TERMS OF REFERENCE. Civil Society Engagement and Grants Programme on Transitional Justice, Reconciliation and Institutional Reforms

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1 TERMS OF REFERENCE Civil Society Engagement and Grants Programme on Transitional Justice, Reconciliation and Institutional Reforms Application Deadline: 20 October hours, Sri Lanka time Type of Contract: Micro Capital Grants Agreement Language required: Sinhala and/ or Tamil working language, and English Expected Duration: Up to 10 months Starting Date: November BACKGROUND Following the election of the National Unity Government in 2015, a renewed space for civil society action was created. Subsequently, following UN Human Rights Commission Resolution, A/HRC/30/1, the role of civil society, particularly within the area of Transitional Justice gained formal acknowledgement and endorsement at the national level. In January 2016, the Government appointed a civil society Consultations Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTF) to seek public representations on how the government could take forward its proposals on Transitional Justice (TJ), particularly vis-à-vis four suggested mechanisms namely, the Office for Missing Persons, the Office for Reparations, a Truth Mechanisms and an Accountability Mechanism. The Task Force elicited public views throughout the country through a network of grassroots civil society representatives forming 15 Zonal Task Forces across the country. The role of civil society in the TJ and reforms process was subsequently reiterated and engendered within the Sri Lanka Peacebuilding Priority Plan (2016) which provides the strategic direction and programmatic framework for support in the areas of TJ, Reconciliation, Governance, and Resettlement and Durable Solutions. Notwithstanding these developments, progress on TJ has since slowed down, despite the Government s statements of commitment at the UNHCR sessions in March 2017, leading to the passing of resolution A/HRC/34/1, that provides the Sri Lankan government with an additional two years to fulfill its obligations. Within this political context therefore, the role of civil society to drive the TJ process becomes heightened, not just within the framework of the suggested TJ mechanisms, but also as part of a broader national reconciliation and reforms process. The role of civil society in transitional justice processes, for advocacy and lobbying to ensure that victims are able to access transitional justice measures, supporting capacities of victims and victims organisations to engage in transitional justice mechanisms, as well as outreach to victims and the broader population for awareness raising of transitional justice has been critical to empower victims to be able to participate in transitional justice process. Civil society engagement has also been important in many contexts in contributing to the national discourse and understanding of the importance of addressing impunity, dealing with the past and putting in place measures to prevent future violations.

2 UNDP in collaboration with OHCHR will roll out a civil society grants programme as part of its work on TJ, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and the EU. The grants programme will be implemented in a phased manner, within the broad framework of the Peacebuilding Priority Plan, to respond to identified priorities, during SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES The objective of this initiative is to support key targeted interventions that contribute to building and strengthening CSO platforms for working with victims and engaging the public on transitional justice, reconciliation and institutional reforms. The budget available for each project, is up to a maximum of USD 50,000. The first phase will focus on the following broad thematic areas: 1. Empowering communities to be able to access the proposed transitional justice mechanisms; specifically, the Office for Missing Persons; this could include support in getting ready necessary documentation; and provision of psychosocial support, before, during and after the accessing of the mechanism and engagement on forensics and evidence gathering. 2. Non-institutional, community based psychosocial interventions for victims, including for sexual and gender based violence. 3. Disseminating CTF report findings: this would necessarily involve simplifying content and adding supporting narrative to be used as a tool to generate citizen awareness and critical engagement on reconciliation. 4. Innovative initiatives that widen and promote a more inclusive discourse on the need for reforms that enable reconciliation and strengthen accountability including for past violations and preventing future recurrence. 5. Promote access to justice and legal empowerment for marginalized groups, including for legal awareness and legal aid and particularly for human rights and conflict related violations 6. Awareness raising on the Right to Information and its use to promote State accountability, not only in relation to past violations, but also ongoing social justice issues. 7. Support for initiatives aimed at non-recurrence, including joint cultural/ community memorialization initiatives. 8. Supporting pilot initiatives that bring the TJ and reforms discourse to the entire country and particularly the South, including through the medium of arts and dialogue. 3. C. EXPECTED DELIVARABLES AND REPORTING Within the broad areas listed above, civil society organizations are invited to submit abstracts tailored to specific priorities identified by CSOs. Abstracts should include clear results and deliverables for the project and include a narrative explanation of how and why the suggested interventions have been identified. Abstracts should also outline linkages to the broader political

