72051422R00013 - Attachment J.7 - IEE.pdf

LAC/USAID COLOMBIA/HUMAN RIGHTS FOR PEACE ACTIVITY

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

REQUEST FOR CATEGORICAL

EXCLUSION

PROJECT/ACTIVITY DATA

Project/Activity Name: Human Rights for Peace activity Geographic Location(s) (Country/Region): USAID/Colombia/LAC Amendment (Yes/No), if Yes indicate # (1, 2...): No Implementation Start/End Dates (FY or M/D/Y): FY 2022 -FY2027 If Amended, specify New End Date: N/A Solicitation/Contract/Award Number: TBD Implementing Partner(s): TBD Bureau Tracking ID: LAC-IEE-22-66 Tracking ID of Related RCE/IEE (if any): N/A Tracking ID of Other, Related Analyses: N/A

ORGANIZATIONAL/ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

Implementing Operating Unit(s):

(e.g. Mission or Bureau or Office)

COLOMBIA/Peacebuilding and Governance Office

Other Affected Operating Unit(s): N/A Lead BEO Bureau: LAC Funding Operating Unit(s):

(e.g. Mission or Bureau or Office)

USAID/Colombia/PGO

Funding Account(s) (if available): DR.6.1 Original Funding Amount: $18.000.000 If Amended, specify funding amount: N/A If Amended, specify new funding total: N/A Prepared by: Thea Villate Date Prepared: 01/20/2022

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE REVIEW DATA

Analysis Type: X Request for Categorical Exclusion

Environmental Determination(s): X Categorical Exclusion

Categorical Exclusion Expiration Date (if different from implementation end date):

N/A

Additional Analyses/Reporting Required: N/A Climate Risks Identified (#): Low 14 Moderate __0____ High _0___ Climate Risks Addressed (#): Low 14 Moderate __0____ High _0___

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

THRESHOLD DETERMINATION AND SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

PROJECT/ACTIVITY SUMMARY

The United States Agency for International Development in Colombia (USAID/Colombia) is seeking to implement a five-year Human Rights for Peace activity. The purpose of the activity is to enhance peace and stability in Colombia by strengthening public, private, and civil society actors’ capacities to prevent and protect against human rights violations, for USAID/Colombia’s programming as outlined in the Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2020-2025.

The sub-activities designed under this activity will strengthen human rights prevention and protection approaches. The activity will coordinate with other USAID activities, namely Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities, to maximize effectiveness and impact in its target geography. Sustainability of this Human Rights for Peace activity will be achieved through improved organizational performance, strategic partnerships, and the use of localized, politically-aware, conflict-sensitive, evidence-based, and iterative learning approaches.

The Human Rights for Peace activity has two primary objectives with a supporting special objective (SO) that include:

1. Enhanced prevention of human rights violations

2. Improved protection of human rights defenders

3. Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and

Resilient Communities

This Initial Environmental Examination for the Human Rights for Peace activity is prepared in accordance with USAID Environmental Procedures 216, ADS Chapter 204 Environmental Procedures and MO# 2011-02 Environmental Procedures, under the Development Objective Three - Promote equitable and environmentally sustainable economic growth- contained in USAID/Colombia’s 2020-2025 CDCS.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONS

Per USAID Environmental Procedures, certain classes of actions may qualify for a Categorical Exclusion pursuant to 22 CFR Section 216.2(c)(l) and (2), for which an Initial Environmental Examination, or an Environmental Assessment is not required. The activities described qualify for a categorical exclusion per 22 CFR 216 as follows:

1. Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.);

2. Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings;

The Mission Environmental Officer (MEO) and the Contracting Officer's Representative -COR/ Agreement Officer's Representative AOR will oversee the implementation of appropriate environmental guidelines. Reports on these matters will be submitted by the Mission to LAC/BEO in Washington periodically.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

The following table summarizes the environmental determinations applicable to the specific projects/activities:

TABLE 1: ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONS

Projects/Activities Categorical Exclusion Citation (if applicable) Deferral Objective 1: Enhanced prevention of human rights violations.

IR 1.1 Human rights information systems are strengthened, especially the Early Warning System (EWS).

