FY21 Statement of Interest NOFO.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Notice of Funding Opportunity – Stage 1: Statement of Interest

Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of State

Program Office: Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, International Programs Section

Funding Opportunity Title: 2021 TIP Office Notice of Funding Opportunity

– Stage 1: Statement of Interest

Announcement Type: 2021 TIP Office Initial Notification of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity: SFOP0008251 Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number(s): 19.019 Deadline for Applications: August 2, 2021 5:00 p.m. EDT

FULL TEXT OF NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) announces an open competition for 2021 projects to combat trafficking in persons outside of the United States. Informed by the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report and current anti-trafficking programming, and in consultation with other offices in the U.S. government, the TIP Office has identified 21 programming priorities for funding. These programming priorities are listed under the 2021 Programming Priorities section starting on page five in this document.

The TIP Office will allocate funding for anti-trafficking projects through an open, two-stage competitive process. In stage one of competition, also known as the statement of interest (SOI) stage, applicants are invited to submit a two-page SOI, detailing how the organization would address regional priorities highlighted in the funding opportunity through projects. Upon completion of a technical and programmatic review, the TIP Office will select a limited number of SOI applicants for further consideration in the second stage of the competitive process.

In the second stage of the competitive process, selected applicants are invited to submit full proposals, building on the concepts described in their two-page SOIs.

In the second stage of the competitive process, applicants will be required to submit additional documentation, including but not limited to budget forms, resumes/CVs for key personnel, monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning plans, and Letters of Intent to cooperate with partners.

The TIP Office welcomes strong SOI applications for projects that align with U.S.

government priorities and the TIP Office’s country and regional programming priorities listed on page five, address human trafficking challenges on a significant scale, and offer the potential to have a systemic and sustainable impact, among other factors.

Applicants are responsible for reviewing and incorporating the Guidelines for

Submitting TIP Office Statements of Interest (SOI)

(https://www.state.gov/guidelines-for-submitting-tip-office-statements-of-interest-soi/) and TIP Office Common Questions and Answers (SOI)

(https://www.state.gov/tip-office-funding-opportunity-common-questions-and-answers-soi/), which include new guidance on preparing SOI documents.

Applicants that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be rated as highly as those who do. The documents are available on the TIP Office website, SAMS

Domestic, and grants.gov.

Applications for this funding opportunity must be submitted via SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants) by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on August 2, 2021 to be eligible for consideration. If an organization has difficulty submitting an application near the deadline, their application will only be accepted late if they open a ticket with the ILMS Support Desk to resolve the problem prior to the deadline. A ticket with the Support Desk can only be opened by calling 1 (888) 313-4567 or submitting a ticket through the ILMS Self Service Portal (https://afsitsm.serivce-now.com/ilms/home). To be competitive under this funding opportunity, applicants must be fully responsive to all directions in this document. Please pay special attention to all font, font size, document types, and formatting requirements.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 USC 7101 et seq.), as amended (TVPA), established the TIP Office in the U.S. Department of State. The TIP Office leads the United States’ global engagement on the fight against human trafficking and seeks partnerships with foreign governments, civil society organizations, and multilateral organizations to combat human trafficking through https://www.state.gov/guidelines-for-submitting-tip-office-statements-of-interest-soi/ https://www.state.gov/guidelines-for-submitting-tip-office-statements-of-interest-soi/ https://www.state.gov/tip-office-funding-opportunity-common-questions-and-answers-soi/ https://www.state.gov/tip-office-funding-opportunity-common-questions-and-answers-soi/ https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants https://afsitsm.serivce-now.com/ilms/home the “3P” paradigm: prosecuting traffickers through victim-centered and trauma-informed law enforcement, protecting trafficking victims through proactive identification and the provision of comprehensive, trauma-informed care, and preventing trafficking in persons by making it more difficult or risky for traffickers to commit the crime. The TIP Office also recognizes the importance of partnerships and collaborative efforts with relevant governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in anti-trafficking work. TIP Office programs and projects combat human trafficking – a crime involving compelling a person to work or engage in a commercial sex act through the traffickers use of force, fraud, or coercion. It should be noted that when a person younger than 18 is used to perform a commercial sex act, it is a crime regardless of whether there is any force, fraud, or coercion. The two primary forms of human trafficking are sex trafficking and forced labor.

