Pillar 3, which are:
- WPS Outcome 2: Women and girls around the world have access to aid, and are safe from all forms of gender-based violence (GBV), abuse, and exploitation;
- WPS Outcome 3: U.S. personnel and international programs advance women’s and girls’ equality and empowerment.
- W-GDP Pillar 3: Promote an enabling environment that increases women’s economic empowerment by reducing barriers and enhancing protections in policies, laws, regulations and practices (public and private) to facilitate women’s participation in the economy.
Project Goals
The project aims to support the government of Ecuador and civil society to improve access to services and response to sexual violence and harassment in society, particularly in the educational system.
The project would support municipal governments and CSOs to build the capacity of schools and/or universities in selected provinces to provide improved access to services and response for survivors and those at-risk of GBV. The project would address socio-cultural norms that perpetuate GBV, and train CSOs to strengthen the capacity of other CSOs and local governments and associated schools in delivering GBV survivor support services and prevention activities. The project will incorporate historically marginalized communities. (Survivor support services include crisis support, psychological care, medical services, transitional housing for survivors and their children, and legal aid.) The project will not provide direct funding for such services, but rather enhance the abilities of CSOs and schools to do so. Proposals may undertake activities in one or more ‘pilot’ municipalities to establish a successful “proof of concept” in addressing GBV at the community level. Applicants should consider the implications the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may have on the project and any possible restricted activities. The risk assessment should include a contingency plan for the various restrictions that may occur due to COVID-19.
Objectives
Project proposals must address each of these objectives:
- Objective 1: Building capacity of the education system to ensure girls and women have access to effective remedies to report sexual violence.
- Objective 2: Build the capacity of education and health professionals to respond to GBV issues and implement awareness-raising at the municipal level.
- Objective 3: Strengthening CSO and government partnerships (including either the national Ministry of Education or municipal offices thereof) and CSO monitoring for transparent service delivery that supports a reduction in incidences of GBV.
Grant Information
- Award Ceiling: $641,975
- Project Duration: 24 months
- Est. Start Date: August/September 2020
- Est. End Date: August/September 2022
Expected Outputs
- Development and distribution of standard policy and procedures for the selected school system(s) that include the expected actions and responsibilities of schools when GBV incidences occur to ensure at-risk students understand the resources available to them, and the process for reporting sexual violence and harassment to school officials.
- Development and implementation of awareness-raising campaign(s) at the municipal level that reaches both education and health professionals.
- Training for selected CSOs, school officials, and healthcare providers to build alliances and the capacity to track, document, and monitor responses to sexual violence and harassment.
- Memoranda of understanding (MOUs) or cooperation agreements between CSOs, national or municipal level school entities, and healthcare providers outlining the roles and responsibilities of each in responding to reports of sexual violence and harassment.
Expected Outcomes
- The education system in pilot municipalities improves access to effective remedies to report sexual violence or harassment.
- Education and health professionals have more capacity to respond to GBV and improve support for women and youth survivors or those at-risk, based on the implementation of an awareness-raising campaign that reaches individuals at the municipality level.
- Strengthened CSO and government partnerships and CSO monitoring for accountable and transparent service delivery that supports a reduction in incidences of GBV.
Eligibility Criteria
U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations subject to section 501(c) (3) of the U.S. tax code; Overseas non-governmental non-profit organizations; Foreign Public Entities and Public International Organizations; U.S.-based institutions of higher education, accredited overseas universities.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=327077