Deadline: 28-Apr-23
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in advancing freedom of association for workers in the informal sector in Nepal.
The majority of workers in Nepal operate in the informal sector, with the International Labor Organization estimating 70 percent of the Nepalese workforce working informally and 90 percent of women involved in the informal economy. Informal work is found across a wide range of sectors, including street vending, domestic work, agriculture, transportation, construction, hospitality, restaurants and bars, brick kilns and carpet weaving.
Although national labor law does extend to both formal and informal workers, compliance is stronger in the formal sector, with systematic lack of transparency and implementation in the informal sector. Despite the presence of a national minimum wage law for the informal sector, jobs are routinely advertised for legal minimum wage with workers lacking power to be aware of and collectively change this widely prevalent norm. Lack of social protections increasingly leaves informal workers vulnerable, particularly women; a study published by the Home Workers’ Trade Union of Nepal showed that the COVID-19 pandemic left more than 85 percent of domestic workers unemployed and without a safety net.
Objectives
- Programs should aim to achieve the following objectives:
- Workers in the informal sector in Nepal organize to channel their collective voice, advocate for better conditions, and link with more formally organized trade unions;
- Informal workers organize and advocate to receive better access to social protections such as social security via registration at the local level, and
- the labor inspectorate better protects the rights of informal workers.
- 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.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Floor: $800,000
- Total Funding Ceiling: $800,000
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1
- Period of Performance: 24-36 months
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 4-6 months
Outcomes
- Proposed projects should be designed to achieve the following outcomes:
- Workers in the informal sector in Nepal more fully exercise freedom of association to advance their rights; these workers more strongly organize and advocate for better conditions and wages, and link with traditional trade unions for more inclusive representation.
- Informal workers have increased access to social protections such as social security through registration at the local level.
- The labor inspectorate has enhanced capacity to enforce the existing labor law that includes informal workers, and informal workers are better protected by this increased compliance.
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 DRL.