The U.S. government defines “trafficking in persons” as:

• Sex Trafficking – encompasses the range of activities involved when a trafficker uses force, fraud, or coercion to compel another person to engage in a commercial sex act or causes a child to engage in a commercial sex act.

• Forced Labor – also referred to as “labor trafficking,” encompasses the range of activities involved when a person uses force, fraud, or coercion to obtain the labor or services of another person.

Trafficking in persons does not require the movement of a person. Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and generally consistent with the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially

Women and Children (Palermo Protocol), individuals may be trafficking victims regardless of whether they once consented, they participated in unlawful acts their traffickers compelled them to commit, someone transported them into the exploitative situation, or they were simply born into a state of servitude. The TIP Office will not support projects that use alternate definitions of trafficking.

The TVPA requires that the Department of State submit to Congress an annual report assessing the efforts of governments to address trafficking in persons. The annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the primary tool for the Department’s engagement with other governments on human trafficking and informs U.S. policy and assistance priorities to combat this crime. The 2021 TIP Report is available at: https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/.

https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/ https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/

Since 2000, when the United Nations adopted the Palermo Protocol and the United States enacted the TVPA, the number of parties to the Protocol has reached 178.

In addition, a majority of countries have criminalized all forms of trafficking, and many countries have established specialized law enforcement units, set up trafficking victim assistance mechanisms, and launched public awareness campaigns. Nonetheless, the number of victims identified and assisted, and the number of traffickers investigated, prosecuted, and convicted remain low relative to the size of the problem; and governments continue to face challenges in effectively implementing anti-trafficking legal and policy frameworks.

The TIP Office works to address these challenges through its foreign assistance programs. Information on U.S. government anti-trafficking efforts is available at https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking/ and a summary of international projects currently funded by the TIP Office is available at https://www.state.gov/tip-office-project-descriptions/.

2021 GRANT COMPETITION OVERVIEW

This funding opportunity announces the first of two stages of the 2021 open and competitive process to award grants or cooperative agreements. In this stage, applicants submit a Statement of Interest (SOI), which includes a two-page narrative of the proposed project. Applicants must submit separate SOI applications for each country or regional programming priority identified in this funding opportunity if pursuing multiple awards. The required SOI project narrative template and guidelines for submitting applications are available on SAMS Domestic and the TIP Office website. Following a technical review, each SOI will undergo a thorough substantive content review of the proposed concepts.

Applicants selected for further consideration in the second stage of the competitive process will be subject to a TIP Office risk assessment process that may include a pre-award site visit. The assessment may consider a variety of risk factors, including: (1) Financial stability of the applicant; (2) Quality of management systems and ability to meet prescribed management standards; (3) Past performance in managing previous federal awards, if applicable, including compliance with reporting requirements, conformance to the award’s terms and conditions, and the extent to which previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards; (4) Reports and findings from available audits; and (5)

Applicant ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements applicable to non-Federal entities.

https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking/ https://www.state.gov/tip-office-project-descriptions/ https://www.state.gov/tip-office-project-descriptions/

Any funds awarded under this funding opportunity will be provided through a grant or cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement provides for “substantial involvement” between the agency — in this case the TIP Office — and the recipient during the award’s period of performance. If awarded as a cooperative agreement, the TIP Office will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement. Examples of substantial involvement by the TIP Office may include, but are not limited to, reviewing and approving project materials, training curricula, and reviewing evaluation plans produced by recipients and sub-recipients. Projects funded by resources leveraged from other donors are not subject to TIP Office approval.

2021 PROGRAMMING PRIORITIES

The TIP Office has identified 21 regional and country programming priorities for potential funding. These priorities are heavily informed by recommendations from the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, coordination with a broad range of anti-trafficking donors, and engagement with foreign governments and local civil society, and are based on the TIP Office’s current anti-trafficking efforts.

The TIP Office generally prioritizes foreign assistance in those countries assessed below Tier 1 in the TIP Report and where governments demonstrate political will but lack the economic resources or anti-trafficking expertise to effectively address the problem. The 2021 programming priorities below are listed by geographic region. Priorities were developed by reviewing recent TIP Report assessments and human trafficking trends; consulting with intra- and interagency policy and programming stakeholders; and considering current and planned programming from this office, other U.S. government agencies, and other public and private donors.

