DRL Promoting an Inclusive West Africa (PIWA)

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for a project to address the ethnic marginalization across Coastal West Africa. The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for a project to address the ethnic marginalization across Coastal West Africa. The consolidation of power, poor governance, and rise of violent extremism in some Coastal West African countries have contributed to the exclusion and discrimination of certain ethnic groups in politics and everyday life. While certain ethnic groups are not legally excluded from civic and political participation, their full engagement in decision-making roles remains limited. Certain ethnic groups are particularly marginalized in the government, the civil service, and the armed forces. Some ethnic groups also experience discrimination in employment and access to credit, health care, and education. Hundreds of thousands of individuals, including migrants and rural-based members of society, lack documentation to obtain citizenship or access public resources despite protections under the law. In addition, certain ethnic groups face societal discrimination, including stigmatization, harassment, and attacks. Militant groups have exploited the marginalization of certain ethnic groups by playing on grievances and amplifying 2 feelings of distrust in government to recruit members. For example, the targeting of Fulbe communities—based on the belief that they all support jihadi insurgents—has perpetuated conflict, facilitated jihadi recruitment, and risks spreading the violence into new areas. The property and land rights systems across Coastal West Africa has disenfranchised certain ethnic groups historically, causing violence to erupt at times. For example, pastoralist communities who have lived in certain areas for decades have faced the encroachment of agriculturalists on land that they typically use for grazing. In addition, governments across the region have introduced new laws and policies that limit pastoralists’ way of life. Further problematic is that the agencies in charge of developing new land rights policies and programs do not include members of the ethnic groups that would be heavily impacted by the changes. To respond to these challenges, DRL is seeking proposals with the goal of supporting members of marginalized communities in Coastal West Africa—specifically Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, and /or Togo—to improve respect for their political rights and civil liberties. Proposals may focus on individual countries or multiple countries, but approaches must be led by, or have strong support from and participation by, groups and individuals representing marginalized ethnic groups. Proposals may include but do not need to support members of pastoralist communities. DRL recognizes that there are numerous other ethnic groups in the region that do not fully enjoy the rights enumerated by law. Applicants are encouraged to complement and deconflict with existing programs that address ethnic marginalization in the region. DRL seeks proposals for programming that are ambitious but also targeted and achievable. DRL will consider proposals that address the goal reflected above but include different, though similar and related, objectives. While proposals may include additional objectives, inclusion of additional objectives will not make a proposal more competitive.