This IR will enhance institutional human rights information systems’ effectiveness. It will evaluate existing systems and propose improvements, like establishing a shared analytical and operational understanding of how human rights violations are defined and communicated in different government systems. This IR will also strengthen government and non-governmental actors’ abilities to provide reliable and timely information to these systems.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and

IR 1.2 Human rights prevention laws are enforced through coordination between prevention mechanisms. This IR will help enforce existing human rights prevention policies by streamlining relevant policies and implementation mechanisms, including coordination bodies. By working with local and national government institutions, the IR will identify and address the gaps, and improve coordination to more effectively prevent human rights violations. The IR will also strengthen non-governmental actors’ capacity to participate in coordination mechanisms and to work with government institutions, like the Victim’s Participation Roundtable.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, IR 1.3 Non-governmental actors promote government accountability in human rights prevention efforts.

This IR will enhance non-governmental actors’ ability to prevent human rights violations through advocacy and by holding the government accountable to its obligations. The IR will support capacity building activities, and will scale-up best practices for advocacy and oversight, like data-collection, Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018 constructive dialogue, and monitoring and reporting. The IR will also support corporate citizenship actions and responsible business conduct, and encourage companies to adopt best practices to avoid violations caused by, or related to, their activities.

Objective 2: Improved protection of human rights defenders.

IR 2.1 Local and national government protection responsibilities are well defined and implemented. The IR will strengthen the implementation of key protection policies and mechanisms, and improve coordination between local and national institutions with shared responsibilities. This IR will also equip local level institutions with tools and capacities needed to improve their protection of human rights defenders.

The IR will assess the legal and policy barriers that prevent the effective protection of human rights defenders and will propose evidence-based strategies to overcome barriers identified.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, IR 2.2 Citizens and communities scale-up their self, individual, and collective protection strategies.1 This IR will scale-up successful protection strategies and will work with public and private actors to expand current protection efforts to support individuals and communities. Capacity building efforts will be sensitive to the needs of underserved groups, especially youth, women, and ethnic communities. This IR will also adopt Do No Harm approaches to avoid exacerbating situations of risk for human rights defenders and their communities.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, Special IR.2.3 Select human rights defenders are provided support in

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as

1 Protection strategies are understood as all measures implemented in order to reduce the possibility of human rights defenders at risk to suffer physical harm or any other type of harm that prevent them from representing their communities interests. Self-protection strategies are measures that leaders and communities undertake directly. Individual strategies are more like National Protection Unit (NPU) processes protection measures.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

emergency cases.2 This IR will afford a level of flexibility to USAID by allowing the activity to provide on-call technical assistance and emergency funding to protect those individuals at imminent risk of human rights violations. This IR will also enable the human rights activity to assist other USAID activities that work with human rights defenders, and that do not have human rights protection approaches within their designs. Support under this IR will be activated only if Lifeline and other existing mechanisms are inadequate.

construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings;

Special Objective 3: Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities.

Special Objective 3: Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities. The activity will achieve this Special Objective through explicit coordination between, and technical and geographic alignment of, the Human Rights for Peace activity, Inclusive Justice, and Resilient Communities. Coordination and alignment will enable USAID to provide comprehensive support across the lifecycle of human rights cases, from protection to prosecution.

Achieving this Objective will also require close coordination with interagency partners like the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT

The activity is not expected to generate any significant greenhouse gas emissions. The activity will focus on capacity building and knowledge transfer activities to improve accountability and transparency systems and processes. As the activity is focused primarily on technical assistance and capacity building, it will not significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Moreover, ongoing monitoring will ensure that implementation of project activities does not increase greenhouse emissions. Refer to Table 4. Project climate risk management summary table for details.

2 This Special IR includes the possibility of providing support to other activities in the Mission, and it may necessitate the development of a special fund to which different offices can contribute.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

BEO SPECIFIED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL

Safety measures shall be taken to prevent transmission of COVID-19 during activity implementation. Specifically, the implementing partner (IP) will ensure that the following requirements are met:

Ensure compliance with applicable partner country requirements and technical guidelines to prevent COVID-19 transmission over the course of the activities. This includes ensuring staff safety, safety of community members, and adequate management of waste. As appropriate, train staff and beneficiaries on social distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and disinfection. IP may follow WHO and/or CDC guidance as appropriate implementation.