To be eligible for consideration, SOIs must respond to at least one of the specific programming priority areas and countries or regions identified below.

The TIP Office may fund activities in high-income countries, but the use of foreign assistance funding to benefit a high-income country requires additional review.

Applicants should ensure that inclusion of high-income countries is responsive to the TIP Office's regional and country priorities. The TIP Office considers high-income countries to be those designed as high income by the World Bank using the gross national income (GNI) per capita (Atlas method). The current threshold for high-income countries (based on 2019 data) is a GNI per capita of $12,536 or more.

AFRICA (AF)

East Africa Programming

In the FY 2021 NOFO, the key priorities for Sudan are to proactively identify, refer, and assist victims of trafficking.

1. (Bilateral – Sudan) – Protection – Sudan has a significant trafficking problem;

however, the government has demonstrated political will by amending its anti-trafficking legal framework. Since the April 2019 removal of the Bashir regime, the Civilian-Led Transitional Government (CLTG) has demonstrated a willingness to engage on broad human rights issues, including acknowledging sex trafficking for the first time. The reform-minded Ministry of Justice has provided political support to the National Council to Combat Human

Trafficking (NCCHT); however, law enforcement, judicial, and social affairs officials require a concerted influx of training and resources to strengthen the country’s anti-trafficking response. The time is ripe for significant programming to help Sudan strengthen its national response to combat trafficking.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to build on previous and current efforts from anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) institutionalize a National Referral Mechanism between state actors and civil society to facilitate more effective identification of trafficking victims, separate from smuggling of migrants and/or 2) improve comprehensive services for victims of trafficking through the provision of shelter, trauma-informed mental health counseling, and medical and legal assistance. Applicants should focus solely on Sudan. Applicants may choose to address one or both programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding.

Applicants should also demonstrate government buy-in for project objectives.

Project proposals should be no more than 60 months in duration.

Southern & Central Africa Programming

In the FY 2021 NOFO, the key priorities for Eswatini, Malawi, and South Africa are to support the coordination and collaboration of anti-trafficking efforts at the national, provincial, and district levels and to promote proactive screening, identification, referral, and protection measures for victims of trafficking.

1. (Bilateral – Eswatini) – Prevention and Protection – Despite moderate efforts to combat human trafficking in Eswatini over the last five years, key gaps in prevention and protection efforts left many trafficking victims unidentified and/or lacking in victim-centered and trauma-informed care. As acknowledged in the 2019, 2020, and 2021 TIP Reports, poor performance by leadership personnel at the anti-trafficking secretariat remained the principal obstacle to progress on trafficking. Recognizing advances in the government’s recent engagement in developing shelter guidelines and the first shelter for victims of trafficking and gender-based violence, the TIP Office seeks to build on existing initiatives to advance protection efforts in Eswatini.

previous and current efforts from anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) support the TIP Secretariat to fulfill its statutory responsibilities, including implementing the national action plan; and/or 2) promote efforts to proactively screen, identify, refer, and protect trafficking victims through a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach. Applications should focus solely on Eswatini.

Applicants may choose to address one or both programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Applicants should seek government buy-in for project activities where appropriate. Project proposals should be no more than 36 months in duration.

2. (Bilateral – Malawi) – Prevention and Protection – In the last several years, the Government of Malawi significantly increased anti-trafficking efforts to support prevention and protection efforts, including launching a communications strategy, implementing standardized procedures to identify and refer victims of trafficking, opening the first four official shelters for survivors of trafficking and developing shelter guidelines, establishing district-level committees to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts, and releasing a protocol to combat human trafficking in a refugee camp. Despite continued efforts, key gaps in protection measures impede efforts to proactively screen, identify, refer, and provide services for trafficking victims in a systematic effort within Malawi and with neighboring countries. The TIP Office seeks to build on these successes to advance protection efforts at the national and district level in Malawi.

previous and current efforts from anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) build the capacity of front-line officials to proactively screen, identify, refer, and protect victims of trafficking in line with the National Referral Mechanism and/or 2) support coordination at the district level among anti-trafficking actors (civil society and government officials) within Malawi and with neighboring countries. Applicants should focus solely on Malawi but may include efforts to collaborate and coordinate with neighboring countries. Applicants should preliminarily identify specific locations in Malawi to work in, with the understanding these can be refined early on in the project. Applicants may choose to address one or both programming initiatives in their application.

Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Applicants should seek government buy-in for project activities where appropriate. Project proposals should be no more than 60 months in duration.

3. (Bilateral – South Africa) – Prevention and Protection – South Africa is critical to understanding the pervasiveness of human trafficking and addressing the crime of human trafficking within the entire Southern Africa region. While the government has made limited efforts under the National Policy Framework to improve coordination and build the capacity of anti-trafficking actors through standard operating procedures, key gaps in prevention and protection efforts leave many trafficking victims unidentified and traffickers unprosecuted.

Despite recently developed standard operating procedures on victim assistance, poor understanding of human trafficking and lack of awareness surrounding actors’ roles in the referral process continue to hinder anti-trafficking efforts. In 2020, the government identified substantially fewer victims and only referred approximately half of those identified to care.

previous and current efforts from anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) support border officials, law enforcement, immigration officials, and communities with a high prevalence of trafficking to understand their role in proactively screening, identifying, and referring cases of trafficking using a victim-centered approach and standard operating procedures, as applicable; and/or 2) build the capacity of national and provincial task force teams on victim identification and assistance, with a focus on building coordination and communication.

Applicants should preliminarily identify specific locations to work in South Africa, with the understanding that these locations can be refined early in the project. Applicants may choose to address one or both programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding.

Applicants should acknowledge the challenges of corruption and official complicity as it relates to human trafficking and seek government buy-in for project activities where appropriate. Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

West Africa Programming

In the FY 2021 NOFO, the key priorities for Niger and Regional West Africa programming are to support the coordination and collaboration of anti-trafficking efforts; support proactive screening, identification, referrals, and assistance to victims of trafficking; and develop a transformational, long-term prevention and protection program.

1. (Bilateral – Niger) – Prevention and Protection – Despite a robust national legal framework that criminalizes both labor and sex trafficking, the launch of a National Referral Mechanism, efforts to build a national human trafficking database, and progressive improvements in recent years in the number of arrests, investigations, and prosecutions, most human trafficking cases in Niger remain unidentified and, therefore, unprosecuted. The lack of information and awareness of human trafficking, limited coordination among anti-trafficking stakeholders, insufficiently implemented victim protection systems, and poor investigation and prosecution capacity continue to hinder anti-trafficking efforts.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office seeks applications to build on previous and current efforts from anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) build the capacity of front-line officials to proactively screen, identify, and refer victims of trafficking in line with the National Referral Mechanism; 2) support coordination among anti-trafficking actors within Niger and with neighboring countries and raise awareness on human trafficking in key transit areas for migrants, smugglers, refugees, and asylum seekers; and/or 3) provide services to identified human trafficking victims. Applicants may choose to address one or more programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Applicants should seek government buy-in for project activities where appropriate. The security situation in Niger remains dynamic, with three regions under formal government state of emergency protocols. Applicants should be aware of areas of insecurity and create alternative programming if current or future areas of insecurity become unavailable for programming. Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

2. (Regional – West Africa) – Prevention and Protection – Estimates indicate that 17.2 million children are involved in domestic work and girls account for over 70% of child domestic workers. Child domestic work has been identified as an issue across West Africa, specifically in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. Relatives, family friends, employers, or other trustworthy acquaintances often make informal arrangements for children to relocate on the promise to improve their futures and/or relieve financial pressures on families.

In many cases, these informal arrangements are made with good intentions and there have been positive experiences and outcomes. However, some arrangements have resulted in exploitative situations and hazardous conditions.

existing research and programming work to develop a transformational, long term program to research, pilot, and expand focused solutions to address exploitation of girls in domestic work outside of their homes in West Africa.

Applicants should propose a phased approach to study, pilot, and expand innovative ideas to address this problem at the local level working with survivors, families, grassroots organizations, communities, and/or the national level with pragmatic, workable solutions. Applicants must incorporate a thorough review of existing data, research, evidence, evaluations, and other materials surrounding this phenomenon in West Africa; analyze lessons learned in preventing child domestic work in West Africa; and employ international standards governing the treatment of children in their project designs. Based on this research, applicants should establish plans to develop one or multiple pilot projects to address the issue through evidence-based programming designs in select countries. The expectation would be that the pilots would produce results that could expand within the chosen country as well as to other countries in the region. Project designs should be measurable by including prevalence studies, rigorous monitoring and evaluation, mid-term assessments, final assessment, and/or adjustment plans to analyze and evaluate the success and failures of the pilot and expansion projects. Applications should propose phased initiatives for a three-to-five-year period but should demonstrate a strategy and capacity for executing a project with a longer duration. The TIP Office intends to fund the selected program incrementally, based on availability of funding, over a substantial period of time, with the first award covering 36 to 60 months in duration.

EAST ASIA and PACIFIC (EAP)

In the FY 2021 NOFO, the key priorities for Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam are to improve investigations and prosecutions using a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach. The TIP Office seeks to promote stronger partnerships between government and civil society in achieving this goal.

1. (Bilateral – Cambodia) – Protection – Cambodia has made positive steps towards uniform standards for victim identification across the country over the past few years. In particular, Cambodia’s National Committee for Counter Trafficking recently launched a victim identification manual and screening tool to improve victim identification procedures. However, these procedures are not being used uniformly throughout the country and lack of consistent implementation continues to impede proactive screening, identification, and referrals by government officials.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to develop and uniformly implement effective victim identification standards throughout Cambodia, beginning in one or more area and then expanding. Applications should solely focus on Cambodia and propose a strategy to identify specific target regions for the focus of this project based on a gap analysis in the beginning of the project. Applicants should place an additional emphasis in supporting the identification of domestic trafficking victims. Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

2. (Bilateral – Indonesia) – Protection – Prior TIP Office programming in Indonesia has focused on training law enforcement, largely with success.

However, there is still a need for comprehensive training on proactive victim identification for those who deal directly with potential victims, including employees at airports, seaports, and so on. Indonesia’s challenging geography further complicates this need, as the vast size of the country makes coordination difficult. As such, there is a clear need for stronger networks of protection services across Indonesia to strengthen partnerships and learn from one another.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to establish and strengthen partnerships among civil society, government organizations, and others to provide training on victim identification to entities beyond law enforcement officials. Applicants should identify a specific region of the country to focus on or, at a minimum, propose a strategy to identify these locations early on in the project. Applicants should seek government buy-in for project activities, where appropriate, ensure those trained know where to refer victims, and demonstrate a collaborative approach to ensure national ownership of project deliverables. Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

3. (Bilateral – Thailand) – Prosecution – For years, Thailand has experienced difficulty prosecuting cases of labor trafficking in part due to confusion over the interpretation of Thailand's own trafficking in persons statute and a lack of strong implementing guidelines. Additionally, it is clear that poor victim protection and lack of safe and secure liaison between the criminal justice system and victim have created disincentives for victims to assist with prosecutions.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) assist the Thai government in developing clear implementing guidelines for its trafficking in persons statute; and 2) train officials and law enforcement on appropriately conducting victim-centered, trauma-informed investigations. Applicants must address both programming priorities in their application. Applicants should seek government buy-in for project activities, where appropriate, and ensure a collaborative approach to ensure national ownership of project deliverables.

Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

4. (Bilateral – Vietnam) – Prosecution and Protection – Vietnam has made some legislative progress in combating human trafficking at the national level.

However, not all of its legislative developments have been reflected in actions at the provincial level. In particular, Vietnam still needs assistance implementing its TIP-focused legislation at the provincial level, as well as ensuring that there are meaningful and functional partnerships between government and NGO stakeholders. Vietnam also continues to struggle with victim identification – particularly of domestic trafficking victims – and with ensuring that victims receive victim-centered, trauma-informed care.

previous and current efforts from anti-trafficking stakeholders to create partnerships with the Vietnamese government at the provincial level to promote victim-centered screening, provision of services, investigations, and prosecutions. Applicants should seek government buy-in, where appropriate, to work with the Vietnamese government with an emphasis on trauma-informed care. Project proposals should be no more than 36 months in duration.

EUROPE and EURASIA (EUR)

In the FY2021 NOFO, the key priorities for Eastern Europe are to support the coordination and collaboration of anti-trafficking efforts at the national, regional, and local levels and to promote proactive screening, identification, referral, and protection measures for victims of trafficking. The priorities below complement USAID/IOM and State/INL activities in Ukraine.

