Reducing Gender-Based Discrimination in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Consulate General Erbil of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to reduce gender-based discrimination in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Please follow all instructions below. Priority Region: Iraqi Kurdistan Region, with particular emphasis on Halabja governorate. Program Objectives: Gender-based discrimination is endemic in Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, with women regularly reporting sexual harassment in public and in the workplace, barriers in access to capital to start their own businesses, and barriers to running for office. A non-exhaustive list of some of these barriers includes: (1) a lack of awareness of legal rights; (2) lack of access to internship opportunities or job skills; (3) lack of enforcement of legal rights; and (4) deeply held views among some families, community leaders, or faith leaders about gender roles. This program would target a specific pathway to reduce gender-based discrimination in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. It need not address all possible barriers, or all possible audiences. A non-exhaustive list of possible program examples includes: (1) professional development training for women; (2) training for HR managers, executives, or angel investors; (3) skills training for women on running for office; (3) discussion programs with families, community leaders, or faith leaders; (4) discussions or training for police, Asayish, judges, or others in the criminal justice system. Participants and Audiences: The chosen audience should be carefully selected to best ensure a credible reduction in gender-based discrimination in specific parts of, or all of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Award applicants should make clearly explain their rationale for choosing between a program with few numbers but a presumably more in-depth impact, versus a program with significantly larger number of participants but with less time spent per participant. The minimum number of participants for this program is 25.

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