Only US-based organizations can apply but local country partnerships may be required.
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) at the US Department of State is requesting organizations to submit Statements of Interest for projects promoting international religious freedom. Projects can contribute towards social betterment through interfaith cooperation, especially for student age participants can also be submitted. These projects should be implemented in the following countries/regions:
Near East, with a particular interest in Bahrain, Egypt, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen.
South/Central Asia, with a particular interest in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
East Asia and the Pacific, with a particular interest in Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Vietnam.
Africa, with a particular interest in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan; Western Hemisphere, with a particular interest in Venezuela.
Europe, with a particular interest in Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Kosovo, Romania, the Russian Federation, Spain, and Turkey.
The following issues can be covered in the submitted concepts:
(1) Train religious groups, civil society, lawmakers, and government officials to develop legal and policy protections for religious freedom; promote awareness and advocacy of international religious rights and avenues for redress within existing local laws and regulations; develop legal education and training programs that support religious freedom; (2) Address intolerant materials, apostasy laws, anti-defamation and anti-conversion, and anti-blasphemy laws that restrict religious expression; work to challenge discrimination along religious lines and promote equality under the law; (3) Increase public awareness of religious freedom through media outlets and opinion makers; promote fair and balanced approaches to religious reporting that respond constructively to religious differences; support and train networks of journalists covering religion and religious freedom; (4) Strengthen capacity of religious leaders to promote faith-based cooperation both across religions and among sects within religions, as well as ways to advocate effectively on behalf of religious communities.
This is only a Request for Statement of Interest and full proposals will be invited from the selected organizations. Submissions to be made through grants.gov. The deadline is 21 December 2009. For more information, visit this link.