1. (Bilateral – Ukraine) – Prosecution – Despite efforts to combat human trafficking in Ukraine over the last five years, key gaps in prosecution efforts remain. There have been important efforts to overhaul/reform institutions, such as the police and judiciary in the last six years. As a result, there has been significant turnover of regional prosecutors in the last several years. Thus, significant numbers of new prosecutors have not received human trafficking training and have not had experience with trafficking cases. As acknowledged in the 2019, 2020, and 2021 TIP Reports, numbers of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentencing of traffickers remain low.

Recognizing the government of Ukraine, international organizations, and civil society’s efforts to further prosecution efforts, the TIP Office seeks to build on existing initiatives to advance prosecution efforts in Ukraine.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to 1) train and build capacity of police, border guards, prosecutors, and judges in developing effective, proactive, and sustainable victim-centered skills and approaches to investigations and prosecutions; and 2) improve law enforcement and judges’ understanding of the complexity and severity of trafficking crimes.

Applications should focus solely on Ukraine. Applicants should address both programming objectives in their application. Applicants should seek government and other key stakeholder buy-in for project activities where appropriate. Project proposals should be no longer than 48 months in duration.

NEAR EAST (NEA)

In the FY 2021 NOFO, the key priorities for Algeria and Lebanon are: to adopt a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach to the investigation and prosecution of TIP cases; and to proactively identify, refer, and assist victims of trafficking while raising awareness of the legal protections afforded by the Kafala system. The TIP Office will seek an assurance of cooperation from the Algerian government to support the chosen implementer in achieving these goals and objectives.

1. (Bilateral – Algeria) – Prosecution and Prevention – Algeria is a transit country for men and women from Sub-Saharan Africa who intend to migrate to Europe. Although many of these migrants enter Algeria voluntarily, their illegal status leads many to be exploited while in Algeria, becoming victims of both sex and labor trafficking. These individuals are often afraid to report their exploitation to Algerian authorities due to the government’s severe deportation program. The Algerian government periodically rounds up Sub-Saharan Africans with no screening, due process or identity checks and places them in holding camps near the southern border with Niger in Tamanrasset (1,900 km from Algiers). After being held for days or weeks, Nigerien migrants are bused to Niger as part of a 2014 agreement and migrants of other nationalities are often left at “Point Zero” in the desert, a 15 km walk to Niger’s closest village Assamaka. Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 16,000 Sub-Saharan African migrants (over half Nigeriens) were deported in 2020 alone, with the UNHCR stating that many of those expelled were registered asylum seekers and in the process of receiving aid and resettlement. It is imperative that the government screen this population for indicators of trafficking.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) increase services for identified victims and 2) build capacity for government officials to properly screen, identify, investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases.

Applicants may choose to address one or both programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Applicants should seek government buy-in for project activities where appropriate.

Applicants should demonstrate a well-established track record of working with the Algerian government or previous experience of coordination on similar projects. Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

2. (Regional – Lebanon) – Protection and Prevention – There are approximately 250,000 migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, a country of 6.8 million. Already excluded from Lebanon’s labor law protections covering minimum wage, overtime, weekly rest, and freedom of association; the status of migrant domestic workers has only worsened during the ongoing liquidity crisis, which began in the fall of 2019 and continued through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Despite amendments to the Lebanese Kafala system in October 2020, IOM and Human Rights Watch have reported that both employees and employers are unaware of the changes (including a maximum

48-hour work week) and enforcement remains non-existent leading in many cases to exploitative conditions, physical and sexual abuse and worse for many domestic workers.

From April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, the TIP Office funded IOM’s global Emergency Victim Assistance program which provided assistance and repatriation services to 234 victims in Lebanon, with about 33% of the victims coming from Sierra Leone and 27% from Nigeria. The majority of the victims were employed as domestic workers. Given the dire situation, the TIP Office seeks to support a project to solely address this need for prevention and protection efforts.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office seeks to build on previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) raise awareness of existing laws and amendments with a focus on the Lebanese Kafala system, 2) share best practices from other countries in the region in informing and empowering domestic workers, 3) collaborate with source country embassies in country, and

4) provide comprehensive services to identified victims including legal, healthcare, shelter, and repatriation assistance. Applicants may choose to address one or more programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Applicants must work in Lebanon and may choose to work in one or more other countries in the region at their discretion. Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

SOUTH and CENTRAL ASIA (SCA)

In the FY 2021 NOFO, the key priorities for Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan are to increase prosecution, prevention and protection measures in South and Central Asia through: building local and state level relationships to address bonded labor and sex trafficking in India; leveraging the increased political will of partner governments in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to prevent trafficking and protect populations vulnerable to trafficking; and building on previous efforts in Bhutan and Sri Lanka to enable partner governments to identify and protect victims of forced labor abroad.

