Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in West Africa (SGBV-TIP)

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s West Africa Regional Peace and Governance Office (RPGO) seeks to award funding to prevent, mitigate, and/or respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and/or trafficking in persons (TIP) in West Africa (Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Niger and Togo) under an Annual Program Statement (APS). USAID intends to have one (1) selection round over the course of one (1) year, but may choose to have a second round if necessary. The APS is intended to help USAID partner with African organizations with experience working in West Africa on these topics. This APS intends to address two specific human rights challenges in West Africa: SGBV and TIP. Addressing the scourges of SGBV and TIP is a USG priority. The United States believes that preventing and responding to SGBV around the world is a matter of human rights, justice, equity, and equality, and is central to achieving the Agency’s mission to end extreme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies while advancing security and prosperity in developing countries. The United States believes that TIP is a severe humanitarian and development challenge which affects millions of people of all ages worldwide. The United States Government. is legally mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) to impose consequences on countries whose governments are not making significant efforts to meet the TVPA’s minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking.1 For this reason, the USG is committed to supporting our partners efforts to combat trafficking-in-persons