Request for Applications on the Issue of Inequalities affecting Women working in the Agricultural Sector- NASSEEJ – DI عودة إلى الفرص

SECTION 1 – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1A. INTRODUCTION

The NASSEEJ project is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded project that aims to partner with and support Tunisian initiatives on priority issues of local concern to advance Tunisia’s development in different sectors and effect change at the local, regional, and national levels.

As part of this, the project aims to build the capacity and sustainability of the development sector in Tunisia to address issues of primary importance to citizens and build linkages across and within sectors to foster better collaboration, cooperation, and unity. The multi-year project works to empower Tunisian citizens to promote their own priorities in advancing Tunisia’s development through three linked objectives:

• Objective 1: Increase the engagement and agency of citizens to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.
• Objective 2: Strengthen the institutional capacity of civil society organizations to promote positive change on citizen and constituent priorities.
• Objective 3: Promote effective partnerships (intra- inter- and multi-sectoral) at local, regional, and national levels (e.g., government, civil society, citizens, private sector) to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.

In pursuit of NASSEEJ’s programmatic goal and the aforementioned objectives, the project is implementing a grants activity that aims to engage local organizations in both expanding civic engagement and developing strategic initiatives that work to address developmental needs in Tunisia. The grants activity is formulated around four thematic issues of public priority identified during a seven-month Inception and Refinement Phase: Inequalities Affecting Vulnerable People, Health, Education, and Environment.

The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFAs) is to solicit applications on thematic issue #1 – Inequalities Affecting Vulnerable People, with a specific focus on women working in the agricultural sector.

Note: NASSEEJ is accepting RFAs for Inequalities Affecting Vulnerable People under the entry point of women workers in the agricultural sector ONLY for this application window. Submissions either focused on other thematic areas or a different entry point under the thematic area of interest for this application window will be summarily rejected.

1B. STATEMENT OF WORK

NASSEEJ invites eligible entities to apply for support under this call for applications aimed at addressing inequalities and vulnerabilities affecting women working in the agricultural sector in Tunisia. NASSEEJ is committed to supporting projects and initiatives that can significantly improve the working conditions of women and advance the developmental outcomes of underserved areas. 

The project’s focus is on supporting well-designed projects that can:

• Advance positive change in policies and practices to improve the lives of women working in

the agricultural sector;

• Introduce innovative approaches to civic engagement and advocacy that could improve

policies and practices for women in rural areas working in the agricultural sector;

• Promote safer working environments for women agricultural workers; and
• Raise awareness about the challenges faced by women in rural areas working in agriculture.

NASSEEJ’s support is designed towards projects that can broadly benefit and engage a cross-section of stakeholders, including but not limited to civil society organizations (CSOs) and, private sector, to improve the circumstances and working conditions of women working in the agricultural sector. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose innovative ideas that:

• Propose solutions to local priority issues and concerns that are based on citizen feedback;
• Mobilize citizens and encourage their participation in development initiatives and endeavors;
• Champion inter- and multi-sectoral collaborative partnerships and mechanisms (collaborations between CSOs, between CSOs and private sector, etc.);
• Advance network building and foster robust networks and cross-sectoral linkages; and
• Take into consideration/pay special attention to the inclusion of marginalized groups.

Grant funds may not be used for construction or for ineligible commodities or services, as defined in USAID Standard Provisions for Non-U.S. Non-governmental Organizations (https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/agency-policy/303mab.pdf).

For more information about the project check this document : NASSEEJ-RFA-2403A-IAVP_VF_English

• Attachment 1 – RFA Application Form in Microsoft Word : NASSEEJ-RFA-2403A-IAVP_Attachement 1_Eng
• Attachment 2 – Illustrative Budget Application Form in Microsoft Word : NASSEEJ-RFA-2403A-IAVP_Attachement 2_Eng