1. (Bilateral – Bhutan) – Protection and Prevention – Despite a recent amendment to its penal code, Bhutan’s law is still not consistent with international law as the current Bhutanese legal definition of child sex trafficking requires proving an element of force, fraud, or coercion. Lack of sufficient national anti-trafficking legislation continues to be a key limitation on the government's ability to address trafficking problems in practice, particularly for front-line workers such as the Royal Bhutanese Police, who do not receive adequate training and lack resources. Due to a limited budget, the role of the Bhutanese government is anticipated to be limited to coordination, logistical arrangements, and support in providing meeting spaces as in-kind contributions.

Additionally, Embassy New Delhi notes a continued lack of public awareness and understanding of human trafficking in Bhutan. Current outreach in Bhutan is funded by the TIP Office through a grant with UNODC. These awareness campaigns target potential victims, including entertainment workers, school children, graduates from vocational institutes, and job seekers.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) draft and finalize a national action plan to combat trafficking; 2) take steps to eliminate all recruitment fees charged to workers by recruitment agents, and investigate claims of non-payment of wages, contract switching, and illegal fees charged by agents; 3) increase awareness of human trafficking, including forced labor of Bhutanese students abroad; 4) disseminate information and train officials on the amended Penal Code Section 154 and the implementation of anti-trafficking laws; 5) train and instruct labor inspectors to screen cases of labor violations for indicators of forced labor, including non-payment of wages, and refer to police for criminal investigation; and/or 6) encourage the government of Bhutan to accede to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. Applicants should focus solely on Bhutan. Applicants may choose to address one or more programming initiatives in their application. Applicants should specify how activities will support at-risk populations such as LGBTQI+ individuals, women, and children. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Project proposals should be no more than 36 months in duration.

2. (Regional – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan) – Prevention and Protection – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have demonstrated an increased political will to tackle transnational trafficking in persons between the two countries. Though both countries were upgraded to Tier 2 in the 2021 TIP Report, significant challenges remain in terms of the capacity of local actors to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking – especially along the border crossing "Zhibek Zholy," where 45,000 migrant workers cross into

Kazakhstan from Uzbekistan daily. The U.S. Government underscored its commitment to deepening cooperation with the five Central Asian countries on combating human trafficking at the recent C5+1 Virtual Ministerial. The TIP Office seeks to build on the growing collaboration among local NGOs and leverage the increased political will by both countries to advance prevention and protection efforts.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) improve victim identification procedures for front-line officials in South Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, including specialized training of labor inspectors to identify victims of forced labor and report potential trafficking cases to the police; 2) develop outreach materials, including information on human trafficking hotlines, local shelters, and legal rights, in the Kazakh and Uzbek languages for use at border crossings; 3) provide comprehensive services for identified victims of trafficking through the provision of shelter, healthcare, counseling, legal assistance, repatriation, reintegration, and/or education services; and 4) assist victims in accessing legal alternatives to deportation, especially where they face hardship, abuse, or re-trafficking in their country of origin. Applicants must focus on both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Applicants may choose to address one or more programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Applicants should specify how activities will support at-risk populations such as LGBTQI+ individuals, women, and children. Applicants should clearly outline opportunities and strategies to seek national, oblast, and local government buy-in and partnership where appropriate. Project proposals should be no more than 48 months in duration.

3. (Bilateral – India) – Prevention, Prosecution, and Protection – The

Government of India does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. Human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in India and exploit victims from India abroad.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office seeks applications to build on previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders in India. Proposals can include activities to combat bonded labor, remove children from exploitation, advance legal justice, and provide comprehensive reintegration services to victims.

Applicants may identify one or more geographic areas for activities in India, explaining the basis for selecting the area. If multiple states or locations are identified, the proposal should include a trafficking profile, explain the relationship between regions (e.g., source vs destination), and provide an analysis of ongoing cooperation between relevant Indian government stakeholders, including state and local authorities. If intra-governmental coordination is a challenge, the applicant should evaluate its capacity to increase cross-regional cooperation.

