Request for Proposals are invited from organizations keen to submit proposals for projects which promote human rights, democracy and rule of law near East Region, Iraq. These proposals are announced by The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) and the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI).
The organizations submitting proposals must address the need for sustainable job creation and access to economic opportunity for widows in Iraq, especially widows living in poverty. The United States National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, the Department of State identifies that women’s economic participation is a significant component of stabilization and reconstruction of countries emerging from conflict.
The Department is dedicated to offer participation of women in accessing as well as unleashing economic opportunity through its programs as well as diplomatic engagement. The department also recognizes the role of women in promoting peace, stability and self-reliance. This request for proposals does not guarantee funding and is subject to approval by the Ambassador-at-Large of S/GWI, the Assistant Secretary of DRL, and the Office of Acquisitions Management.
DRL invites organizations to submit proposals outlining program goals, objectives, activities, outcomes and outputs and the organization’s capacity to manage projects targeting the following issues:
- Projects that establish economic cooperatives to generate market linkages/links to private retailers, access to credit, training and mentoring for single female heads of household and women in local communities in multiple governorates across Iraq. Applicants are highly encouraged to support widows’ Arabic literacy, connect the women’s goods to export opportunities, regional trade initiatives and/or national markets on a far reaching and sustainable basis.
- Projects that generate employment opportunities for widows through the expansion of and technical assistance to help support the growth of the small and medium enterprise sector, particularly women owned small and medium enterprises, in tandem to comprehensive skills building, Arabic literacy training, mentoring and leadership development for widows.
- Projects that work with the Iraqi or international private sector to enable large scale franchise or micro-franchise opportunities for Iraqi widows by connecting widows to replicable and systematized business processes, education in Arabic literacy, products, training, technical support, mentoring and capital required to sustainably operate and grow franchises in key growth sectors.
- Projects that generate employment in multiple governorates by linking widows to the formal sector through employment or to source growth sectors in Iraq or the region, including employment or apprenticeship opportunities with the private sector or the Government of Iraq.
Deadline for Applications: May 02, 2012
For more information, visit grants.gov and search by funding opportunity number: DRLA-DRLAQM-12-038.
