Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Request for Grant Proposals:
Law Enforcement and Rule of Law Programs for AfghanistanSUMMARYThe United States Government, represented by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Office for Afghanistan and

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Pakistan is focused on directing and overseeing critical foreign assistance programs pertaining to counternarcotics, crime, rule of law and law enforcement training in Afghanistan and is seeking applications from qualified U. S. Afghan and International non-governmental organizations with the requisite capacity and experience to implement rule of law programs in Afghanistan.

Specifically, organizations will be asked to provide technical assistance, training, advice, and direct assistance to criminal justice professionals on criminal law and procedures with the goal of improving the overall competence of the Afghan justice and penal sectors, enhance professional development and legal education, facilitate access to and demand for justice, protect the rights of victims, witnesses, and defendants, and improve opportunities for women and minorities.

The grant award or awards will vary according to the scope and length of project.

PLEASE NOTE:
INL strongly urges applicants to access www.grants.gov immediately in order to obtain a username and password.

It may take several weeks to register with www.grants.gov.

Please see the section entitled, “DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS” below for specific instructions.

TARGET THEMES AND COUNTRIESINL invites organizations to submit proposals outlining program concepts and capacity to manage projects targeting the issues presented below.

Organizations may submit grant proposals for programs that facilitate improvements in legal education, understanding of criminal and civil law, police and prosecutor cooperation, access to and demand for justice, the treatment and rehabilitation of prisoners, protect the rights of victims, witnesses, and defendants, and build technical capacity in justice institutions.

Areas of emphasis could include legal public affairs and public awareness programs, legal training and education reform, support to Afghan civil society organizations, women’s legal issues and violence against women, and anti-corruption related initiatives.

Priority will be given to proposals that contain components supporting the equitable protection of women, minorities and juveniles in line with the Afghan Constitution and all relevant international treaties that have been endorsed by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan or that include capacity building initiatives or partnerships with Afghan Non-Governmental Organizations.State/INL is currently seeking a proposal(s) to provide support in one or more of the following areas (or other areas promoting the rule of law):
1. Improve standards of legal education for legal professionals and law and sharia students.

2. Improve clinical education opportunities for law and sharia students,.

3. Improve access to justice, especially for minorities, women, and indigent populations.

4. Strengthen civil society and build demand for justice.

5. Legal and leadership training and development for women and minorities working in the justice sector.

6. Build the capacity of lawyers, judges, investigators, and law enforcement officers to investigate and prosecute crimes of violence against women and girls, in line with Afghanistan’s Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

7. Legal assistance, shelter, and other services for those at risk for or victimized by violence against women and girls.

8. Strengthening the Government of Afghanistan’s public affairs and public awareness initiatives within the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General’s Office and the Supreme Court 9. Support on-going anti-corruption or Rule of Law reform initiatives.1 0. Efforts to promote post-incarceration reintegration of prisoners into society, including female prisoners.1 1. Support for children living with their mothers in prison.1 2. Improved access to social and health services and life skills and vocational training for Afghanistan’s prison population, particularly female prisoners.

Strengthening police and prosecutor cooperation.1 3. Improving respect for the rights of, and promoting advocacy for, victims, witnesses, and defendants.Expected outcomes from INL funded grant programs include but are not limited to:
1. Improved knowledge of legal professionals and law students about criminal law and procedures; application in the workplace of knowledge gained by students 2. Provide technical assistance to justice sector officials to develop programs and policies that improve access to justice, particularly for women, minority, and indigent populations.

3. Improved Awareness of individual and human rights among the Afghan Population; demonstrated better understanding among Afghan citizens and government officials of the increased effectiveness of the Afghan Justice system and the progress being made in that regard.

4. Increase the knowledge, professionalism, and confidence of women and minorities working in the justice sector, thereby improving their prospects for career advancement.

5. Enable successful investigation and prosecution of violence against women; increase indigenous Afghan capacity to respond to cases of violence against women and girls; and promote implementation of the Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

6. Prevent and reduce violence against women and girls in project area(s) through the establishment and operation of services or dissemination of knowledge on rights.

7. Civil society organizations conduct outreach campaigns to increase public awareness of legal rights targeted at Provincial and district level leaders 8. Provincial and district level efforts to reduce or eliminate corruption in critical sectors, through improvements in transparency, accountability or enforcement.

9. Improve the treatment and reintegration former female prisoners into society through community outreach and awareness, social services, and other programs.1 0. Established, sustainable educational programs for women and children, including juveniles, residing inside Women’s prisons and juvenile detention centers to include elementary education, literacy programs, and health, life, and job skills training; development of resources to support the children of incarcerated women either inside or outside of prison.

1 1. Create a sustainable educational and training program for use within the corrections system.

1 2. Police and prosecutors better understand their roles and responsibilities in criminal investigations.1 3. The rights of victims, witnesses, and defendants are more consistently protected.