IMPLEMENTATION

In accordance with 22CFR216 and Agency policy, the conditions and requirements of this document become mandatory upon approval. This includes the relevant limitations, conditions and requirements in this document as stated in Section 3 of this RCE and any BEO Specified Conditions of Approval.

This activity will be implemented by a contractor, possibly comprising a consortium of actors, and will be awarded through a full and open competition procurement process. The Human Rights for Peace activity will be implemented through a Cooperative Agreement or contract and USAID/Colombia will designate an Agreement Office Representative (AOR) or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Larry Sacks Digitally signed by Larry Sacks Date: 2022.02.28 10:24:18 -05'00'

Jeremiah Carew Digitally signed by Jeremiah Carew Date: 2022.02.28 08:21:28 -05'00'

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

USAID APPROVAL OF RCE

PROJECT/ACTIVITY NAME: Human Rights For Peace Activity

Bureau Tracking ID: LAC-IEE-22-66

Approval:

Lawrence J. Sacks, Mission Director Date

Clearance:

Christopher Saenger, Acting Deputy Mission Director Date

Emily Wann, Peacebuilding and Governance Office Director

Date

Maria Elena Santana, Mission Environmental Officer

(MEO/CIL)

Date

Clearance:

Diana Shannon, Regional Environmental Advisor (REA) Date

Concurrence:

Bethzaida Colon, Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) Date

DISTRIBUTION: Mission Project Staff

Emily Wann Digitally signed by Emily Wann Date: 2022.02.01 21:47:46 -05'00'

Maria Santana Digitally signed by Maria Santana Date: 2022.02.01 09:05:07 -05'00'

3/2/2022

BETHZAIDA COLON

(affiliate)

Digitally signed by BETHZAIDA COLON (affiliate) Date: 2022.03.04 09:39:09 -05'00'

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

1.0 PROJECT AND ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

1.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF RCE

This document establishes that all proposed tasks under the Human Rights for Peace activity belong to classes of actions eligible for Categorical Exclusions as set out in Agency regulations (22CFR 216.2(c)) and that there are no foreseeable significant direct or indirect impacts that would preclude them from receiving a Categorical Exclusion. Upon approval of this document, the Categorical Exclusions are affirmed for the project/activity. This analysis also documents the results of the project/activity level Climate Risk Management process in accordance with USAID policy (specifically, ADS 201 mandatory reference 201mal). Refer to Table 4. Project climate risk management summary table for details. This RCE is a critical element of a mandatory environmental review and compliance process meant to achieve environmentally sound activity design and implementation. This new standalone RCE document has been prepared to cover ongoing activities under this project.

This Initial Environmental Examination for the Human Rights for Peace activity is prepared in accordance with USAID Environmental Procedures 216, ADS Chapter 204 Environmental Procedures and MO# 2011-02 Environmental Procedures, under the Development Objective Three - Promote equitable and environmentally sustainable economic growth- contained in USAID/Colombia’s 2020-2025 CDCS.

1.2 PROJECT OVERVIEW

The purpose of the Human Rights for Peace activity is to enhance peace and stability in Colombia by strengthening public, private, and civil society actors’ capacities to prevent and protect against human rights violations for USAID/Colombia’s programming as outlined in the Country Development Cooperation Strategy.

The activities designed will be to enhance institutional human rights information systems’ effectiveness. It will evaluate existing systems and propose improvements, like establishing a shared analytical and operational understanding of how human rights violations are defined and communicated in different government systems. It will strengthen government and non-governmental actors’ abilities to provide reliable and timely information to these systems.

The activities will also help enforce existing human rights prevention policies by streamlining relevant policies and implementation mechanisms, including coordination bodies. By working with local and national government institutions, the IR will identify and address the gaps, and improve coordination to more effectively prevent human rights violations. The IR will also strengthen non-governmental actors’ capacity to participate in coordination mechanisms and to work with government institutions, like the Victim’s Participation Roundtable.

Additionally, it will enhance non-governmental actors’ ability to prevent human rights violations through advocacy and by holding the government accountable to its obligations. It will support capacity-building activities and will scale up best practices for advocacy and oversight, like data-collection, constructive dialogue, and monitoring and reporting. The IR will also support corporate citizenship actions and responsible business conduct and encourage companies to adopt best practices to avoid violations caused by, or related to, their activities.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

Under the protection sector, it will strengthen the implementation of key protection policies and mechanisms, and improve coordination between local and national institutions with shared responsibilities. This IR will also equip local level institutions with tools and capacities needed to improve their protection of human rights defenders. It will assess the legal and policy barriers that prevent the effective protection of human rights defenders and will propose evidence-based strategies to overcome barriers identified.

