Deadline: 9 September 2016
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is seeking applications from eligible organisations for the program entitled “Rule of Law Assistance related to strengthening the forensic medicine, law enforcement, and legal capacity of criminal justice sector actors to combat Sexual and Gender-Base Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo”.
The project aims to improve security in the DRC by strengthening the legal system and bolstering the capacity of criminal justice sector actors including police, investigators, prosecutors, and judges, and coordinating closely with INL’s and USAID’s other DRC SGBV programs that will be implementing projects in the same geographical areas.
Since 2009, INL programs have provided support and access to justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and increased the capacity of civilian law enforcement, healthcare workers, and judicial actors to better document, investigate, and prosecute cases of SGBV.
Project Objectives
- Train medical professionals who are capable of collecting evidence from cases of sexual violence and able to make referrals when necessary to their counterparts in the criminal justice sector.
- Strengthen capacity of medical, legal and law enforcement professionals in the DRC to respond to sexual violence in conflict zones, to support survivors, and prosecute perpetrators while adhering to the best practices in forensic documentation of sexual violence.
- Increase communication between health, legal, and law enforcement professionals addressing sexual violence
- Design, pilot, and teach new technologies to medical professionals, law enforcement, and justice sector actors to better collect, preserve, disseminate, and forensic evidence.
- Enhance the impact of forensic evidence in prosecution by local, regional, and international stakeholders.
- Improve law enforcement’s ability to document and report SGBV cases.
Funding Information
- The anticipated total federal funding amount is $1,000,000.
- The period of performance is one year with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2016.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants that qualify to receive U.S. grants (such as U.S. not-for-profit/nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or U.S. based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code; foreign not-for-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or foreign based educational institutions, with the ability to develop and successfully implement a project in Country X and meet INL’s reporting requirements.
- Organizations must also be able to demonstrate current (or pending) country registration in the Democratic Republic of Congo, if required by the country of project implementation
- Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar education or capacity building programs, preferably in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- INL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering similar programs and/or federal grant awards.
- Applicants must have the ability to produce course materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in French and English. The applicant’s staff should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.
- Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.
- Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant.
- Applicants must be able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period of time.
- INL encourages applications from potential new partners.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can apply via given website.
For more information, please visit grants.gov.