Call for Proposals: Open Policy Advisory Fund (OPAF) Project Mini-Fund for Women Empowerment

Deadline: 16-Jul-2020

The German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development has announced a call for proposals for the Open Policy Advisory Fund (OPAF) Project Mini-Fund for Women Empowerment.

The Open Policy Advisory Fund (OPAF) has been implemented since 2009 by GIZ on behalf of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). OPAF`s objective is to enable state actors to implement reform steps that contribute to political and social participation and to promote civil society to take part in political decision-making. Therefore, OPAF offers expertise, advice, training courses and coaching for Afghan public institutions in the field of development and implementation of reform processes at the central level by supporting specific measures mainly through short-term to mid-term interventions.

Purpose

The purpose of this Call for Proposals for the Mini-Fund for Women Empowerment is to:

foster leadership, organizational, and advocacy capacity of women’s organizations so that they can increase their participation in social and political life.
improve the enabling environment for women to raise their concerns as citizens of Afghanistan.
increase the capacity of women-led CSOs to raise concerns of female citizens in activities jointly implemented by state and non-state actors.
provide chances for sustainable empowerment and support to women entrepreneurs through financial literacy, training, and networking opportunities so that they may play a key role in their communities.
engage men and boys in the prevention of gender-based violence.
increase women’s and girls’ awareness of their rights to promote gender equality in local communities.

Activities

OPAF’s Mini-Fund for Women Empowerment is looking forward to specific project proposals by civil society organizations that include but are not limited to the following activities:

create mentoring and apprenticeship opportunities
improve institution building and advocacy skills within the organization
provide financial literacy and business management skills, as well as networking opportunities for women business owners
raise awareness on micro finance and other options to access capital for women entrepreneurs
address gender-based violence in a holistic way and address gender role

OPAF’s Mini-Fund for Women Empowerment encourages proposals that:

promote partnerships among two or more local organizations for a common goal
include young women as project implementers and/or target beneficiaries
demonstrate innovative ways to address women’s issues

OPAF encourages CSOs to design their project in creative ways based on careful needs analysis and CSOs’ experience, successes, and failures. Proposed projects should include innovative, targeted and localized approaches, especially those that mainstream gender or engage women, as well as encourage collaborative work among several CSOs in different regions or levels.

Areas to Engage in Promoting Gender Equality

OPAF identified several areas where applicants can engage in. These are only areas of orientation and not exhaustive. Applicants may well identify other areas of engagement.

Political Participation
- Ensure women’s political participation, voice and leadership, including efforts to help governments meet their responsibility to guarantee political participation by women, to make participatory processes inclusive and place participatory rights on a sound legal and institutional footing.
- Support civil society advocacy of women’s rights and protect human rights defenders
Gainful Employment and Economic Empowerment
- Engage in policy dialogue aimed at strengthening efforts to give women equal participation in economic and working life consistent with the International Labour Organization’s core labour standards
Tackling multiple discrimination
- Make more and better information on discrimination issues available in the partner countries
Cooperation with female and male stakeholders
- Promote gender equality through stronger cooperation with male and female stakeholders acting as change agents and role models.
- Work with civil society to dismantle gender stereotypes and discriminatory sociocultural norms
Gender competence / knowledge management
- Work towards institutional implementation of gender-responsive development policies and organisational processes by building gender expertise
Strengthening women’s organisations
- Support the participation and voice of independent civil society actors and national human rights institutions and ensure that their contribution to progressive, innovative policy on women’s rights and gender is used
- Provide focused training for representatives of women’s organisations and capacity building measures to strengthen their organisations
- Support the cooperation of state and non-state institutions to promote the political participation of women’s organisations

Eligibility Criteria

Non-government and non-profit organizations (including think tanks, civil society organizations) that are based and legally registered in Kabul, Afghanistan are eligible to apply.

Selection Process

Project proposals will be evaluated by an evaluation committee based on the following criteria:

Technical Capacity:
- The applicant organization demonstrates expertise and the ability to perform the proposed activities.
Relevance of Project:
- The proposal is relevant to the objectives and priorities of the Call for Proposal, and the proposed project is relevant to particular needs and constraints of the target groups.
Quality and Feasibility of the Project Idea:
- The proposal is well developed, innovative and offers creative solutions with all necessary details about how project activities will be carried out.
Personnel:
- Sufficient number of staff, with relevant education and experience, are assigned to the project.
Project Budget:
- Budget and narrative justification are completed and reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results.
Structural Capacity:
- The applicant organization has a functional office.