The following thematic areas can be considered for proposals. Selecting more than one will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. The TIP Office welcomes innovative proposals that cut across multiple dimensions of human trafficking.

Bonded Labor: There are millions of trafficking victims in India, the majority of whom are bonded laborers. Investigation and prosecution capacity challenges constrain efforts to end this form of human trafficking. Proposals on this topic should positively engage local authorities to provide release certificates and rehabilitation funding for bonded labor survivors.

Child Protection: India is a destination for child sex tourism. Traffickers also use debt-based coercion (bonded labor) to compel children to work in agriculture, brick kilns, rice mills, embroidery and textile factories, and stone quarries. Proposals on this topic should employ international standards governing the treatment of children in their project designs.

Sex Trafficking: Traffickers exploit millions of people in commercial sex within India. Multiple organizations note physical violence against trafficking victims – in both forced labor and sex trafficking – is particularly prevalent in South Asia, including India. Proposals on this topic could include efforts to increase the conviction rates of traffickers and the protection of victims.

All proposals should include activities that provide technical or other positive support to Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) or other Indian government stakeholders. International organizations and multilateral institutions are strongly encouraged to approach potential projects in a way that engages and strengthens Indian civil society. The applicant must describe a plan of action for working with local, state, and/or national partners to institutionalize sustained government coordination efforts. If an applicant’s SOI is chosen for additional consideration, letters of intent from Indian civil society and government partners will be required to demonstrate political will.

Applicants should be familiar with India’s Federal Contributions Regulations Act (FCRA) and confirm their ability to meet all requirements.

4. (Bilateral – Sri Lanka) – Protection – Sri Lanka was selected due to a recent request for technical assistance made by the Sri Lankan government. The selected grantee will work with the anti-trafficking task force to institutionalize sustained government coordination efforts. Trafficking in persons has been identified as a topic of mutual concern and area for bilateral engagement by the new administration. Building on previous TIP Office support, this project will focus on challenges that remain in building awareness among prospective migrants of the steps necessary for safe migration and resources available abroad for those vulnerable to trafficking. In addition to awareness raising, the selected grantee will assist the Government of Sri Lanka in identifying victims abroad and developing robust protection measures.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to: 1) implement a small grants program to community-based organizations to deliver awareness sessions and develop materials for community members in at-risk districts prone to trafficking; 2) coordinate with local law enforcement, particularly by working with immigration officers to provide the tools and training necessary to conduct or assist with anti-trafficking investigations; 3) increase efforts to proactively identify trafficking victims, including among undocumented migrant workers abroad, women in commercial sex, and Chinese nationals working on Chinese government-affiliated projects; and 4) include training for officials from Department of Immigration and Emigration to increase victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches in case management. Applicants should solely focus on Sri Lanka and are encouraged to partner with local civil society organizations, particularly in regard to providing small grants for community outreach. Applicants may choose to address one or more programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. The applicant must describe a plan of action for working with the national anti-trafficking task force to institutionalize sustained government coordination efforts. Project proposals should be no more than 36

5. (Bilateral – Uzbekistan) – Protection – The Government of Uzbekistan has demonstrated growing efforts to combat human trafficking, including the recent implementation of new anti-trafficking legislation, an increase in identified victims, and the sentencing of significantly more traffickers than in previous years. The TIP Office seeks to support these efforts and build on the U.S.

Government commitment to deepening cooperation with the five Central Asian countries on countering human trafficking underscored at the recent C5+1 Virtual Ministerial.

previous and current efforts by anti-trafficking stakeholders to: (1) train frontline officers at a time when hundreds of migrant laborers are reentering the domestic workforce; (2) develop and provide initial victim-centered psychosocial services in government shelters while outlining a plan to identify local resources to sustainably continue this activity; (3) develop programming that leads to victims’ achievement of sustainable livelihoods and/or community and family resilience; 4) train first responders, including law enforcement, to identify potential trafficking victims and refer to care; 5) improve victim identification among, and provision of psychosocial care to, Uzbekistani families repatriated from armed conflict in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan; and/or

6) encourage government officials to amend legislation to ensure victims are not penalized for any unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit, particularly for illegal border crossing or loss of personal identification documents. Applicants should focus on Uzbekistan but may include activities to collaborate and coordinate with the other four Central Asian countries.

Appli…