Additionally, it will scale up successful protection strategies and will work with public and private actors to expand current protection efforts to support individuals and communities. Capacity-building efforts will be sensitive to the needs of underserved groups, especially youth, women, and ethnic communities. It will also adopt Do No Harm approaches to avoid exacerbating situations of risk for human rights defenders and their communities.

It will also under the Special IR.2.3 will provide support to emergency cases to select human rights defenders, affording a level of flexibility to USAID by allowing the activity to provide on-call technical assistance and emergency funding to protect those individuals at imminent risk of human rights violations.

Finally, it will have a Special Objective that will allow explicit coordination between, and technical and geographic alignment of, the Human Rights for Peace activity, Inclusive Justice, and Resilient Communities. Coordination and alignment will enable USAID to provide comprehensive support across the lifecycle of human rights cases, from protection to prosecution.

1.3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Development Hypothesis

IF there is enhanced prevention of human rights violations in Colombia, improved protection of human rights defenders, and strengthened response to human rights violations, THEN Colombia will become a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous society where human rights are fulfilled.

Objective 1: Enhanced prevention of human rights violations.

IR 1.1 Human rights information systems are strengthened, especially the Early Warning System (EWS). This IR will enhance institutional human rights information systems’ effectiveness. It will evaluate existing systems and propose improvements, like establishing a shared analytical and operational understanding of how human rights violations are defined and communicated in different government systems. This IR will also strengthen government and non-governmental actors’ abilities to provide reliable and timely information to these systems.

IR 1.2 Human rights prevention laws are enforced through coordination between prevention mechanisms. This IR will help enforce existing human rights prevention policies by streamlining relevant policies and implementation mechanisms, including coordination bodies.

By working with local and national government institutions, the IR will identify and address the gaps, and improve coordination to more effectively prevent human rights violations. The IR will also strengthen non-governmental actors’ capacity to participate in coordination mechanisms, and to work with government institutions, like the Victim’s Participation Roundtable.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

IR 1.3 Non-governmental actors promote government accountability in human rights prevention efforts. This IR will enhance non-governmental actors’ ability to prevent human rights violations through advocacy and by holding the government accountable to its obligations.

The IR will support capacity building activities, and will scale-up best practices for advocacy and oversight, like data-collection, constructive dialogue, and monitoring and reporting. The IR will also support corporate citizenship actions and responsible business conduct, and encourage companies to adopt best practices to avoid violations caused by, or related to, their activities.

Objective 2: Improved protection of human rights defenders.

IR 2.1 Local and national government protection responsibilities are well defined and implemented. The IR will strengthen the implementation of key protection policies and mechanisms, and improve coordination between local and national institutions with shared responsibilities. This IR will also equip local level institutions with tools and capacities needed to improve their protection of human rights defenders. The IR will assess the legal and policy barriers that prevent the effective protection of human rights defenders, and will propose evidence-based strategies to overcome barriers identified.

IR 2.2 Citizens and communities scale-up their self, individual, and collective protection strategies.3 This IR will scale-up successful protection strategies and will work with public and private actors to expand current protection efforts to support individuals and communities.

Capacity building efforts will be sensitive to the needs of underserved groups, especially youth, women, and ethnic communities. This IR will also adopt Do No Harm approaches to avoid exacerbating situations of risk for human rights defenders and their communities.

Special IR.2.3 Select human rights defenders are provided support in emergency cases.4 This IR will afford a level of flexibility to USAID by allowing the activity to provide on-call technical assistance and emergency funding to protect those individuals at imminent risk of human rights violations. This IR will also enable the human rights activity to assist other USAID activities that work with human rights defenders, and that do not have human rights protection approaches within their designs. Support under this IR will be activated only if Lifeline and other existing mechanisms are inadequate.

