Deadline: 17-May-23
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition to organizations interested in submitting applications for survivor-centered and trauma informed projects that strengthen civil society efforts to investigate and document CRSV crimes and abuses committed against Ukrainian citizens since February 2022.
Programming will advance the pursuit of truth and justice for victims and survivors, and accountability for crimes committed in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law.
A competitive project will build on existing locally led, survivor-centered documentation initiatives to collect information credibly, ethically, and professionally on CRSV in accordance with international human rights and international best practices. The project should strengthen survivor-centered approaches to CRSV documentation efforts and existing networks to expand space for diverse Ukrainian civil society and survivors’ groups so that they may work together to develop and drive local, national, and international CRSV justice agendas, defined and determined by survivors. The project should also focus on supporting sustainable coalitions of survivor-centered civil society and survivors’ groups to collaboratively define and pursue evolving truth, justice and accountability goals and explore and pursue a range of long-term transitional justice needs, including those outside of legal institutions. Proposals should outline how international standards, including the Murad Code, will be implemented across program activities.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Floor: $1,481,481
- Total Funding Ceiling: $1,481,481
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1-2
- Period of Performance: 18-24 months
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 3-6 months
Objectives and Outcomes
The project will achieve the following desired objectives and outcomes:
- Increased capacity of survivor-centered Ukrainian civil society and survivors’ groups—including women, men and LGBTQI+ led and serving organizations— using the highest applicable criminal process standards, to credibly and professionally document CRSV and prioritize survivors’ agency, dignity, privacy, physical, and emotional safety and active and informed consent, while upholding the wellbeing and wishes of survivors throughout the process
- Sustained support for survivors, victim’s families, and civil society staff involved in documentation and advocacy on CRSV, including critical access to direct psychosocial, legal, digital, physical safety and referral mental health services, and addressing survivors’ stigma, shame and fear through additional programming, protective services and assistance
- Empowered and engaged CRSV survivors, survivors’ groups and families of survivors advocate for local, national, and international truth, justice and accountability processes reflective of self-determined justice, healing, and reconciliation needs
- Effective engagement by and collaboration among key and diverse stakeholders who have a demonstrated commitment to CRSV documentation utilizing a range of truth, justice, and accountability tools to address past and ongoing CRSV
- Increased survivor-centered coordination, information sharing, and support:
- among civil society and survivors’ groups inside and outside Ukraine;
- between civil society, survivors’ groups, the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) and the Government of Ukraine, including the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG) and law enforcement authorities; and,
- between civil society, survivors’ groups and United Nations entities such as OHCHR, UNHCR’s Protection Cluster, UNFPA’s GBV Sub-Cluster and other humanitarian service providers.
- Longer-term planning for the safe and ethical preservation and use of collected information for current and future formal and informal truth, justice, and accountability efforts on behalf of and through the integration of CRSV survivors, survivors’ groups, and their families.
Activities
- Where appropriate, competitive proposals may include:
- Opportunities for beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge and skills in practical efforts;
- Solicitation of feedback and suggestions from beneficiaries when developing activities in order to strengthen the sustainability of programs and participant ownership of project outcomes;
- Input from participants on sustainability plans and systematic review of the plans throughout the life of the project, with adjustments made as necessary;
- Inclusion of vulnerable populations;
- Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities;
- Systematic follow up with beneficiaries at specific intervals after the completion of activities to track how beneficiaries are retaining new knowledge as well as applying their new skills.
- Activities that are not typically allowed include, but are not limited to:
- The provision of humanitarian assistance;
- English language instruction;
- Development of high-tech computer or communications software and/or hardware;
- Purely academic exchanges or fellowships;
- External exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;
- Off-shore activities that are not clearly linked to in-country initiatives and impact or are not necessary per security concerns;
- Theoretical explorations of human rights or democracy issues, including projects aimed primarily at research and evaluation that do not incorporate training or capacity-building for local civil society;
- Micro-loans or similar small business development initiatives;
- Initiatives directed towards a diaspora community rather than current residents of targeted countries.
Eligibility Criteria
- 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.
For more information, visit Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL).