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
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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.