Special Objective 3: Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities. The activity will achieve this Special Objective through explicit coordination between, and technical and geographic alignment of, the Human Rights for Peace activity, Inclusive Justice, and Resilient Communities. Coordination and alignment will enable USAID to provide comprehensive support across the lifecycle of human rights cases, from protection to prosecution. Achieving this Objective will also require close coordination with

3 Protection strategies are understood as all measures implemented in order to reduce the possibility of human rights defenders at risk to suffer physical harm or any other type of harm that prevent them from representing their communities interests. Self-protection strategies are measures that leaders and communities undertake directly. Individual strategies are more like National Protection Unit (NPU) processes protection measures.

4 This Special IR includes the possibility of providing support to other activities in the Mission, and it may necessitate the development of a special fund to which different offices can contribute.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

interagency partners like the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

The Human Rights for Peace activity will advance Development Objective 1, build a more cohesive and inclusive society resilient to conflict, under USAID/Colombia’s 2020-2025 CDCS.

The activity will also support Development Objective 2, strengthen governance to meet citizen needs and increase citizen confidence in the state. The activity will contribute to IR 1.1 by advancing commitments made in the Peace Accord by promoting the prevention and protection of human rights defenders with a geographically focused and gender based approach. The activity will contribute to IR 1.2 by enhancing citizen confidence in local authorities and by advancing advocacy and oversight by CSOs, community actors, and the private sector. Finally, by enhancing institutional capacities and services, the activity will contribute to IR 2.1, expanded state presence and more community-responsive state service delivery systems.

TABLE 2: DEFINED OR ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIVITIES AND SUB-ACTIVITIES

Objective 1: Enhanced prevention of human rights violations.

IR 1.1 Human rights information systems are strengthened, especially the Early Warning System (EWS). This IR will enhance institutional human rights information systems’ effectiveness. It will evaluate existing systems and propose improvements, like establishing a shared analytical and operational understanding of how human rights violations are defined and communicated in different government systems. This IR will also strengthen government and non-governmental actors’ abilities to provide reliable and timely information to these systems.

IR 1.2 Human rights prevention laws are enforced through coordination between prevention mechanisms. This IR will help enforce existing human rights prevention policies by streamlining relevant policies and implementation mechanisms, including coordination bodies. By working with local and national government institutions, the IR will identify and address the gaps, and improve coordination to more effectively prevent human rights violations. The IR will also strengthen non-governmental actors’ capacity to participate in coordination mechanisms and to work with government institutions, like the Victim’s Participation Roundtable IR 1.3 Non-governmental actors promote government accountability in human rights prevention efforts.

This IR will enhance non-governmental actors’ ability to prevent human rights violations through advocacy and by holding the government accountable to its obligations. The IR will support capacity building activities, and will scale-up best practices for advocacy and oversight, like data-collection, constructive dialogue, and monitoring and reporting. The IR will also support corporate citizenship actions and responsible business conduct, and encourage companies to adopt best practices to avoid violations caused by, or related to, their activities.

Objective 2: Improved protection of human rights defenders.

IR 2.1: Local and national government protection responsibilities are well defined and implemented.

The IR will strengthen the implementation of key protection policies and mechanisms, and improve coordination between local and national institutions with shared responsibilities. This IR will also equip local level institutions with tools and capacities needed to improve their protection of human rights defenders. The IR will assess the legal and policy barriers that prevent the effective protection of human rights defenders, and will propose evidence-based strategies to overcome barriers identified.

IR 2.2: Citizens and communities scale-up their self, individual, and collective protection strategies.

This IR will scale-up successful protection strategies and will work with public and private actors to expand current protection efforts to support individuals and communities. Capacity building efforts will be sensitive to the needs of underserved groups, especially youth, women, and ethnic communities.

This IR will also adopt Do No Harm approaches to avoid exacerbating situations of risk for human rights defenders and their communities.

Special IR 2.3:Select human rights defenders are provided support in emergency cases. This IR will afford a level of flexibility to USAID by allowing the activity to provide on-call technical assistance and emergency funding to protect those individuals at imminent risk of human rights violations. This IR will

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

also enable the human rights activity to assist other USAID activities that work with human rights defenders, and that do not have human rights protection approaches within their designs. Support under this IR will be activated only if Lifeline and other existing mechanisms are inadequate.

Special Objective 3: Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities.

Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities. The activity will achieve this Special Objective through explicit coordination between, and technical and geographic alignment of, the Human Rights for Peace activity, Inclusive Justice, and Resilient Communities. Coordination and alignment will enable USAID to provide comprehensive support across the lifecycle of human rights cases, from protection to prosecution. Achieving this Objective will also require close coordination with interagency partners like the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

2.1 JUSTIFICATION FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION

The sub-activities under the Human Rights for Peace activity are among the classes of actions listed in 22CFR216.2(c)(2) and have no foreseeable significant direct or indirect adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, under 22CFR216.2(c)(1), neither an IEE nor an EA will be required for these activities. Instead, a Categorical Exclusion is recommended for the activity described above in Section 1.3 as follows:

TABLE 3: RECOMMENDED DETERMINATION FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION

Projects/Activities Categorical Exclusion Citation (if applicable)

Deferral

Objective 1:Enhanced prevention of human rights violations.

IR 1.1 Human rights information systems are strengthened, especially the Early Warning System (EWS). This IR will enhance institutional human rights information systems’ effectiveness. It will evaluate existing systems and propose improvements, like establishing a shared analytical and operational understanding of how human rights violations are defined and communicated in different government systems. This IR will also strengthen government and non-governmental actors’ abilities to provide reliable and timely information to these systems.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings;

IR 1.2 Human rights prevention laws are enforced through coordination between prevention mechanisms. This IR will help enforce existing human rights prevention policies by streamlining relevant policies and implementation mechanisms, including coordination bodies. By working with local and national government institutions, the IR will identify and address the gaps, and improve coordination to more effectively prevent human rights violations. The IR will

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018 also strengthen non-governmental actors’ capacity to participate in coordination mechanisms, and to work with government institutions, like the Victim’s Participation Roundtable.

IR 1.3 Non-governmental actors promote government accountability in human rights prevention efforts. This IR will enhance non-governmental actors’ ability to prevent human rights violations through advocacy and by holding the government accountable to its obligations. The IR will support capacity building activities, and will scale-up best practices for advocacy and oversight, like data-collection, constructive dialogue, and monitoring and reporting. The IR will also support corporate citizenship actions and responsible business conduct, and encourage companies to adopt best practices to avoid violations caused by, or related to, their activities.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, Objective 2: Improved protection of human rights defenders.

IR 2.1 Local and national government protection responsibilities are well defined and implemented. The IR will strengthen the implementation of key protection policies and mechanisms, and improve coordination between local and national institutions with shared responsibilities. This IR will also equip local level institutions with tools and capacities needed to improve their protection of human rights defenders.

The IR will assess the legal and policy barriers that prevent the effective protection of human rights defenders, and will propose evidence-based strategies to overcome barriers identified.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, IR 2.2 Citizens and communities scale-up their self, individual, and collective protection strategies. This IR will scale-up successful protection strategies and will work with public and private actors to expand current protection efforts to support individuals and communities. Capacity building efforts will be sensitive to the needs of underserved groups, especially youth, women, and ethnic communities. This IR will also adopt Do No Harm approaches to avoid exacerbating situations of risk for human rights defenders and their communities.

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, Special IR.2.3 Select human rights defenders are provided support in emergency cases. This IR will afford a level of flexibility to USAID by allowing the

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

activity to provide on-call technical assistance and emergency funding to protect those individuals at imminent risk of human rights violations. This IR will also enable the human rights activity to assist other USAID activities that work with human rights defenders, and that do not have human rights protection approaches within their designs. Support under this IR will be activated only if Lifeline and other existing mechanisms are inadequate.

affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings;

Special Objective 3: Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities.

Special Objective 3: Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities. The activity will achieve this Special Objective through explicit coordination between, and technical and geographic alignment of, the Human Rights for Peace activity, Inclusive Justice, and Resilient Communities.

Coordination and alignment will enable USAID to provide comprehensive support across the lifecycle of human rights cases, from protection to prosecution. Achieving this Objective will also require close coordination with interagency partners like the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Section 216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.)

Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, No work is planned for protected areas. If work does occur in protected areas in sites to be determined in the future, the IEE will need to be amended to reflect work in protected areas.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

2.2 CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT

TABLE 4. PROJECT CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT SUMMARY TABLE

Tasks/Defined or Illustrative Interventions

Climate Risks5 Risk Rating6 How Risks are Addressed7 Opportunities to Strengthen Climate Resilience8

IR 1.1 Human rights information systems are strengthened, especially the Early Warning System (EWS). This IR will enhance institutional human rights information systems’ effectiveness. It will evaluate existing systems and propose improvements, like establishing a shared analytical and operational understanding of how human rights violations are defined and communicated in different government systems. This IR will also strengthen government and non-governmental actors’ abilities to provide reliable and timely information to these systems.

