Deadline: 15-Jul-23
The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy Port Moresby (PD Port Moresby) announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to implement and manage the youth civic education project program on Papua New Guinea’s constitution for participants in Hela and Morobe Provinces.
The Constitution of Papua New Guinea is the core framework document that must guide all legislative, executive, and social principles moving forward. The document is visionary and provides a template for an ideal and humaine way of life for all Papua New Guineas. The Constitution must be analyzied and fully understood by youth, translated into local languages, and spread from one village to another so that all Papua New Guineans can have a better understanding of what can be given a full transition to a society ruled by law.
The Constitution of Papua New Guinea is a unifying statement in a country with 100 tribes and 850 languages. To bridge the gap between these varied and diverse cultures, the Constitution outlines rights to which all citizens can and should agree to: the right to health, education, and employment; to cultural identity, and the right for women and men to live as equals.
Program Objectives
- The objective of the project is to:
- Engage at least 4,000 youth in Hela and Morobe Provinces over three years in a long-term (at least six month) program that teaches young adults the basics of PNG’s constitution and legal system.
- Youth learn the ability to interpret the constitution and draft basic laws.
- Youth improve their ability to debate, reason, and compromise.
- Successful participants are given the opportunity take the program to other communities.
- Youth have a better understanding of the American constitution and the U.S. federal and state framework.
- Youth have a better understanding of the role of the legislative and judicial system, have better access to local and national government officials, and are advocates of PNG’s constitutional framework.
- The most active participants are given the opportunity to take part in broader youth legislative programs (such as national youth parliament programs in Port Moresby or model UN programs in the United States).
- Participants create their own preamble to the youth constitution in Tok Pisin.
- Participants create a written or recorded playbook of legislative best practices for future parliamentarians.
Funding Information
- Award Floor: $50,000 USD
- Award Ceiling: $250,000 USD.
- Length of performance period: A maximum of 36 months.
Priority Region: Project activities may take place in Hela and/or Morobe Provinces.
Participants and Audiences
- The target audience for the program should be boys and girls with an enthusiasm for leadership and civic engagement ages 15-25 living in Hela and Morobe provinces. Participants must be energetic and available to commit up to participating in the program designed by the grantee, participating in discussions and debates, meeting with officials, taking part in networking opportunities and other events as part of the program.
- The civic education program must be implemented both in Hela and Morobe Provinces under this award. The budget may include travel for top participants to take part in events in Port Moresby or the United States, or to bring subject matter experts to Papua New Guinea.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations registered in Papua New Guinea are eligible to apply:
- Registered public or private non-profit organizations, such as business associations, foundations, and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience.
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions; and
- Governmental institutions
Project Requirements
- The project proposal must clearly state how the project beneficiaries (applicants) will be selected, the mode of training and activities, how the project implementer will deliver the proposed curriculum, a sample curriculum, and a clear timeline for implementation. The implementing partner should aim at selecting at least 2,000 participants per province. The following criteria must be met by the participants to be considered for this program:
- Young adults between 15-25 years of age;
- In good social standing;
- Demonstrated leadership and commitment to public service.
- Criteria for the selection of the implementing partner will include but is not limited to the following:
- Established track record for organizing educational activities;
- Implementer’s ability to partner with government officials, local leaders, and multinational organizations;
- The implementer host civic education programs for youth that address the powers and authorities of local governments and the central government;
- Project participants are at least 60 percent female;
- The program should teach the participants the basic tenants of civic engagement and assist the participants in designing a civic engagement project within their local community;
- Top participants are expected to teach skills to new cohorts of participants and travel to Port Moresby or the United States for participant in nation-wide or international legislative programs.
For more information, visit Civic Education Project.