3 context and more specifically in relation to strategic CSO engagement on issues of transitional justice and reconciliation. While the first tranche will be released upon signature, all grantees would be required to submit the following in order to avail subsequent traches. A detailed inception report and workplan within a month of signing the grant agreement Quarterly progress and financial updates Final Project Report capturing progress, results as well as challenges and lessons Final Financial Report 4. PROCESS FOR GRANTING UNDP will issue an open call for submissions of abstracts (See Annex 1 for template) on the above listed broad thematic areas. Following review of these abstracts, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a discussion through which a process of drafting proposals will be initiated. Templates and guidance for the next stage will be provided at this meeting. It must be noted that the grants programme will give priority to joint submissions, including those that promote geographical collaboration (e.g. North-South) as well as those that include partnerships with grassroots level organisations and networks. Additional support and encouragement, including on proposal development could be provided to grassroots groups whose abstracts have been selected. An abstract will need to focus on one of the specified thematic areas and would need to clearly explain the link if areas are to be combined. Alternatively, multiple abstracts can be submitted by the same organization or a coalition of organizations on each of the specified thematic areas. The abstracts will be reviewed by UNDP and OHCHR and shortlisted. Thereafter, final proposals will be reviewed by an independent advisory group comprising selected members from civil society, academia or independent entities, serving in their personal capacities. This advisory group will submit their recommendations to a UN agency committee that will consider these recommendations following their own review of the proposals in order to make a final decision. 5. DURATION November 2017 to October ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION The abstracts and subsequent proposals will be marked per the following criteria

4 Maximum Score Weightage Organisational a) Technical skills 15 b) Experience in the proposed intervention and/or related areas Abstract/Proposal a) Level of proposed collaboration/partnership with 25 other civil society groups (e.g. joint submissions) b) Extent to which proposed interventions are 25 priorities within overall context, particularly vis-àvis UNHRC Resolution 30/1 and the Sri Lanka Peacebuilding Priority Plan c) Methodology, strategies and approaches to be 25 adopted; including level of creativity, and innovation. d) Gender considerations % 70% 7. HOW TO APPLY To apply please abstract with a signed cover letter to: procurement.lk@undp.org with the subject heading: Abstracts for TJ grants programme. All abstracts should be received by 1800hrs Sri Lanka time, on Friday 20 th October Please use only the template provided in Annex 1 for submission of the Abstract. Prepared by: Approved by:

5 Annex 1: Project Abstract Template Civil Society Engagement and Grants Programme on Transitional Justice, Reconciliation and Institutional Reforms 1. Project a. Project s short title (If applicable) b. Extended title c. Location/s to be covered 2. Organization a. Name of the 0rganization b. Legal entity (Legal registration details and the year of establishment) c. Contacts (Details of the contactable executive officials) 3. Objectives: a. Overall objective b. Specific Objectives c. How the project fits into current context d. Results 4. Relevancy (Not more than 3000 characters) a. Problem and context analysis (Contemporary situation and politics of the problem/s, measures taken by state and non-state actors to deal with the problem and present status) b. Brief justification (Why this problem has been considered, causes and effect of the problem in the society) c. Beneficiaries 5. Suitability of Organisation (Not more than 2000 characters) a. Relevant experience of the organization (Experience of the organization including the relevant projects implemented) 6. Methodology (Not more than 3000 characters) a. Strategies and approaches to be used (Methods to be illustrated here briefly with the selected approaches, i.e participatory community consultative processes) b. Consideration of the cross-cutting areas such as gender and Do No Harm (Briefly explain how this project will incorporate gender and do no harm strategies) c. Partners and counterparts (To be involved in the action) 7. Budget a. Overall budget (in LKR. Management costs cannot exceed 12% of the overall budget) b. Budget as per the results expected No Expected result Amount in LKR 1 2 TOTAL

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