Disruption of services due to extreme climate change impacts on damage to infrastructure or interruption in services.

Low Risk Incorporate changes in precipitation patterns when planning meetings, workshops, surveys, training, routes, field visits and monitoring requirements to reduce risks and ensure strategies withstand climate variability.

N/A

Planning vulnerability due to damage caused by extreme climate events.

Low Risk Provide technical support to local communities and institutions to incorporate changes in weather patterns and vulnerable areas in all planning tools to reduce risks and ensure planning strategies that withstand climate variability. This technical support will improve access to climate information to support decision making.

N/A

5 List key risks related to the defined/illustrative interventions identified in the screening and additional assessment.

6 Low/Moderate/ High 7 Describe how risks have been addressed in activity design and/or additional steps that will be taken in implementation. If you choose to accept the risk, briefly explain why.

8 Describe opportunities to achieve multiple development objectives by integrating climate resilience or mitigation measures

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

IR 1.2 Human rights prevention laws are enforced through coordination between prevention mechanisms. This IR will help enforce existing human rights prevention policies by streamlining relevant policies and implementation mechanisms, including coordination bodies. By working with local and national government institutions, the IR will identify and address the gaps, and improve coordination to more effectively prevent human rights violations. The IR will also strengthen non-governmental actors’ capacity to participate in coordination mechanisms, and to work with government institutions, like the Victim’s Participation Roundtable.

Disruption of services due to extreme climate change impacts on damage to infrastructure or interruption in services.

Low Risk Incorporate changes in precipitation patterns when planning meetings, workshops, surveys, training, routes, field visits and monitoring requirements to reduce risks and ensure strategies withstand climate variability.

N/A

Planning vulnerability due to damage caused by extreme climate events

Low Risk Provide technical support to local communities and institutions to incorporate changes in weather patterns and vulnerable areas in all planning tools to reduce risks and ensure strategies that withstand climate variability. This technical support will improve access to climate information to support decision making.

N/A

IR 1.3 Non-governmental actors promote government accountability in human rights prevention efforts. This IR will enhance non-governmental actors’ ability to prevent human rights violations through advocacy and by holding the government accountable to its obligations. The IR will support capacity building activities, and will scale-up best practices for advocacy and oversight, like data-collection, constructive dialogue, and monitoring and reporting. The IR will also support corporate citizenship actions and responsible business conduct, and encourage companies to adopt best

Disruption of services due to extreme climate change impacts on damage to infrastructure or interruption in services.

Low Risk Incorporate changes in precipitation patterns when planning meetings, workshops, surveys, training, routes, field visits and monitoring requirements to reduce risks and ensure strategies withstand climate variability.

N/A

Planning vulnerability due to damage caused by extreme climate events

Low Risk Provide technical support to local communities and institutions to incorporate changes in weather patterns and vulnerable areas in all planning tools to reduce risks and ensure strategies that withstand

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

practices to avoid violations caused by, or related to, their activities.

climate variability. This technical support will improve access to climate information to support decision making.

IR 2.1 Local and national government protection responsibilities are well defined and implemented. The IR will strengthen the implementation of key protection policies and mechanisms, and improve coordination between local and national institutions with shared responsibilities.

This IR will also equip local level institutions with tools and capacities needed to improve their protection of human rights defenders. The IR will assess the legal and policy barriers that prevent the effective protection of human rights defenders, and will propose evidence-based strategies to overcome barriers identified.

Disruption of services due to extreme climate change impacts on damage to infrastructure or interruption in services.

Low Risk Incorporate changes in precipitation patterns when planning meetings, workshops, surveys, training, routes, field visits and monitoring requirements to reduce risks and ensure strategies withstand climate variability.

