Delivery Order AID263I000600008-AID263I020600008

USAID INTENDS TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN MOROCCAN POLITICAL PROCESSES THROUGH THE MOROCCAN CIVIL SOCIETY ADVOCACY PROJECT. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITY OF MOROCCAN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOS) TO PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC REFORM AND ADVOCATE FOR CITIZENS AND MARGINALIZED AND DISAFFECTED GROUPS, PARTICULARLY THE YOUNG AND THE POOR, AT THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS. THE PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS: 1) STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY AND ADVOCACY 2) ENCOURAGING SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS OF CIVIL SOCIETY 3) DEVELOPING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS TO PLAY A STRATEGIC ROLE IN THE INDH (NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT) PROCESS 4) INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF CSOS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY AND YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS, TO ADVOCATE FOR MARGINALIZED AND DISAFFECTED YOUTH AND COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN INNOVATIVE YOUTH PROGRAMS USAID DEFINES ADVOCACY AS AN ACTION-ORIENTED PROCESS THAT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN DETERMINING SOCIAL JUSTICE, POLITICAL AND CIVIL LIBERTIES, AND IN GIVING VOICE TO CITIZENS AND HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED GROUPS. AT ITS BEST, ADVOCACY EXPRESSES THE POWER OF AN INDIVIDUAL, CONSTITUENCY, OR ORGANIZATION TO SHAPE PUBLIC AGENDAS AND CHANGE PUBLIC POLICIES. IN A BROADER CIVIL SOCIETY STRATEGY, ADVOCACY-ORIENTED ACTION GOES BEYOND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES (E.G., RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE) TO PROVIDING THE MEANS TO MOBILIZE SOCIETY, IDEAS, AND RESOURCES IN AN EFFORT TO BRING ABOUT DEMOCRATIC CHANGE AND/OR ITS CONSOLIDATION. TAS::72 1021::TAS