Planning vulnerability due to damage caused by extreme climate events

Low Risk Provide technical support to local communities and institutions to incorporate changes in weather patterns and vulnerable areas in all planning tools to reduce risks and ensure strategies that withstand climate variability. This technical support will improve access to climate information to support decision making

IR 2.2 Citizens and communities scale-up their self, individual, and collective protection strategies. This IR will scale-up successful protection strategies and will work with public and private actors to expand current protection efforts to support individuals and communities.

Capacity building efforts will be sensitive to the needs of underserved groups, especially youth, women, and ethnic communities. This IR will also adopt Do No Harm approaches to avoid exacerbating situations of risk for human rights defenders and their communities.

Disruption of services due to extreme climate change impacts on damage to infrastructure or interruption in services.

Low Risk Incorporate changes in precipitation patterns when planning meetings, workshops, surveys, training, routes, field visits and monitoring requirements to reduce risks and ensure strategies withstand climate variability.

N/A

Planning vulnerability due to damage caused

Low Risk Provide technical support to local communities and institutions to incorporate changes in weather patterns and vulnerable areas in all

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

by extreme climate events planning tools to reduce risks and ensure strategies that withstand climate variability. This technical support will improve access to climate information to support decision making.

Special IR.2.3 Select human rights defenders are provided support in emergency cases. This IR will afford a level of flexibility to USAID by allowing the activity to provide on-call technical assistance and emergency funding to protect those individuals at imminent risk of human rights violations. This IR will also enable the human rights activity to assist other USAID activities that work with human rights defenders, and that do not have human rights protection approaches within their designs. Support under this IR will be activated only if Lifeline and other existing mechanisms are inadequate.

Disruption of services due to extreme climate change impacts on damage to infrastructure or interruption in services.

Low Risk Incorporate changes in precipitation patterns when planning meetings, workshops, surveys, training, routes, field visits and monitoring requirements to reduce risks and ensure strategies withstand climate variability.

N/A

Planning vulnerability due to damage caused by extreme climate events

Low Risk Provide technical support to local communities and institutions to incorporate changes in weather patterns and vulnerable areas in all planning tools to reduce risks and ensure strategies that withstand climate variability. This technical support will improve access to climate information to support decision making.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

Special Objective 3: Strengthened response to human rights violations through Inclusive Justice and Resilient Communities. The activity will achieve this Special Objective through explicit coordination between, and technical and geographic alignment of, the Human Rights for Peace activity, Inclusive Justice, and Resilient Communities. Coordination and alignment will enable USAID to provide comprehensive support across the lifecycle of human rights cases, from protection to prosecution. Achieving this Objective will also require close coordination with interagency partners like the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

(INL).

Disruption of services due to extreme climate change impacts on damage to infrastructure or interruption in services.

Low Risk Incorporate changes in precipitation patterns when planning meetings, workshops, surveys, training, routes, field visits and monitoring requirements to reduce risks and ensure strategies withstand climate variability.

N/A

Planning vulnerability due to damage caused by extreme climate events

Low Risk Provide technical support to local communities and institutions to incorporate changes in weather patterns and vulnerable areas in all planning tools to reduce risks and ensure strategies that withstand climate variability. This technical support will improve access to climate information to support decision making.

USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 2, APRIL 2018

3.0 LIMITATIONS OF THE CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION

The categorical exclusions recommended in this document apply only to projects/activities and sub-activities described herein.

Other projects/activities that may arise must be subject to an environmental analysis and the appropriate documentation prepared and approved, whether it be a new Request for Categorical Exclusion, an amendment, or other type of 22CFR216 document.

It is confirmed that the projects/activities described herein do not involve actions normally having a significant effect on the environment, including those described in 22CFR216.2(d).

3.1 MANDATORY INCLUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS IN

SOLICITATIONS, AWARDS, BUDGETS, AND WORK PLANS

USAID will ensure the environmental compliance requirements are incorporated into solicitations, awards, budgets, and work plans, including relevant limitations of Section 3 above.

In addition, climate risk management requirements will also be incorporated.

3.2 GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION & MONITORING REQUIREMENTS (IF APPLICABLE)

USAID will ensure that the following requirements are met:

● Provide briefings for Implementing Partner (IP) on environmental compliance responsibilities

● Ensure integration of compliance responsibilities in prime and sub-awards and grant agreements;

● Ensure compliance with applicable partner country requirements

● Annual review of project activities to ensure that scope is still covered by Categorical Exclusion

ATTACHMENTS

None